A New World
by MeyRevived2
Summary: the rules of the game are changed as our heroes recieve new roles to play. friendships and relationships are tested, new loves and bonds are created. what will become of X as the world they live in changes complely.
1. The Princess' Dream

**Disclaimer: **I do not own X. Clamp does.

* * *

**chapter 1 – the Princess' dream**

Princess Hinoto Lay on her symbol filled floor on her platform at the Diet building basement, dreaming as usual. She tried to dream a dream of Kamui.

The leader of the Dragons of Heaven has been missing for a while, she dreamt about it too.

Now he's returned, confused and dazzled but still Kamui of Heaven. He could remember nothing from what he's been through, where he was taken to, nothing at all.

Now that he's here the battle for the end of the earth can restart and everything is fine again, as fine as it could be in this battle.

* * *

Hinoto remembered how horrible it felt when she first dreamt the dream of Kamui' kidnapping.

She was floating in darkness in her glass earth bubble and Kamui, and white feathers, the lot as usual.

At first she thought it was her dream of the two kamuis battling again, it was the same as before: two swords in an egg each, two Kamuis nearing the eggs, breaking the eggs, taking the swords, lifting the sword up in the air, growing wings, hugging their swords standing one behind the other like kids with their toys, smiling at each other playfully, charging at each other.

That's when the dream went wrong, that's when things changed and the wheels of time stopped their creaking slow spinning around her.

The two Kamuis who in her usual dream charged each other till the end where their sword clash something else came in.

From behind the Kamui with bat wings appeared something that looked like a warp in the fabric of the air around them (in Hinoto' dream? No, it was a part of Hinoto' dream this warp) and a rapture in the warp appeared. Out of the rapture she saw a man coming out, smiling he beckoned Kamui calling his name.

Hinoto looked at the man better and saw he looked a lot like Kamui' friend Fuma who now turned into the Dragons of Earth' Kamui. But it **wasn't** him, this man only **looked **a little like him but now quite that either.

This man was muscle bound, paler then white itself, dressed in black. He had green eyes that set Hinoto' skin crawl, there was something glowing in them and something inhuman in them, something malicious and evil. Yet he smiled, this strange version of Fuma, smiled and beckoned Kamui to him. He had black hair that fell around his face in a circle of black to frame his pale face, he had a symbol on his forehead: a black dot with a black circle around it.

those green eyes, the smile, Hinoto shivered in her ball of glass.

"Kamui, come to me" he said and Kamui with the bat wings, her Kamui, turned around and looked at him. A simple smile appeared on Kamui' face, his eyes twinkled with delight. He abandoned his battle against the white winged Kamui and flew to the strange man still half inside the warp.

The white winged Kamui did nothing, in fact he was frozen in mid air in the same position he was before the warp began appearing, as if the warp has stopped it as it stopped the wheels of time that decorated Hinoto' dream. The feathers stopped flying in the air and slowly all that was left in the princess' dream was the two men who defiled destiny.

Kamui flew to the Fuma-like man smiling so happily like she's never seen the real Kamui smile. The Fuma-like man was also smiling, a different smile now, it held no malice, no evil, only sheer joy.

The two men held each other, the Fuma-like man wrapping his thick arms around Kamui and Kamui nestling on the man' broad muscular chest. The Fuma-like man had bat wings as well, only his were bigger and scarier, he now wrapped those huge demonic things around Kamui as well, to enhance the protective embrace.

Slowly the Fuma-like man began drawing Kamui with him into the warp and beyond it to wherever it was.

Hinoto began screaming Kamui' name. It was to no use, the Fuma man was taking Kamui away from her and thus he stopped everything from happening, she saw this and could do nothing.

Before they disappeared completely from her dream and this world Hinoto struggled to take as much details of Kamui' kidnapper as she could. she noticed something meaningful: the Fuma like man' right arm, it had a small number tattooed on it in black.

The two man disappeared completely leaving Hinoto in her dream with nothing, but not alone. She looked to her right and saw the dreamgazer for the Dragons of Earth floating in the dream by her. He saw it too, he was as amazed and alarmed as her. They stared at each other puzzled "Kamui…" she said confused "is going to be taken away…" the dreamgazer mumbled as her "and everything will end" she whispered and wept, fear taking her ability to speak "no….everything will just stop….but not end". The dreamgazers woke each in their place, each in their way.

That very evening the Dragons of Heaven stormed into her basement shrine speaking of Kamui' sudden disappearance. Some of them saw it happening in real time, they were those most in alarm.

In front of their eyes, they said, Kamui began to sink into the floor like it was water, and completely disappeared. There was no evil magic in it, no charms or chanting brought this about, it was as if the world was suddenly sucking Kamui into somewhere else.

Kamui has taken his shinken with him as he sank, he was just about to seal it inside the CLAMP academy' heart. The place was filled with blessings and magic from all over the world but nothing could stop this disappearance, nothing from **their **world anyway.

In that world nothing could happen anymore, the battle froze in the stage it was in, like the white winged Kamui in Hinoto' dream. The Harbingers could do nothing and the Seals surely couldn't do more.

No Kekkais were broken, no Dragons attacked and no Draggons protected…nothing could happen, Kamui was taken away.

* * *

But that was almost three months from now and Kamui has returned by now. She saw that too, Princess Hinoto, in her dream.

She saw him thrown back away from the warp, thrown in front of the white winged Kamui and returning to battle against his rival as if nothing happened. She looked at the warp and saw a pale muscular hand reaching out, trying to catch Kamui again. It was the same right hand, she knew, it had that number on it. That number….

Now she woke from another nightmare, screaming mentally, calling over her two helpers and Saiki to kneel by her helpfully. "what is it Princess, what did you see?" Saiki' face was almost black with concern, who will die this time?.

"the Fuma man…." The princess was short of breath, even in her mental talking, in her body she was breathing so fast and her heart was racing, she was deeply frightened. "the Fuma with a number on his hand….." Sohi and Hien screwed their faces in confusion and frustration. "he was bursting out of the warp…he was coming here to get Kamui back….." the princess was becoming more and more frantic, almost on the verge of panic.

Then she suddenly calmed down and her face cleared completely. That's when her helpers realized she was still half imbedded in her dream, that she was still seeing her dreams though her eyes were as open as if she was awake.

"oh….I see…." She whispered mentally, her lips moving as if she really spoke "his eyes…they're soft, he doesn't want to hurt Kamui….he only wants him back….but he wants him back…..he wants him back…." The princess fell into a dreamless faint of a sleep in her helpers' arms.

(TBC)


	2. The Visitor

Visitor From Another World

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999. The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

**Author's Thanks: **my relentless Beta, Kitsunia. Love and kisses to my loyal fan Tekoo.

* * *

**Part 2 – The Visitor**

Sunshine 60 was slowly being destroyed.

Tojo Pharmaceuticals' CEO was lying on a bridge on the wreckage of the building, wounded and unconscious like a forgotten doll.

On one side of the prone man stood the Dragon of Earth's Kamui, Nataku at his side. On the other stood Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven.

"Ah, you came at the right time," the Dragon of Earth said coldly. "My new toy is here." He raised his palm and a ball of energy began forming, prepared to launch at the old CEO, setting a trap for Kamui to step into.

As he took his aim and fired, Kamui leaped in front of the man on the floor and worked his power to shield them both from the blow. The trap closed on the youth, now he was at the Dragon's mercy.

"What do you care about him, silly boy," came the voice Kamui knew, from the mouth of a man he no longer knew.

Kamui knelt on the floor by the CEO.

The Dragon walked towards him. He bent down to Kamui, cupping the youth's little chin softly "Or are you…jealous Is that it? Did you want me to play with you instead?" He drew his face close to Kamui's. He was looking softly into his eyes as if he was asking the boy something caring and loving instead of those alien, cold words.

Before Kamui could react the Dragon was working his powers again.

Kamui blocked it. This time he wrapped the CEO's arm around his shoulder and leaped away from the Dragon and danger. The ball of energy blew up behind them, dealing another shock to the already wrecked building.

The Dragon worked another energy ball, aiming it directly at the building.

Sunshine 60 was starting to topple.

There was nothing Kamui could do to prevent the destruction; he couldn't form a Kekkai to keep everything in real life safe and unharmed.

'At this rate…the building really will collapse…' He felt the concrete ground under him shaking ominously.

The CEO bled on his CLAMP academy uniform silently.

"This place falls – unless youcreate a Kekkai, of course." The Dragon was creating another ball of energy.

Kamui made a little frustrated sound.

"Or is that…too much to ask of you yet…**Kamui.**" The Dragon and Kamui stood opposite to each other. The heavy CEO's still hung unconsciously on the slim body of his savior.

"H…how…" Kamui exhaled.

"How do I know? Is that it?" The Dragon raised his palm. Would he hit or would he touch Kamui this time? He cupped Kamui's chin again, his eyes so painfully soft. "Because I know everything about you". His large palm traveled to caress the side of Kamui's face. The fingers brushed upwards across soft skin to feel up the silky black bangs.

Then, without a slight change of expression, the Dragon's palm traveled down to Kamui's neck and clammed around it forcefully.

As he raised Kamui from the floor, the CEO dropped to the ground making a dim thud as he landed, unnoticed and irrelevant.

"Because Iam Kamui. Just as youare Kamui," the Dragon hissed coldly. He began working his power, sending tiny little gushes of energy to rip at Kamui's clothes and flesh.

"Don't you dare hurt him, monster." A voice as deep as the Dragon's came from behind the two on the rooftop.

The Dragon turned around and glared at the man behind him who was still too wrapped in the cloud of smoke and debris to be seen clearly.

Kamui flinched in the Dragon's hand. The voice was familiar to him but…

It was Fuma's, yet it had an element in it that made him shiver. It shot through his head in a dark recognition he couldn't trace the origins of. He knew this voice belonged to someone who wasn't Fuma, but didn't know who else's it could be. At the same time it filled him with a sort of warm feeling, as if he expected the man hiding behind the thick foggy debris and dust.

"And who might you be," the Dragon growled, trying to focus on someone he thought is some petty Dragon of Heaven, uselessly trying to save Kamui's life.

He sent his senses forward to see if it's true. There was already a Dragon of Heaven on his way here as he sensed earlier, it was the Sumeragi Onemoji and he was already very near. But _that_ dragon still had some distance to cover before he'll be here, so who's this?

His senses didn't recognize the person talking to him as one of the participants in the Battle for the End of the Earth. They sensed something alien and detached, alarmingly powerful.

The thick cold mist of debris around the character turned into a beaming turquoise halo as the man walked closer and closer to the Dragon and Kamui.

Both Kamuis could sense the tension in the air rising as if the atmosphere itself was charged with electricity.

The character came out of the foggy smoke so the two could finally see whom it was.

"Put him down and leave him alone, then kindly piss off," the man said.

The man had a beaming white, pale skin, two big green eyes glowing like fire. His black hair, framing his face in an arch on each side only emphasized his paleness. He had two small devilish silver horns growing from the top of his head. A pair of huge black demonic wings stuck out of his back, ominously enhancing the halo of power around him.

He wore a simple black, skintight T-shirt under broad, silver breast-armor. The armor had delicate roman style engravings, two tigers snaking down from his sides towards the bottom of the armor. Petals hovered around the two beasts in their glorious little metal world. The breastplate connected with a set of short shoulder armors. These pieces had only the tiger's faces with petals swiveling around them.

The man wore black shiny leather pants wrapping his strong body tightly. Above them he wore a pair of worn-out low turquoise boots. His vest had a high, wide collar made from a different cloth then his vest; it was a crude fabric in dark blue and white stripes.

A sword hung from a belt to his left, kept in a simple black scabbard.

The most shocking feature in the man was the fact that, other then his long hair and the beaming white of his skin; the man had the exact same features as Fuma's.

The man's hand darted to the sword. As he did so, both Kamuis noticed a little dark blue thing tattooed on his right arm, between the palm and the elbow.

As the man neared the two, he drew his sword looking angrier by the moment.

"Which part of 'leave him alone and piss off' didn't you understand?"

So charged with anger was the voice, it scorched the Dragon's ears.

All the Dragon could do was stare bewildered at this man who was him, but wasn't. The Dragon realized this man was surely stronger then him when he first sensed him around. He wasn't a part of the Battle of the Apocalypse, yet he claimed Kamui as if he was familiar to it.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Death, in general that is. I'll be _your_ death if you won't put Kamui down this instant!" that was the last warning; the man flashed his sword forward, resting it on the Dragon's neck.

The Dragon looked down along the sword; it was thick and flat, slightly curved like an Arabian styled sword. There was a strange, somewhat green shine to the sword as the light hit it, indicating something was mixed into its metal. The metal felt icy cold; it left frostbite along the Dragon's skin. It wasn't the icy pain that gnawed at the Dragon's nerves; it was the powerful glare from those fiery green eyes.

Kamui stared at his savior just as bewildered. Who was this? _What_ was this? How does he know him? Why would he save him? Why does he have the feeling that he knows this man?

They heard someone land behind them on the wreckage. Suddenly the air filled with white Sumeragi clan shikis. One of the shikis hit the sword; it burst on the metal as if the sword was made from a countering spell.

Subaru walked out of the debris mist in full battle mode. He too stopped his walk and stared at the odd and unexpected scene in front of him. A man he didn't know held a sword at the Dragon's throat. This man smiled a knowing little smile at him and _winked_.

"Now we're three against one, monster, piss off at your free time." There was humor in the voice but the Dragon could still sense the danger. He could still feel the incredibly sharp ice against his throat. Reluctantly he let go of Kamui and leaped out of the mist.

As he levitated, he saw Nataku standing outside the circle of debris-laden mist.

He landed by the clone; glared furiously. "You saw me in danger, why didn't you help?" He was so mad he could strike the bioroid before him.

Nataku's eyes were lost and innocent as they hung on his leader. "I couldn't get in, the mist is like a wall. I tried to leap above it but it's not as low as it looks, it lasts on and on higher".

The Dragon looked at the mist and tried to touch it, it was indeed like a wall of concrete. It could only let him out of it but not back in; it was some kind of a filtering barrier more complicated then a kekkai. A Seal like the onemoji could walk in but a Harbinger like Nataku wouldn't. Clever.

He tried to work his powers on it but it was futile. "Some sort of a Kekkai? No, I could enter Kekkais the Seals create…this is something different…Nataku, did you see the man who came into this mist?"

"The Dragon of Heaven who just leaped in?"

"No, not him…Wait a second! You could have at least stopped _him_ from coming in, couldn't you?" The Dragon whipped his eyes back to the bioroid hoping to crortchr him with anger.

"I was trying to break this mist barrier, but it burnt my fighting ribbon. Look!" Grievingly, the clone handed his ribbon leftovers to the Dragon.

The Dragon looked down at a shred of the ribbon in Nataku' hand: a small piece of half burnt cloth, small in comparison to the long ribbon.

He took the cloth and looked at it closely up; the burned edges had a turquoise glow to their blackened look. He smelled it; it had a sweet stench like burned flesh.

Something hit the Dragon mentally. He threw away the cloth and took some stumbled steps backwards as if pushed back violently. It was some sort of magic that did this to him, like an unseen hand.

It was a warning. Whatever it was who put its sword against his skin and saved Kamui, it was something so powerful; the Dragon never saw the like of….

He gritted his teeth in frustration. The frostbite on his neck began demanding attention, sending searing pain through out his neck. This was no time to make plans to fight back, this was a time to retreat and contemplate.

* * *

Kamui, who was dropped from the Dragon' hand, was gently caught before he hit the floor. He looked up at the face he knew and didn't know at all.

The man smiled at him, his face beaming with happiness.

The man lowered him softly until his feet could touch the ground. He spun him around until they faced each other and wrapped his strong arms around Kamui as if he had always known him. He drew Kamui into a gentle, yet tight embrace, digging his nose into Kamui's hair. He planted a kiss on his head…**_a kiss?_**

Kamui pushed hard against him and drew a little away from the stranger. He pushed as hard as he could but the arms were so strong they only let him get a little away a little bit.

He looked up into a face he knew, yet held features he never saw before. He looked up into eyes he knew the shape of, but never saw in such a color.

"Kamui." Fuma's voice spoke so softly, so full of love.

For a moment Kamui was swept up in the notion that this is some form of his Fuma who managed to escape the body possessed by the Dragon of Earth and came to save him.

But it was not so, there was something _else_ in this man, this wasn't Fuma!

"I finally found you, Kamui!" The man smiled, his eyes filled with tears, he grabbed Kamui to a tighter embrace and dug his face into Kamui' neck.

Kamui could feel the warm tears soaking into his mucky CLAMP academy shirt. He had his palms against the man's breast armor, he could feel it was but a thin film of metal for show, that the body under it was hard as rock. There was something else that was hard; Kamui could feel it against his lower belly where the man held Kamui tightly to him.

Subaru looked at the two and saw someone else coming out of the mist…or was he _forming_ from the very matter inside it?

A man with his head shaved bold, a very thin, rather sickeningly pale figure appeared a little to the side of the two. He wore a long shabby black coat flapping miserably in the wind. Underneath the coat the second stranger wore a shirt and pants in dark blue and dirty white stripes.

It rang a bell in Subaru's mind. He saw the man holding Kamui had a collar like that fabric. He knew what this outfit was, but he had absolutely no clue as to how all this had to do with Kamui.

The new man looked at Subaru and smiled wearily. He looked at the two and sighed in relief as if he had just finished a long journey. He wasn't quite as much of an _actual_ man in Subaru' eyes more, like some sort of light formed to make something visual: a hologram.

The first man cupped Kamui's chin gently, tipping his head backwards, drawing his face nearer. He came so near Kamui could feel the warmth beaming from the man.

Kamui knew exactly what was going to happen now. This man, he was going to….

"Who…who are you," Kamui whispered frightened.

The man grabbed Kamui's shoulders and drew him away from the hug. Big green fiery eyes widened in complete shock. The sight of the once so powerful eyes suddenly filling with confusion and disappointment took Kamui aback.

"You don't know who I am, Kamui?" The man's confident voice started wavering.

"No…" Was he supposed to?

"You don't remember me?" The green depths began tearing again, this time with sadness instead of happiness.

"No…"

The man stared at Kamui; he was studying something in his face. "You…you've changed…you're no longer a vampire." He looked away, total despair in his eyes. Shaking his head slowly, he stammered, "…you're human…and you don't remember me…"

"I'm no longer a _what?_" Kamui worked his power to blow the man away. It was like he was blowing air at a wall of stone; the gushes of energy broke on the man's body and faded. The man let him go. He dropped his hands like two rag mops by his sides and stared at Kamui shocked. He folded his wings into his back, where a black cape appeared in their place. The silver horns also disappeared, the armors were all that was left of the man' battle dress.

"I know who you are," claimed Subaru, as he walked to the two men and the light-made man.

"You do?" The strangers looked at him puzzled. Kamui turned his eyes to his friend, demanding explanations.

Before he could talk five more characters walked into the surrounding. The magical mist faded as the Dragon and Nataku left some time ago.

Yuzuriha and her Inuki, Arashi, Sorata, Karen, Seiichiro, who heard the call of the Kekkai Subaru formed before he entered the ring of mist. They rushed over, sensing Kamui was in a direct conflict with the Dragon of Earth. All five of them now stared at the strangers.

"Guys, this is the man who took Kamui away," said Subaru, his face cold and emotionless, he pointed at the man in black and armor.

"Wha-?What do you mean? _I'm_not the man who took him away, it was the very _dimension_ that kidnapped Kamui into it!" The silence answering the man's words was as cold as the people listening.

He ignored their forbidding silence and turned back to Kamui. He stared deep into confused mauve deeps, trying to find recognition, or at least a sign that the boy was listening to him.

"This dimension, it kidnaps people…Kamui…Kamui…don't you remember! You…you were lost in the wrecked part of the City…and there were fires everywhere…I found you…you attacked one of the Noters…and you saw me when I killed Mouse…you understood me…don't you remember Kamui?" As he spoke, he sounded more and more desperate and miserable, his eyes filled with tears again.

Kamui stood before him like a block of ice; deaf, dumb and just as cold.

The man hung his head. He was crying, sob shaking his powerful build.

Kamui stared at the man, feeling pity for this stranger. After all, he did save his life just now.

Sorata walked towards Kamui placing a hand on his slim shoulder, his overprotective behavior slightly softening when he saw how hurt the man was. "Were you the one that brought Kamui back," he asked, trying to see if there is some sort of a good thing Kamui might remember in favor of the man.

"No, I brought Kamui back to his world, I did it to pay him back for saving my life when a demon was trying to destroy me." The light-created man in stripes besides the sobbing man said calmly. His voice was soft and light as if a gentle breeze could talk. At the same time he sounded faint and tired.

The seven Seals stared at him puzzled. "It's a long story about a warped crazy dimension, you don't want to know." He waved his hand expressively

"It kidnaps people from other dimensions into itself and lets no one escape. It's a dimension with a personality…a damn rotten one if you ask me.

"A prince once created it when he was bored. He planned on creating a great big amusement park and have adventures with his buddies there. But the dimension hit him with too many perils until the prince and his men died. After that the dimension became bored and started sucking people from various dimensions into it, unleashing monsters it creates against them to amuse itself". The seven people stared at the light man. "I told you it's a long story but you still looked puzzled so I told you".

"How did you escape this dimension? What's your name?" Arashi moved forward along with the rest of the Seals. They stopped behind Subaru as they too could sense the power that beamed from the man, fearing him a little.

"Alex." A little whimper came from the man.

"How _he_ got out? I'll tell you that." Said the light man crossing his arms of his chest, darting glares as Alex.

"Shut up!" Alex spat back.

"Don't tell me to shut up!" The hologram turned to the Seals again. "He killed my master and took me as loot, that's how!"

"And you are?" Arashi was tapping the ground with her foot impatiently.

The light made man straightened himself in pride. "I'm a TARDIS, a time and dimension traveling machine. I beam a hologram like what you see before you to make it easier for people who are a little dim (he turned to Alex as he said so, gaining a death glare back) to use me. Actually, now that I'm around _sane_ people again I can change to my usual appearance again." He smiled and vanished. Instead of a thin man in stripes, there now stood a healthy looking woman with flowing blonde hair clad in a tight dark red dress. She smiled at them happily. There were little glitters swirling in the air around her.

"You killed his master," Kamui asked. He wasn't angry; he was confused. Definitely suspicious.

Alex raised his head, shocking Kamui again with the sorrow and pain in his tearful eyes. "Yes…before you disappeared completely and returned to your dimension you called out to me. You told me to look for you…you told me you loved me…" He covered his face with his hands and sobbed.

Suddenly he threw his hands away and looked harshly at Kamui again "I did as you told me, I grabbed him (he pointed at the light made woman) and started looking for you. True I had to kill his master first, but I had to, I had to get you back…"

"Back to this dimension that kidnaps people, unleashes monsters on whoever is in it, demon women, and…Notfer was it? Who needs to be attacked by Kamui," Sorata accused, tightening his grip on Kamui' shoulder. His palm was waved away; he looked down at the smaller man.

Kamui's face was full of concern. "Why did you have to get me back?"

"'Get you back' he says, like it's something as plain and simple as reaching out and grabbing you, hah," the woman called. "We traveled _dimension_ _after dimension_ until we found this one! Do you know how many dimensions there are? _Zillions_ of them! Luckily we've _only_ been to two thousand three hundred and fifty seven of them before we found you!"

"Why did you have to get me back," Kamui asked again, nearing Alex a little.

"Because you told me to…because you healed me and I can't be without you…my prince, I love you…you loved me too…can't you remember?" He was crying again, though the distance narrowed between Kamui and him seemed to have cheered him up a bit.

"If I can't remember anything, how would I know you really knew me? That you're not one of those demons you say live in this dimension I was taken to?"

Alex was so shocked his jaw dropped a bit, offended.

Kamui regretted he what he just said. "I didn't say you came here to harm me, you saved me from Fuma…I just can't remember anything from what happened to me there, that's all…and you did kill his…her master…and you say I saw you kill a _mouse_?"

Alex stared at Kamui a little, then straightened up his posture. "I knew you because you told me everything about this world you came from. You told me all about the Dragon of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth, about this battle and about your holy swords and about everything. You told me about these people." He pointed at the Seals behind Kamui. "I know each and every one of them, what you know about them you told me, see, here."

He began pointing at each of the Seals.

"He is an editor in a newspaper or something; his cousin is a wind caster just like him and works for princess Hinoto in the bottom of the Diet building," he said pointing at Seiichiro, the man blushed a little. "You don't know him much but you think he's very fatherly and kind, he's married and has a daughter, you think he's very brave to risk his life in this Battle in his condition.

"She is a shrine maiden; she's very cold and hardly speaks. She's being chased about by this guy here, Sora, she has a sword that comes out of her hand and at one point this idiot here said he didn't know where she usually keeps it because they're only platonic" He pointed at Arashi. When he spoke of Sorata he turned his finger to 'this idiot'.

Arashi smiled to herself secretly.

"This is Sorata, he's a Buddhist priest who eats like a pig and constantly puts his arms across you, grabs your chin, or bounces around you in a way that was really pissing you off (Kamui sweat dropped) but despite all that he's a good friend."

Kamui took half a step back; this was frightening him.

Alex spoke on. "This is Yuzuriha, she's 14, she's hyperactive and she has a dog spirit. She's obsessed about other people seeing it. You think she's very noisy and she made a comment about your height once that you didn't like. She's seeing a man who's much, much older then her these days, you don't know that but I do."

"How do you know that," Yuzuriha screamed angry.

"I read your mind." He said it so lightly, like it was something as simple as a wave of the hand.

"Next, this is Subaru; his boyfriend killed his twin sister under his man eating tree and tried to dump him by telling him he can't tell the difference between objects and people. He called you out from the coma you forced on yourself when Fuma became the Dragon of Earth."

Subaru gasped.

Sorata turned his head to stare at him "Boyfriend," he mumbled.

"And this," he walked to Karen who looked down at his right arm and didn't move back at all in any kind of fear. "This is Karen, she's a prostitute in a place called Flower. Karen, you appeared in my dream and told me that your leader will heal me. In my dream you lead me to Kamui. I know it's not reality you but I thank you anyway."

Karen smiled at Alex, it wasn't her show smile; it was a genuine smile. She placed her palm on his right arm, on a dark blue tattoo of number. "My manager is an old woman named Michelle, she has the same tattoo, perhaps you knew her?"

"Michelle?" The name made Alex gasp. Something of a recognition passed between him and Karen as they stared at each other smiling softly. She was the only member of the Seals who wasn't terrified of the man.

"She died in my dimension," Alex mumbled "…I'm sorry…at least she's alive in this one". Tears filled his eyes again, bitterness tainting his smile.

Karen nodded happily, closing here eyes in a perfect grin.

"Wait! Her manager was sucked into that dimension as well?"

Alex turned his eyes to Sorata. "No, I too was kidnapped from my own world by the dimension that kidnapped Kamui. On my dimension Michelle was with me in-" he stopped, the light woman coughed a little hint cough.

"You…dreamed about me?" Kamui followed Alex with his eyes as the man walked back from Karen to his side.

"Yes, I have premonition dreams sometimes…but Kamui, how could I know all these things if I haven't met you?" He took Kamui gentle little hands in his.

"You read my mind," came an ice-cold answer.

Alex gasped amazed again "Believe me I'm not here to harm you, I could have let the Dragon do it for me if that's what I wanted…Kamui, please believe me, we were together, you loved me and I love you."

Kamui stared into Alex's eyes; he saw the despair, the love. This strange man from another world loved him deeply…

Still, he couldn't remember anything of it. The things Alex told him, thousands of worlds, the world that took him, the light made man/woman…it was all so confusing.

When Alex held him he felt familiar of that warm embrace. It was more then the man's resemblance to Fuma, it was something individual towards Alex.

But the man said he was a vampire, the man said they were lovers…Kamui was lost and confused, just like any of the other Seals.

He was exchanging stares with Alex, each men trying to analyze and guess the other's thoughts.

"I say we need to get out of here, ne?" Karen stepped forward. Her suddenly bright and cheerful voice literally tearing through the dark tension around them.

Subaru shook himself out of his shock and looked around. "We're still inside my Kekkai…the building was in a pretty bad shape, at least now it wouldn't topple quite yet."

"You did a fine job!" Aoki beamed a smile at Subaru and quickly looked away, pretending to be suddenly interested in the kekkai's form itself.

Subaru knew exactly why the editor was behaving like this; it was his forced outing that created this awkwardness from them all. He planned on taking Alex aside and having a harsh conversation with the man as soon as he could.

As he looked upon the stranger, he suddenly noted he could see his wings and horns as if they were still there. They hung like ghosts where they should be in on body. The man started a strange sensation in Subaru, something akin to recognition.

"How about we go somewhere to talk this through over a nice hot cup of coffee? I think there are still a few decent coffee shops here yet to be destroyed by our friends," Karen chirped on. She began shepherding the Seals and the two new men towards the rooftop's exit.

"If I'm going to explain things, then a crowded coffee shop wouldn't be the place for it. Not unless you want to find yourself in an asylum." Alex walked along quietly. His voice was leveled and cold now. It seemed like a dark cloud hung over his head.

The reason for the cloud was Kamui who walked as quickly as he could before the man, making a show of ignoring him. He stopped and turned sharply behind, running past the group and Alex. He ran up to the forgotten CEO still lying unconscious on the floor. Sorata ran up to him aiding him with the heavy man.

"We need to get him to a hospital first" Sorata shouted back, after checking the man's faint pulse. The CEO's head hung between the two boys holding him, bobbing this way and that along with their pace across the rooftop.

"You can get your scratches looked at while you're there Kamui." Alex was quickly scanning the boy's body. He looked genuinely worried about these scratches as if they were deep, life threatening cuts.

Kamui got the notion that when they were together this man hovered around him like an overly muscled mother hen. The thought was as humorous as it was disturbing.

"Well then, you go off to the hospital, Sumeragi-san here will unfold his kekkai." Aoki rubbed his palms together as if he was planning a picnic and not this. "In the end of it, we'll meet up…back in your dorms, kids?"

Having said 'kids', the others sent irritated, yet approving glares at him. Aoki received a premonition of how it would be to raise a teenager. He made a mental note to avoid growing his daughter to be anything close to these four.

"I'll go with Kamui then." Alex began walking towards the two teens and the CEO when his arm was grabbed harshly. He turned to look back at an irritated Sumeragi.

Emerald glared at emerald. "You better come with us; you're not dressed to run around the street". He was surprised at his own commanding tone. Sure, Subaru could be harsh when he wanted to…but he was always so polite and shut near people he didn't know, how did he dare to talk to _this_ man like that?

It must have been the strange feeling of familiarity that filled him since this man's arrival, like he knew him for ages now and could be whatever he wanted to be around him. It was a feeling of freedom and power that alarmed Subaru with its unexpected and sudden sources.

Kamui and Sorata leaped away from the kekkai as the rest of the bunch turned to leave towards Clamp campus.

A long night was ahead of them.

(tbc)

13


	3. My Prince

Disclaimer 1: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

**Author's Thanks: **To my lovely Beta Kitsunia and the anon. reviewer from Clampesque!

A.N : there are several mentions of several other anime series in this chapter so keep your eyes opened to it and see if you can find which anime series they are!

* * *

**Part 3 – My Prince**

With their new companion in tow, the Seals returned to the CLAMP academy dorms.

A great tension hung over them like a dark cloud. During their airborne journey many looks of suspicion, anger, or discomfort darted at Alex from those who were hurt by his earlier words.

The moment they arrived Sorata zoomed into the kitchen and began to feverishly prepare tea for them all. The air around them was so tense and Sorata, who was very socially sensitive, just couldn't take it. A good cup of tea would relax them all, or at least give them a reason to sit down and talk a little instead of standing there and glare, he thought.

Alex didn't sit down to tea with them; he leaned on a wall a little away from the table and watched them all. There was a hidden manner to his position, of someone trying to blend into the wall and not be seen so that he could better view the scene before him. It was not a thing he commanded his body to do, it was an instinct.

He'd stare deeply at Kamui from time to time until Kamui would notice him and their gazes met. Then green eyes would stare longingly and lovingly at confused misty violet eyes and quickly turn away shyly.

Alex's hologram companion sat at the windowsill and watched the scene before her. She rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes as if attempting to sleep.

Alex was a frantic employer, demanding her to travel world after world until they'll found the boy. He didn't realize he was working with a machine that can wear out after a while. She put herself into 'standby' mode and disappeared.

"So, you've been traveling dimension over dimension until you found this one," Yuzuriha asked, her tone bearing bits of suspicion and mockery.

Despite her slight awe at the dark character in front of her, she was still a little upset with the fact that he had so bluntly told off her secret of Kusanagi to them all. She also didn't like the way Inuki stood at guard all the time since Alex came over, it must mean he couldn't be someone good. She brushed off the surprised stares from her fellow Seals. They always thought her to be the still childish, naïve, and chirpy little girl. They didn't expect her to be able to glare suspiciously at anyone. They'll learn.

She wasn't the only one angry at her secrets revealed; Subaru was sulking quietly at his chair. From time to time one of the Seals would sneak a surprised look at him that said "Boyfriend?" This stranger said it so casually as if it was something that should be so easily shared with people. He'd have a word or two with this Alex later. Or should he do it now? Alex had mentioned he could read people's minds…

'How could you just blurt out that Seishiro-san was…well we weren't even…You do know who Seishiro-san is, how? Did Kamui tell you?'

Alex turned his eyes to Subaru and smiled kindly. 'Yes, I know who Seishiro is, Kamui didn't tell me everything, I picked the rest of it from your mind.'

'Ah, that's just brilliant; you dug out something private and threw it in everybody's face.'

Alex moved uncomfortably. 'I know it sounds like I was digging into your private life but I wasn't. I can only read what people… sort of transmit outside, what's on their mind all the time. If I wanted to dig into your past I could do it, but it'd take more then what I did just then. I need to actually _dig_ into your mind psychically, what I did was merely listen to what you thought of, I can hear it when I tune into people.'

'Then you _did_ tune into me, you _did_ invade something I might not want you to hear!'

Subaru covered the hint about his constant and endless thought of Seishiro with his anger.

'No, when I look at someone I tune into their thoughts without controlling it, you have no idea how simply walking in the street can be noisy to me.' His smile broadened and Subaru frowned.

Yuzuriha was repeating the question she asked but she was unheard by any of the two thought talkers.

'Humph. You still didn't have to tell it out so loudly to everyone!' Subaru looked away and folded his palms on his lap, his closest gesture of pure anger. He wouldn't dare do something as rude and fold his arms on his chest, a quiet little gesture like that was quite enough.

'Why? Is it something to be ashamed of?'

'…'

'It's as part of you as your flesh and bones Subaru, there's nothing to be ashamed of.'

'You're referring to the fact that it's a man I'm thinking about. I'm talking about the fact that you mentioned the death of my sister, an event that hurts me every time I remember it! I'm talking about a part of a conversation that hurt me just as equally, and you told it off like that, said he was trying to _dump_ me…' Now Subaru returned his glare to Alex. His glare would be a lot angrier if tears did not gather in his eyes. Subaru wiped them away before anyone could notice, angry with himself.

Alex turned his eyes from Subaru's He made a little bow 'Gomena sai.'

Subaru looked at the table and shut his mind from any further eavesdropping. At least he made it clear to Alex that in a way he had forgiven him.

"**_Are you listening to me,_**" the youngest Seal squealed at Alex.

Now everyone was looking at him a bit strangely.

"Whoa! Oh, sorry, I was drifting there for a moment, excuse me…what did you say little girl?"

"I'm not a little girl. I asked you if you really traveled all those dimensions to look for Kamui!"

Alex noticed Kamui finally raised his eyes to look at him on his own will.

He sighed. "Yes, I did," he murmured, sounding tired.

"Really? What is it like…dimensions I mean, it could be a great story!"

Aoki turned to look at Alex excitedly. He was also trying to lighten the mood up a bit.

"Well…I was trying to travel to Earth in all the dimensions but I didn't always find Earth in a state fit to have you around…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…some Earths are different; ruined, or over developed to match what Kamui told me about, so I assumed it's not the right one. Also I looked for you mentally."

"You looked for me mentally? How?" It unnerved Kamui that even if a person who wasn't him asked Alex a question, the answer was directed at him. Even if there were six other people in the room, basically, Alex spoke directly to him as if blind to the other's existence.

Kamui was making Alex' knees weak when he looked into his eyes and spoke to him like that, when he spoke to him at all…so many years it's been since he last saw Kamui, for all this time he was traveling those thousands of dimensions looking for his prince, his lover…and now Kamui was **_here_**, in front of him within reaching distance…but Kamui didn't remember anything about him and could not be touched, how frustrating…

"I looked in people's minds if they knew anyone named Kamui. It's a very rare name that not a lot of people call their children so I always went to where I found someone who knows a Kamui".

"Are there other dimensions where there are other Kamuis?" Everyone now tuned in to Alex completely. If they sat with their backs to him, they turned their chairs around to face him, if they were in anyway out of earshot with him they moved closer to pick every word coming from the man's mouth. Alex was now giving them a lecture apparently, instead of reuniting with his prince.

Alex sighed and explained. "Dimensions are worlds parallel to one another, sometimes the difference between one dimension and the other is simply the way people's small choices are different then the choices they made in another dimension. Sometimes the difference is something as monumental as a war being won by one side rather then the other…" He stopped for a while and looked down, hiding his face from them.

"And there are dimensions where all this doesn't happen? Dimensions where there isn't a battle for the end of the earth?" Kamui' eyes were lighting up with a little anger.

"Yes. In my dimension there was no such thing or I would have heard of that. I'm Death, I should hear about something like that with so many people dying…In some dimensions you're all nothing but a bunch of separated people who never knew each other ever, each developed a completely different personality and life."

"Really?" Yuzuriha shrilled, making her dog spirit cringe.

"Yes. In one dimension you, Arashi was some kendo girl in a girl dorms house in Tokyo, you and other girls were constantly chased about by some useless dork of a ronin, you were studying to get into Tokyo U…"

"Did he really chase me about," Arashi asked, hinting.

"Oh yes…"

"And I was a kendo girl eh? Did I get to hit this boy who was chasing me about?" She smiled.

"A lot." Alex's smile copied Arashi's.

Sorata moved in his seat uncomfortably.

"In another you were all together, the Harbinger and the Seals, but…ah never mind…" Alex looked away; he blushed a little, smiling to himself.

"And what," Kamui pressed, he started getting a bad feeling.

"Well…it was on Jupiter…it was a planet almost completely without women, it was some sort of hideout colony for criminals...Earth was all devastated because the moon was starting to crumble into the Earth and the pieces wrecked the surface of the Earth so I looked for you on other planets…Venus was amusing, it had helium atmosphere and when you first set foot in it your voice goes all squeaky and you sound like…"

"Us, the Harbinger and the Seals, what about it? Don't change the subject!" Mauve daggers pierced at Alex.

He blushed a little more "Well…you wouldn't like it but…on Jupiter…you were all in a brothel…you people were the prostitutes and the Harbingers were the pimps…besides you Sorata, you stole Arashi off and started your own one woman brothel…"

Arashi's face turned red.

Sorata beamed a smile.

"I bet you reunited with me gladly there."

Alex was shocked from the tone of accusation in Kamui' voice. "I never did! I knew the moment I saw you all that this was definitely _not_ your dimension…besides you were with a client at that moment…"

Kamui' face went red as well "You…you did say that there were hardly any women on the planet," he mumbled

"Oh…it was only the girls in here and of the Harbingers…and some girl named Julia…besides them, they were all men…" Alex looked down at the floor again. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other uncomfortably.

"And you saw I was…with a client…it wasn't this Julia was it…?"

"No…not really…"

Kamui shot to his feet and stormed away from the room. He returned back as quick and as powerful as he went out, fury beaming from him.

"You're lying! **Lying! **You…you said yourself that you killed people…you're **lying**, you're probably one of those dimension monsters, you knew exactly where I was all this time! **YOU'RE LYING!**" He charged at Alex, pounding his fists on his chest.

Alex wasn't wearing his armor anymore, and still the body Kamui hit was hard as marble and just as cold. Alex grabbed Kamui by his wrists and tried to hold him off

"**DON'T TOUCH ME!**" Kamui screamed and sent his power blowing at Alex, his eyes were almost glowing with his anger. The psychic waves washed over Alex and disappeared, it was as if they sensed the magic of this world would not work on this creature.

Kamui saw that and screamed out with frustration and anger. "**I know what you want; I know exactly what you want! And you're not going to get that here! Go to that stupid Jupiter dimension of yours and get it there!**" He screamed, tears flowing from his eyes freely.

Oh why does this man have to look so much like his Fuma? Why? And that look of concern, that soft touch, so caring…just like Fuma…why?

"I said something like that once Kamui…I promise to you Kamui, _I promise_, I'll never take anything from you that you don't want to give, never! Do you hear me?" Alex bent down to look into Kamui' face. His voice that was so calm and gentle, like he was speaking to a beloved child, tore Kamui from inside. Alex handed him a napkin to wipe his face with.

"You don't believe me that I traveled in all those dimensions?"

Kamui shook his head.

"Spill some cold water on me then."

"What?"

The light woman reappeared, bursting out into laughter and almost dropping her hologram body off the windowsill "Oh, please do that, it's so funny," she hollered.

Kamui looked at her confused.

"Do it." Alex smiled at him softly.

Kamui went to the kitchen and brought back a glass of water. The rest of the Seals eagerly watched him.

"That's not enough I'm afraid, bring something like a wok of water."

Kamui walked back to the kitchen and returned with a big wok full of water. Everyone in the room gathered around Alex as Kamui neared him and splashed all the water at him.

Six voices gasped as they saw what happened, one voice was silent and one voice started going mad with laughter.

In front of Kamui now stood a woman dressed, as Alex was, same hairdo, similar face. Her hair was red and a faint purple eye shadow decorated her eyes.

Kamui stared amazed at the pair of healthy breasts that poked out in his eyes' level.

"Don't you know it's not polite to stare kid," the woman said.

Kamui took some steps back "It's magic…it's another trick…like reading minds," he whispered and the Alex-woman turned grave again.

"I…saw something like this in a comic book," Sorata mumbled.

"Oh, so it's in a comic book here…" The woman didn't look very happy, she was very bitter. "Well I'm not surprised, in some dimensions your story is in comic books as well…and some of the people in the kidnapping dimension are nothing but fiction or television characters in my dimension…" She sighed.

The wok in Kamui's hand was filling with water, hot water. Alex took the wok from Kamui's hands and spilled it's content on herself. She was a he again.

"You said it's a trick…I'm sorry you think so Kamui…I'm so sorry you don't believe me…there's no way I can prove it to you then…I'm sorry…" Tears filled his eyes again.

Kamui walked to the table and sat at a chair, his back to them all.

"What was the worst dimension you were ever in amongst those you've traveled," Aoki asked, an instinct made him look for a pen and a notebook to write it all in.

"Stop interviewing him, you can't get his story into the papers anyway!" Karen wrapped her arm across Alex's back. She moved him to sit at a sofa by the window and a television in the tiny dorms scale interpretation of a sitting room for scamp students.

"Well…there was once where I appeared in England…there were a lot of vampires there so I just wanted to have a look around…but then some institution they had there put it's hands on me. They had the technology to keep me from working my powers. They wanted me to help them fight vampires, to kill them. I had to make a bet with them: if I fought their strongest soldier and win then they'll let me go, if not then I'll stay and be enslaved to them. Their strongest soldier was a vampire, ancient and powerful…" Immense pain twitched his face suddenly. It only calmed when he dragged his eyes to Kamui "…But I fought him…I had to kill him…I…Death…had to kill a vampire…all to get to keep looking for you Kamui…"

"What's all this talk of vampires, Alex? What do you mean you're Death?"

"Aoki-san! I told you to stop interviewing him!"

"It's not as if I'm writing this down, I can't help it, that's how I listen to interesting stories these days. We should get to know you anyway, shouldn't we? You don't mind do you?" The editor hung hopeful eyes behind glasses at Alex who responded with a faint smile.

Kamui was still with his back to him, and Alex could see that he was crossing his arms on his chest stubbornly. He knew this Kamui; the hardheaded Kamui who insisted on him telling him everything about a past Alex wanted to stop him from hearing so that he won't be hurt. The Kamui that insisted to come out to action with him

"We should always be together, side by side even in fighting," he said back then, the dark blood flowing through his undead veins making him _oh_ so beautiful.

That's the reason why he was taken away from him back to his dimension where he'll heal from his undead-ness, where he'll forget him. Because in one of those side-by-side battles Kamui saved the TARDIS machine, and in gratitude the thing shot him back to his home…

"I'm Death which means…in my dimension it meant that I was responsible for all dead and undead things; ghosts, zombies, vampires. I was to control them when they rampaged and to guard them when they were attacked. That's how it was in my dimension. In other dimensions I have the power to help and control them but I have no position or place in the general fabric of the worlds to play my part in. I just have these powers…"

"And you turned me into a vampire," Kamui finally spoke, angry, abusive.

Sorata never heard Kamui like that since Fuma became a Dragon of Earth. This was the badass Kamui who cared for no one but himself, who could say things like "I think I'll blow you to bits…along with everything in this room " and charge at Saiki in Hinoto's basement.

Alex ignored the tone and Kamui's behavior. He was speaking calmly with his voice still charged with emotions.

He was degrading himself now, in comparison to the confident and powerful thing that held a sword against the Dragon's throat, thought Subaru.

"I didn't turn you into a vampire. Someone else did it and no; don't say that I sent a vampire to do it because I didn't. I almost killed the vampire who changed you for doing it."

"And why didn't you?"

"Because I don't kill vampires, I protect them, they're my children…"

"Ah, but you just said that you killed one in a dimension you traveled to, why did you kill it?" Kamui finally turned his face to Alex, the beautiful violet eyes held an amazing amount of hate and malice.

It had a frightening effect on Alex. Perhaps it was Kamui's insistent disbelieve in him and maybe it was that the youth touched a painful subject with so much scorn, whatever it was it made Alex start crying in silence again.

'Kamui can be so intolerable sometimes. Remember, he's really only just a kid, forgive him,' thought Karen, knowing Alex would hear her.

But he had enough. Alex shot to his feet, charging at Kamui, grabbing him by his arm, knowing he'd cause the youth pain, and lifted him to his feet. He held both his shoulders very powerfully, making the pain sharpen Kamui's mind on nothing but his words.

"Listen you little brat, I traveled for a time that equals four hundred years in total looking for you, I traveled over _two thousand three hundred and fifty seven_ bloody dimensions looking for you and if you don't believe it, then tough! I was held prisoner more then just the time I told you about and I wasn't always able to escape sometimes. I fell into stupid fucking Chinese lakes that turned me into things and a woman is the last of them! Sometimes I traveled into dimensions where my body waited for me outside while my soul entered another body, sometimes of an animal or a human. When that happened I had to live that body's life fully to return to my own body. And all this time I waited, waited and waited, until I can get back to searching for you Kamui, do you have _any_ idea what this means Kamui?"

Kamui wasn't angry anymore…he was frightened. He fell silent.

Alex let him go. Turning his back to them all, he stormed out of the room.

* * *

Kamui couldn't sleep. Thoughts ran manically through his mind, stealing his much needed rest. He tossed and turned under his blanket, re-adjusting his pillow over and over again, but nothing helped.

He couldn't remember anything from where he was taken to but the moment when he was taken, the way he felt the ground under his feet turn to nothing and sucking him. He remembered the terror thinking it might be something to do with the end of the earth. He remembered thinking the thing that was taking him away might be not only the shinken it's sealing but also he himself.

He remembered the looks of people' faces as he turned from facing the heart of the Devine Protection to them in search of help. Sorata was running towards him but it was too late, though the priest managed to grab his hand, the force pulling him in tore the palm away from his.

He recalled the light woman's words; he was taken _by_a dimension that liked to kidnap people, then unleash monsters it creates against them…

Alex said he found him, that he had attacked someone there, that he saved people there, that they were together.

Together, as lovers…with this Fuma-like creature. Was it because Alex looked like Fuma that they were together? Did he think that here he found his lost kind and good Fuma after the Dragon of Earth had turned Fuma's body into a vessel of evil? Could he be so…so…selfish?

How could he use someone like Alex, who no doubt really loves him and wishes to protect him, and love him simply because he looks like someone else? Could he really?

He turned in his bed once more and tried to close his eyes to sleep. He couldn't. In front of his eyes the early evening's happenings flashed: Alex saving his life, how powerful and confident he seemed there but when Kamui started speaking to him the tiger became a pussycat, soft and submissive.

He traveled for a time that equals 400 years in two thousand three hundred and fifty seven different dimensions…for him.

But he couldn't remember any of it, why can't he? If he remembers what he was like then surely he'll be happy again because he'd remember all the wonderful things they must have done together…

Oh god, what_have_they done together? He remembered what he felt when Alex was holding him…surely when they were lovers they must have done lots of that…could he check if that's true in a way that wouldn't be going to Alex and asking him? Does it make some sort of a change in your body? Will Subaru perhaps help him with that question? Nah…

What could he do? What could he do?

He sat up on his bed and looked out his bedroom window.

He saw Alex standing in the distance in the middle of the lawn stretch separating one dorm from the other. The man was emitting a turquoise hallow again.

Subaru was standing a little distance away from Alex; by his stance Kamui could read that Subaru was trying to get away from Alex while still keeping as eye on him.

What was Subaru running from? What was Alex working?

The scene just didn't make sense to the boy. That is, until the white wind like streams began gushing in circle around Alex. Kamui saw them materialize and turn into people, so many people, surrounding Alex and nearing him. He saw one of these things walk right through Subaru, he saw the onemoji work his magic against them with no success, the thing walked on nearing Alex.

That's when realization hit Kamui: Alex was in danger! He shot out of the bed, running downstairs in his pajamas and bare feet.

* * *

Alex stood in the midst of the vast lawn stretch between the various dorms of Clamp Campus. The air was cool and damp, carrying a distinct smell of impending snow.

Alex inhaled this icy coolness into him, though he hated the smell, he cherished it as if to sharpen his pain.

His Kamui, his mental savior, his prince, his love, didn't remember him. He wasn't even a creature of death that could be with him without fear of the curse laying on him.

He remembered how beautiful Kamui looked when the dark blood began flowing in his veins, oh so beautiful. On the other hand now that he saw the human living Kamui again he began thinking that this one is just as beautiful.

But he doesn't remember him…nothing, nothing at all.

And he accuses him of imposing to be who he really is! Hah! Does he even know who he is? He never _really_knew when they were together. Alex hardly ever pulled the most of his powers into action; he knew no world could actually deal with such a thing.

That's why he's immortal, because of his great power, that's why he'll never die. He will always walk the earth without the ability to stop it all. He has to suffer all destiny throws at him live on.

He remembered the arch vampire he met at the English institute. Alex asked him how he could be a slave to humans like that.

The vampire told him that eternal life is a boring thing; you have to do radical things to make it interesting. Alex never got to live long enough on the same surrounding to get to that level of boredom.

He remembered a man he met in another dimension, a sun bleached ball of sand of a planet. The young blond in red was a very silly man, so silly Alex felt uncomfortable around him sometimes. This man, despite his super human powers, despite his amazing skills, could get as low as the lowest of humiliated men and didn't care about it at all. He could be in a headlock by a bunch of little brats, he could be forced to get naked and bark like a dog to make a criminal he easily could wipe out, forgive a girl he protected.

How he did it Alex never understood, this silly lightheaded men who could often seemed to have a death wish…the death wish he could never be granted…just like Alex…

"I know I behave like a complete idiot sometimes," the blond said one night when they were sitting facing each other across a little bonfire. "But…I know I'm not…I tell people I forgot what I did once but I didn't…I remember all my life since the beginning," he said, the fire's light moving from his face, leaving his sorrow in the cold darkness.

"How could you deal with that," Alex asked him.

"I tell myself I forgot it and I lighten up. I have things to do on this planet you know." He looked up to Alex. His pretty face lightened again by the fire, the little black mole near his left eye becoming a decoration "Lots of places to fight for **LOVE & PEACE!**" The man suddenly leaped to his feet and throwing his right arm forward, two big fingers held up and crossed like some kind of 'V' symbol.

Alex remembered how awkward he felt when the man suddenly leaped from serious mode to extreme moron mode. But he was right, absolutely right. Alex had a lot to learn from that moron, a lot indeed.

And a lot to learn from the arch vampire…if only he didn't have to kill him…the pain in his chest sharpened.

Alex's senses alerting him of someone approaching him from the dorms. When he sensed who it is he smiled wearily "Hello Subaru".

A little alert in Alex's head went off at the upcoming onemoji. Subaru was a medium therefore he was a Man of Death, something Alex was responsible for here.

"Good evening."

Silence stretched between them as they stood in the chilling fresh air of the night.

Alex was the first to break the silence "Seishiro…he's a Dragon of Earth, isn't he?"

Subaru took some time to answer. "You know he is."

"No, I don't. You don't think about it…no one does."

"Then how do you know?"

"I don't, I just asked you if he is or isn't…"

"Yes, he is…"

Silence…silence and cold air.

"It's frustrating." Alex broke the silence again.

"What is?"

"That you have to fight each other…and Kamui has to fight Fuma… He'll die you know…you will all die, I read it in the comic book when I saw it in one of the dimensions. What happens in a book in one world really happens in the world where these characters live…you'll all die and the Earth will be given its wish."

Subaru was speechless; his mind was numb with the shock. 'Will it,' he thought frightened, never daring to say the words out.

"No…Kamui will die though and to me it means the Earth can have its bloody wish, I couldn't care less. I'd ruin humanity myself, no need to destroy any more Kekkais Mr. Dragon of Earth!"

"You remind me of some other comics character we have here."

"Really?"

"Subaru…"

"Yes?"

"Don't fight each other, you and Seishiro."

Subaru mouthed a bit, Alex had his back to him but he could tell he had that blank frozen expression on that looked so grave yet so empty. A strange power was taking over him. The power's source was Alex, as if the man was casting a spell on him. There was a strange way Subaru could see Alex that others couldn't. When he looked at Alex he glowed a little, others didn't see it. Subaru began understanding that this is Death. Now Death was giving him a command he couldn't object to.

"Will he kill me? Did you read about it in the comic book?"

"No Subaru, you'll kill him."

"What? But…but…"

"The Dragon of Earth will lead Seishiro to think that your wish is to kill him so he'll activate a spell your sister cast on you two."

"Hokuto? A spell?" Subaru's head reeled, too much information too fast.

"Yes, she wanted Seishiro to kill her, for your sake, for your happiness though she knew it will hurt you. But she wanted you two to at least not kill each other so she told Seishiro that she cast a spell on you both that if any of you try to kill the other in the way Seishiro killed her, the act will reflect on the killer and kill him. In the comics you held a showdown on the Rainbow Bridge and he, thinking you want him dead, activated the spell and died in your arms. His last words were that he loves you."

Subaru fell silent, his mind frozen with the shock while constantly kicking itself to understand completely what he had just heard.

"Subaru, don't fight each other." Alex turned to face Subaru, he did have that frozen expression but it was slowly melting into one of desperation. "Take it from me; I know a lot about it, you don't want someone you love that much die. Talk; don't charge at each other, please. Promise me, Subaru."

Subaru was speechless. He could see the great pain in Alex hardly stopped from erupting.

"At least think about it…please…" He turned his face away from the onmyouji again.

Subaru started working out what he just heard when Alex's voice cut through his thoughts.

"For me, for all the lovers who died on me…all the ones I lost…in all the years of my life…"

That's when the turquoise aura started glowing from Alex. That's when the air charged with electricity until the wind currents hissed. That's when Subaru could sense something bad was coming, when he began walking backwards, alarmed.

That's when the ghosts started gathering around Death, the one who called them. That's the part that Kamui saw from his bedroom window.

The ghosts gushed down all around Alex. They were his fellow prisoners in this world…they would do just fine. They materialized around him on the lawn as he beckoned them over to take him into insanity.

He wanted to smell the smoke of burnt flesh, see the trains docking at the platform of the camp, hear the buzzing of the electric fence around him, to see the men and women in their stripy uniforms around him.

He knew he was deadly when his memories and the burden of his role were too heavy on him. He remembered, painfully, the times he went mad and started raising hell, spreading death and havoc all around.

If he concentrated like that while the ghosts will surround him surely he'll go mad and become True Death, true destruction and manslaughter.

It's not what he wanted for this peaceful academy but he knew that (now that Karen and Seiichiro were off to their homes) five Seals are here and if their united power will at least harm him, or kill him as he hoped secretly, then it'll be worth it.

Then Kamui could see him as the monster he suspects him, be rid of him and get back to his precious Fuma to be happy again. His appearance here was completely useless; it only disturbed Kamui more and made him unhappy. Now Kamui will be able to get back to his normal life again.

How Alex hated that Fuma though. Dragon of Earth or not.

The ofuda and the chants Subaru cast did nothing to the ghosts Alex called over; enhanced, protected and powered by Death On Earth they were invincible even against the magic of the strongest Sumeragi ever to be born.

They closed the ring around Alex tighter and tighter. He sent his arms up to his sides, throwing his head back he closed his eyes and waited for the madness to completely take over him. He could already feel it grasping at most of his existence, the pure malice and joy of the kill.

* * *

Kamui ran like mad past Subaru, through the ghosts, over to Alex. He watched as Alex gave himself away, he saw what was closing the gap between Alex and them.

He didn't know who they were or where they were imprisoned and killed but something in him recognized the danger. It wasn't recognition of the danger Alex posed once he was in the mode he was hoping to get that alarmed Kamui, he knew that since he started running from his room. He saw through the masquerade Alex was trying to pose to him. He knew Alex was trying to harm himself and the idea jumped Kamui's senses.

He ran all the way up to Alex, crushing into him and grabbing him from behind, his palms clenching at Alex's black vest front crossing in the middle of his chest.

Alex opened his eyes. He could feel the slim body suddenly banging against him. He felt the delicate arms wrap around him. He felt the wetness soaking into his vest where Kamui' face was. He felt the little heart against his back banging like mad.

He heard the small voice whisper in desperation. "Please do don't it Alex, don't give yourself up to these things…I…I don't know what they are but they're scaring me; don't give yourself up to them…please…"

The light snow shower melted into thin air as the chilly air carrying them heated back to its natural temperature. The ghosts seized their nearing as Alex sent them back to their resting place.

Subaru was on the floor where his exhaustion of the fight dropped him. He stared amazed at the two in front of him.

Alex dropped his arms slowly to hold Kamui's palms in his. He turned around and the boy didn't flinch, he didn't run from the embrace that followed.

"Kamui…"

The boy was crying as Alex's strong arms wrapped around him protectively.

"Kamui." Alex raised the boy's face to look up at his. "You did it again…you pulled me out of my madness…again…like you did in that dimension…you saved me again…I thank you so much…Kamui".

Kamui didn't quite know what the man was talking about, all he knew is that the scary things were gone and everything is all right again.

Alex released Kamui from his strong embrace his green eyes brimming with love and gratitude. In a second, Kamui thought, he'd try to kiss him again.

But Alex didn't try to kiss Kamui; instead he pulled his sword from its sheath.

His outfit returned to the armored one. The huge demonic wings burst from his back and folded majestically behind him. The silver horns were made visible and suddenly Kamui had a demonic creature before him.

Alex looked deep into Kamui's eyes; his held no lust or malice, nothing Kamui feared might be there.

As Alex spoke, Kamui, Subaru, and the rest of the Seals that gathered down on the lawn after they saw Kamui run downstairs, sensed the powerful creature standing in front of Kamui from his first appearance.

"Kamui, what you healed me from is worth more then my life sacrificed for your protection. I can't thank you in words, gestures, letters, anything…I can only help you and your Seals from now on. Kamui, I may look like Fuma but…the promise he broke long ago, I will keep a thousand times stronger."

Alex struck his sword into the ground and knelt in front of it at Kamui's feet, holding the hilt in his hands. He bowed his head as if in prayer, leaning his forehead against the cold metal.

"I swear to you Kamui I love you, and I'll always protect you. I swear, my prince."

(TBC)

16


	4. Vampires' Blood

Visitor From Another World

Disclaimer 1: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

Warning: naughty dreams….

* * *

**Part 4 – Vampire' Blood**

Since the night Alex took his vow to Kamui he hadn't left the youths' side for a second. Wherever Kamui went, so did Alex, keeping an eye on the boy like a body guard.

Whenever new people would near Kamui, on the street or on the CLAMP campus ground Alex would scan them to see if they're of any danger to Kamui and only until he made sure they weren't would he loosen his stance a bit. He made Keiichi very nervous, looming over him whenever the bigger teen neared Kamui a little too much for Alex to bear.

At first Kamui was a little uneasy with his new bodyguard. Then he just got used to it, behaving as if he had an extra shadow.

He couldn't forget the moments when Alex was kneeling at his feet; he couldn't forget the embrace he gave him, the love in Alex's eyes. Perhaps the Kamui who was with Alex in that dimension is still somewhere inside him, and had kicked him into gear when danger came for Alex….perhaps.

Kamui was uncomfortable in mornings as he walked out of his room and saw Alex sitting on the floor, leaning on the wall by his doorstep with his eyes closed. Alex would lean on that wall by his door when Kamui went to sleep but he was standing then.

It happened a lot, every time Alex would open his eyes and beam a smile at the boy greeting him on the morning.

"You….You sat here all night?"

"Hmm! Oh…errr, yeah….you know" he shrugged and got off the floor brushing his clothes.

Kamui blushed a little and backed off into his room.

That evening as Kamui walked into his room and Alex leaned on the wall as usual he turned to the taller man "Alex, you can sleep in my room in a proper bed if you want…."

Alex stared at Kamui surprised.

Kamui immediately realized what it sounded like and turned into a lovely color of light red.

"Can I?"

"Y…yes…I made a bed for you" Kamui walked in, Alex trailing after him sheepishly.

On the floor, near the wall by the one Kamui's bed was against a thin futon with a blanket and a pillow lay.

Alex looked at the thing, confused. "Japanese people…you really puzzle me you know"

"Why is that?"

"Oh, never mind, nothing you did in particular" he smiled at Kamui and settled into the bed, his clothes changing into a pajama-like outfit of a looser vest and boxers, both black.

Kamui walked to the light switch to turn it off when he noticed, in the corner of his eye, Alex taking off his vest to settle deeper under the blanket.

He saw, on the muscled chest, another tattoo on the right peck muscle: a triangle half in pink and half in red. When Alex turned around to put his vest in a tidy pile Kamui saw long scars on the man's back.

He walked over behind Alex and crouched. His fingers lay on the scars carved into the stark white skin.

Alex stopped moving; he was looking at something on his finger and didn't notice Kamui walking behind him. The soft touch, trailing from his shoulder blades down his back sent shivers through his spine. He only wished Kamui would concentrate on his back and not see what was raising under the blanket in the front side of him….or that he'd notice it and do something about it….aaaarrrrrg, what _was_ he thinking!

"Those scars….did you get them in one of the dimensions….?"

"N…no" Alex kicked himself mentally, fighting hard to concentrate through the thoughts that washed over him. 'Grab Kamui, throw him flat on his bed, take him…..' a voice yelled in his head.

"Then where?"

"….."

"Did they do this to you where they imprisoned you?"

"Kamui….you asked the same questions when we knew each other. You insisted on me telling you though I knew it will hurt you. I refuse to tell you now; I'm not doing the same mistake again"

"Why? What did it do to me that I knew?"

"Well…nothing really, it made you sad….it's things you shouldn't know about Kamui, things you have no connection to….maybe you'll learn about it in history classes one day if this academy is anything good".

Kamui took his fingers away from Alex, suddenly realizing what this touch must be doing to Alex. He got up and walked to finally turn the light off "good night"

"Good night Kamui" Alex sounded tired.

Instead of sleeping Alex tried to make himself comfortable on the strange bed.

'They call this a bed! It's nothing but a piece of cloth on the hard flood! And this pillow! Is this a pillow! It's more like a brick! How can anyone be comfortable on anything like this! No wonder this nation had things like seppuku and Kamikaze, they'd kill themselves rather then sleep on beds like this! Tssk'.

He sat up, hoping Kamui wouldn't see him do so. He looked over at the sleeping youth longingly, and sighed.

He shouldn't have had those thoughts before when Kamui touched him. The poor boy is nothing but the lost lamb of a creature he first met in that lost dimension, innocent and frightened. He'll never think of forcing himself on Kamui, not until he'll get a clear and obvious approval from the youth.

He can at least dream can't he? Alex nestled back under the thin cover, closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the lovely thought.

Kamui lying inside his coffin in their room. The violet velvet around him matching the eyes that open to him as Alex walks near the young vampire.

Kamui rising slowly from his resting place to sit in it. Kamui looking up at him in expectation and love, a little amusement and lust. He had a look of "I own you, you know that, you think you're the dominant but I'm the one who makes the rule. I'm the one holding your leash".

In his dream Alex stood above the platform raised coffin towering over Kamui sat. The boy send his hands caressing Alex's chest, going lower. Alex bent down to kiss Kamui, moving his tongue along the deadly sharp fangs.

Kamui's hands opened his pant's zipper and slipped a hand inside. In his dream Alex let out a sigh.

Once the dream ended Alex opened his eyes back to reality. Kamui only changed his position on his real life bed. He was safely deep in sleep, unaware of anything.

Alex thought of the look he had put in his dream Kamui's eyes "I'm the one holding your leash" was his Kamui really like that? No…he wasn't, he was no submissive creature either but he surely wasn't that dominant…

perhaps it's something Alex started developing in this world…

* * *

Kamui had a trip to Princess Hinoto's basement.

It was the only place that Alex couldn't accompany him to; Alex made the princess's skin crawl. She asked Kamui never to bring "The Fuma men with a number on his hand" along, _ever_.

As he walked towards the Diet building, Kamui truly missed the feeling of something there protecting him. Has he gotten so used to Alex protecting him all the time? Has he grown that dependant? What if Alex would have never arrived when he needs him? Would he be so spineless if he hadn't known there's someone guarding him all the time?

Perhaps he wasn't really missing the protecting presence of Alex, but missing Alex himself?

Hinoto spoke of Toujo Pharmaceuticals' CEO Kamui saved at Sunshine 60. the dreaming princess suggested Saiki would accompany Kamui as he goes to the company's hospital to see the man for further explanations.

By the time he walked out of Hinoto's territory, Kamui was so determined on surviving without Alex he forgot all about him. He didn't call him over to guard him while he walked around the town.

It was a grave mistake.

At the CEO' room, as they talked about Nataku, the earth quaked under the building they inhabited.

The people around them swarmed in panic, machines ratteled, other patience shrieked and called for help, but through all this Kamui could hear the ear piercing sound of a Kekkai formed.

'That sound! A Dagon of Heaven is near. One of the Seven Seals has made a spirit shield!' he looked out the window, frustrated at his impotence at making the protective shield.

Inside the kekkai he saw Yuzuriha still in her CLAMP academy uniforms, floating in the middle of her shield. She would face the Harbinger herself, whoever that will be.

"**YUZURIHA!**" he screamed.

Kamui broke the glass of the window and leaped to the windowsill, preparing to jump out. He turned back to Saiki who reached out to stop him "Look after him!" he nodded towards the injured CEO and leaped out.

Saiki ran to the window, calling Kamuis' name after him.

But Kamui was too late; he watched the Kekkai fading slowly away like a ragged curtain rising. Something happened to Yuzuriha!

"The spirit shield!". Fuma's voice rang inside his head "See how quickly it unravels? A spirit shield of vast strength…and yet it is as fragile as the life that made it. Your friend nears death"

"**YUZURIHA!**"

he remembered, this morning, she made him promise that whenever he'll be in any problem he'll call her for help. He could still feel her little pinky finger holding his as they made a promise!

The mayhem was all around him; people screaming and shouting, running away from the wreckage.

"Yuzuriha!" he called out amongst the crowd but no one answered "**YUZURIHA!**" not a response, only buildings within ten different circles in Shinjuku rumbled as the electric cables and optic fibers in them pulled out, tearing them from the inside.

* * *

Kamui searched and searched but found no 14 year old girl with a dog spirit anywhere.

Eventually he landed in front of one of the buildings where he spotted Saiki behind a banister on the entrance to the lobby.

"**SAIKI! **I…I can't find Yuzuriha anywhere!" he called out, climbing the stairs to where Saiki was standing behind a banister that only let his head be seen.

"Saiki" the head he saw wasn't behind the banister, it was….

"Sa…."

Kamui's breath became heavy. He was looking at a head…..

It was laid **on top** of the banister, without a body attached to it…..

Kamui heard his heart pounding in his chest powerfully. He looked at the blood splashed, dripping from the wall at the corner of the building's entrance. His heart pounded again, raking through his body.

The head fell from the banister in an oozy little thud.

Shock was running down Kamui's spine as an ice fist hit his brain. Anger filled him. Alongside his shock he was furious; it was taking over any other emotion.

Something dripped on him from the ceiling, it landed on his cheek. He took some with his finger and looked at it. It was blood.

From above him dropped the rest of Saiki and landed on the floor with a heavy thud, as oozy and hard as the head's.

"You're late" said Fuma's voice from above him. The Dragon leaped to the banister behind Kamui.

Kamui saw the blood on Fuma's clothes, on the hands he slipped into his pockets so casually.

"We just got done" no expression, no emotion, as if it was something almost boring.

Kamui knelt by Saiki's head on the bloody floor, he reached out to the thing. "You" he bent over Saiki, placed his palm on the side of Saiki's face. He was saying goodbye to the sentiments that the thing made him feel and kept him from getting absorbed by his anger

"You did this…to Saiki" he gritted his teeth; sheer anger finally took over anything he felt.

"**FUMAAA!**" He screamed, rising from his crouch. A gush of psychic force blowing off rocks and bits of the floor around him, aimed in a violent gush towards the other Kamui.

A huge explosion attracted the attention of Arashi and Sorata who were walking around looking for Yuzuriha.

It also attracted Alex's attention at the park where he was walking around fondling a cat in his arms.

Kamui was really fighting Fuma this time; bursts and explosions could be heard as he chased his twin star around the ten circles set by Satsuki.

He was causing devastation as grave as what the cyber girl wished for. Watching this, she smiled at her mega computer's screen.

In his condition Kamui couldn't care about the fact he can't create a Kekkai to at least save the building's Kekkai as he chased Fuma around.

The Dragon of Earth managed to dodge most of the blows set on him so far. An energy blast knocked the stylish sunglasses off him. The Dragon stopped running. Deciding it's his turn to play he stood still, waiting.

Kamui flew at him, a ball of energy in his hand, his face wet with the tears and Saiki's blood. His emerald gems mad with anger, the pupils narrowed until they almost seemed catlike.

He sent the ball at Fuma but this time the Dragon stayed still, countering the attack. Still in his flight towards the Dragon, Kamui sent his hand, his palm straight and hard, and drove it right into Fuma….into his shoulder.

The Dragon didn't as much as flinch.

He held the Kamui's hand and pulled it out of his flesh.

Kamui kept crying furiously but his evil aura relaxed, the Dragon sure knew what buttons to push to switch his opponent's emotions from one to another.

"Ah…!" the Dragon said, not even looking at Kamui, he took Kamui's head in his. "This is the spot here" he placed Kamui's bloody on his chest where his heart is "you see? That's where you want to aim".

He removed his hand from Kamui's head and placed it on the slim waist.

Kamui placed his other hand on Fuma's. This intimate holding was too much, he didn't want it….Fuma wasn't….

…..Wasn't who?

"What's wrong? Go on" the Dragon's voice cut through Kamui's concentration "I'll die. One blow is all it takes"

Tears streamed from Kamui' eyes. The chest under Kamui's hand; it was soft, not muscular, it was _Fuma_'s.

His bloody hand didn't hit the Dragon, it clutched at his shirt. Kamui leaned into the Dragon's chest. He was crying, sobbing, looking for an embrace he was not going to get "But _why_…tell me….Fuma…_why!_"

The Dragon drew Kamui closer to him, their faces almost touching. He turned Kamui head to the left and licked the stream of tears on Kamui's right cheek. He raised the delicate chin higher and placed his face against Kamui's.

They were close together, so close together and Fuma….Kamui could feel his warm breath against his lips.

The voice that spoke to him was also carried by someone else.… in all this confusion and horror Kamui couldn't remember who.

"Chances like that don't come along too often" the Dragon now licked the stream of tears from Kamui's left cheek "pity to have wasted it Kamui".

A powerful wave pounded Kamui against a wall so hard it broke his ribs.

With the sound of his own bones crushing ringing in his ears, Kamui could only spit blood in return blood. He felt as his arms were pulled and tied at the two sides of the fallen shred of wall by manipulated metal shards, tightening him to the wall and restraining him.

The Dragon walked over to him. "If you truly want to kill me…" he just stood there, completely ignoring the hole in his shoulder while his twin star fought for breath "you'll have to _mean_ it".

The Dragon walked closer and lay his palm on Kamui' chest where his heart was. "This" he said, lying almost completely on top of Kamui, placing himself comfortably between his open legs "this is the heart" he bent lower over Kamui.

Things around Kamui began blurring and darkening under his pain.

"I can cut it out…" the voice tore him back into clearness, but soon started sinking back in again. "…carve it up. Perhaps it would be best if I _ate_ it?" he drew his lips near Kamui's chest.

"Would you stop molesting him already" Fuma's voice came from a mist the Dragon was too deep in his act to sense around him.

The Dragon felt a boot on his rib. The next second he was kicked off of Kamui. He got up and glared at the man in black drawing out his sword again.

"You pissed me off now, you really hurt him scumbag!" Alex growled, his eyes glowing green fire.

He placed a hand on Kamui's forehead, creating a dose of painkillers into the youth's blood. It kicked in immediately, spreading soothing warmth around Kamui's body where pain rampaged moments ago.

"Hang on there my prince I'll be right back" Kamui smiled faintly at Alex, blood dripping slowly from the edge of his lower lip.

Alex turned to the Dragon; both were in full battle mode and beaming with malice towards each other. Alex was about to do something extremely badass-y when he told himself 'remember Vash' and smiled.

He lightened his stance and walked towards the Dragon. "So, I heard that on your way to make Earth's wish come true you make ordinary people's wishes come true. Wanna hear my wish?" by now Alex was very near the Dragon.

He drew closer and whispered in his ear "I'd like Kamui to…."

The Dragon's eyebrows shot up his forehead in genuine shock.

Alex drew away from him, smiling merrily "Now wouldn't that be nice. You know what? I bet you don't have to tie him up or nothing to get him to do that, you only have to be nice and ask for it"

The Dragon stared at Alex, his jaw dropped a little.

Just as the light mood came it went and left Alex in his gravest, darkest, most dangerous of attitudes "I'm still pissed off at what you just did to him" he said, blowing the Dragon powerfully away from there.

The Dragon found himself suddenly flying in an arch straight back to his lair.

* * *

A little while ago, when Alex told the Dragon of his wish, Sorata and Arashi landed at the fighting ground.

Pulling out her hidden sword, Arashi unleashed Kamui of the metal strips that held him tight.

Alex also rushed to Kamui's side. He could see the youth was in no pain, but he was also not in a very good state of consciousness.

"'cmon kid! hang on!" Sorata was trying to lift Kamui from the wall. Panic was clear in his face.

He was pushed back violently by Alex "What the hell do you think you're doing! His ribs are broken, if you'll move him about like that one of the bones can pierce his lungs or hit his spine, do you want to cripple him forever you idiot!"

Sorata swallowed his pride and backed off.

Alex stood by the wall Kamui laid on, assessing the boy's condition. He had something in mind, but he needed approval to do it first.

He turned the boy's face to him "Listen to me Kamui, I'm going to give you something to drink that will heal you from inside. Now don't you argue, just drink!"

"W…what is it" came the voice faintly, bringing more blood out of the delicate mouth

"It's….it's vampire' blood Kamui….it will heal you"

Kamui raised his hand faintly and tried to push Alex's hand away "I…don't want…to become…"

"You won't, that's not the way to do it Kamui, this way it'll just heal you. Kamui you're gravely injured, trust me, I'm not trying to turn you into anything against your will. Please trust me!"

Trust him? Was it him that he tried to remember when Fuma was licking the tears off of him? Was it? Yes….

He opened his mouth and closed his eyes; it was enough of an approval to Alex.

Alex ran his finger on his left hand's wrist. The blazing white skin slid open, dark red blood came oozing out, thick like nothing Arashi and Sorata ever saw.

Alex placed the wrist above Kamui's mouth, letting the blood flow into his mouth.

The moment the blood hit Kamui's tongue it sent a rainbow of sensations through his body.

He felt new strength and warmth beyond all measure filling him. But above all that lay pleasure, such deep erotic pleasure…

Kamui grabbed the bleeding wrist and brought it to his mouth, closing his lips around the wound.

Arashi was alarmed by this, she made a small step towards the two 'What are you doing to him!' she thought frantically.

'Trust me, I won't let him drink more then he needs to, his ribs are healing' came Alex's voice in her head. It reminded her of how Hinoto spoke with her.

As he drank the blood directly from Alex Kamui closed his eyes. Things Alex saw he now passed to him through this connection.

He saw himself fall from a sky above a city in ruins that looked like nowhere he's ever been to. He saw some scattered fires around the town and many people running from one place to the other in panic.

He saw himself with his shinken in his hand turning a corner and coming face to face with Alex.

This was their first meeting in the dimension that kidnapped Kamui. The Kamui he was watching looked up as puzzled as he felt when he saw Alex, "Fuma?" he said like a lost child.

The vision changed, he saw a man he didn't know enter a room Kamui thought must have been his.

The man was strangely pale, his eyes beaming with a strange power. He had blond curly mane of hair that hung down to his shoulders. His outfit was ancient, a velvety and frilly mess.

"You want to be with him?" the man asked, he had a trail of a French accent in his speech.

"Yes" Kamui heard his own voice speak.

"Then you must become a Creature of Death" then the man charged at him, grabbed him and bit down into his neck, draining him of blood.

He saw them both on a rooftop. Kamui was in pain, he was changing.

He saw his own face as he was changing into a vampire like the blond man. His skin paled and gained a beautiful shining light. His eyes brightened a bit enhancing their charming violet color. His features softened, his hair shone, his lips grew softer and pinker.

Kamui mentally gasped at this change in him, especially when he saw the fangs that grew a little sharper behind the rose petal pink upper lip.

Then he saw himself sit up and look at Alex who landed violently by the blond vampire.

He saw Alex as the vampire Kamui saw him; something holy, shining with a turquoise aura that wasn't as evil as the one Kamui saw him enveloped in before. He saw the wings and the horns although he could at the same time see that they weren't really there but hidden "Death" the vampire him whispered in awe.

This Alex grabbed the blond vampire by his collar and raised him off the ground growling into his face "**Why did you do this!**"

"So that you can have him"

"**Have you even ASKED him before!**"

"He did" the vampire Kamui stood up and walked to Alex's side. He laid his palm on Alex's fist clutching at the blond vampire's collar.

Alex looked at him, an expression of surprise and awe mixed together spread on his face "Kamui!".

He let the vampire go, this dimension's Alex turned to Kamui who placed his hands on his chest and smiled at him softly.

Kamui watched mesmerized as Alex drew near Kamui and Kamui drew near Alex until they kissed wrapping their arms around each other.

'**Noooo!**' the mental Kamui screamed 'Show me something else…I cannot see this!' he couldn't stand seeing this while the sensations the blood gave him still rampaged across his body.

'Alright' came Alex' voice calm and soft.

Kamui saw now a little valley under a house Kamui recognized as the one where the last scene happened.

Alex was standing still with his head bowed down. It was early morning, maybe 4AM. Kamui saw Alex as he was in inside mind, in stripes, amongst others like him organized in rows in a dark, dark place.

Alex was trapped in some self-cast spell, convinced he was really there.

Kamui saw himself come running into the picture. He wasn't a vampire yet, he was still alive. This Kamui saw Alex from the window of his room and wondered what he might be doing out there at this hour. He walked down to the little valley and turned to Alex.

"Kamui! What are you doing here! It's head count time, you'll be seen!" Alex whispered at him, never daring to raise his head to look at the boy.

"Alex?" Kamui looked frightened.

"Kamui….god damn it, get in between the lines, get as back as you can, blend in. if they'll see you they'll kill, you don't belong here!"

"Where Alex? There's no one around here but the two of us".

Alex still didn't lift his head to look at Kamui; he only looked more frantic and nervous.

Finally Kamui took Alex's head in his hands and raised his face to him; green misty confused eyes met determined and soft violet ones. "Alex, there's no one here" he said softly.

Slowly, like a Kekkai unraveling, the stripy uniforms Alex was wearing disappeared along with the environment that Alex saw himself in.

'That's when you first healed me Kamui'

Kamui didn't answer that. He was quiet.

Alex showed Kamui one last thing, it was when Kamui was taken back to his dimension.

Kamui saw the mess around; the ground was churned, holes where explosions accrued gaped open like screaming mouths. A little cottage stood at the background, its walls blackened and pierced from explosions.

A dead body Kamui realized must be the demon woman who attacked the machine lay in pieces all around him. He himself, the vampire him, stood proudly before the hologram woman speaking to him.

He saw the light coming from the hologram woman wrapping her hands around Kamui, pulling him closer to her body now acting as a dimension gate. Kamui saw light enveloping him.

He reached out to Alex who hurried over as fast as he could to try and grab his hand. It was of no use, Kamui was sucked into the gate too fast for him to make it in time.

"**Alex!**" He screamed reaching out desperately "**Alex! Come get me, find me! Alex! I love you!**" that's all he managed to say before the light consumed him and the gate started shutting fast.

Alex slammed against the gate, managing to wedge his right arm inside. Kamui saw the pain it was causing him twitch Alex's face.

"You can't do that!" the light woman protested but Alex didn't care

"**KAMUI!**" he screamed "**Wait for me Kamui, I'm coming! Kamui!**" the vision disappeared

'I love you' said Alex's voice.

The wrist was taken away from Kamui's mouth. he opened his eyes and sat up fast "Why did you stop?" he objected.

"It's not good for you to start getting hooked on it Kamui. You'll start injuring yourself for nothing, just to get the blood, I saw it before. I gave you as much as you needed to heal your wounds".

Kamui fell silent, looking away from Alex beaming worriedly at him.

"Thank you, I'm sorry I didn't trust you" Arashi smiled at the man by Kamui.

Alex turned his face back to Kamui again, drawing nearer "Drinking it felt nice didn't it Kamui," there was something almost evil in his hinting tone "drinking vampire's blood like that has a somewhat, orgasmic element to it….." he drew near Kamui's ear "But the real thing is no match for it".

Kamui shuddered.

Arashi and Sorata began moving uncomfortably.

* * *

The four walked around the city, following Alex's hearing and mind reading to pick up Yuzuriha's location. They found her in an army hospital, walking into her room only after the Dragon of Earth who brought her there left. they made sure she was alright before heading towards their own home.

The youngest of Seals had lost her inugami in battle but, as she told them with glittering eyes, the man who brought her here had cheered her up and helped her recover it. She won't say who it was. Her fellow Seals could only shrug and trust her good mood.

Once they were back in Clamp campus each Seal retired to their rooms for a long rest after a hard evening. All four of them were pretty much exhausted from the long search stretching into the small hours of the night.

In his room, while Alex was straightening his bed for sleep, Kamui suddenly froze on the spot with shock. "Oh god" he whispered "Saiki!"

Alex looked up at him from where he sat on the floor.

"Saiki…..Fuma killed him! The body!…." Kamui shook a little, memories of the way Saiki was running in his mind again.

"The people who will handle the cleaning of all the chaos will find it and take it to burial like any of the other people who died in the earthquake"

"Fuma's damage, I forgot all about it! What happened there after we left?"

"Well that Kabalistic cyber girl the Harbingers have kept wrecking the place until all the building collapsed"

"What! And all those people died!"

"Nah, it was pretty clear after the earthquake, while Yuzuriha fought that girl in the Kekkai most of the people were evacuated from the scene, don't worry"

"But…I…couldn't" Kamui's eyes began tearing again, his body shaking even worse.

"You were half dead, your ribcage was smashed! You couldn't do anything, you could hardly breath! You can't expect so much of yourself Kamui!". Alex found himself almost yelling to snap the boy out of his self blaming.

Kamui turned to Alex, his face twitched in pain. He shot off his spot and crushed directly into Alex's arms, curling there miserably. Strong arms wrapped around him lovingly.

In that warm embrace Kamui let loose all his emotions. He cried like a baby for everything bad that ever happened to him since he could remember.

Moving from Tokyo after aunt Saya died, his own mother dying, Tokiko, Kotori; everything bad that's ever happened to him and his beloveds.

He even cried about silly little things like losing his favorite toy at a park ages ago.

For a while Kamui simply lay in Alex's arms, clutching the man's black vest as his emotions came flooding out.

Alex sent his hand through Kamui's silky raven hair, caressed his back a little, planted feather light kisses on his head. He tried to be as comforting and warm as he could. His silence, on top of all, was the best comfort amongst all his efforts.

Finally Kamui stopped crying and gave into asleep in Alex arms.

Noting that, Alex tried to lift him gently and place him in his bed. But even out of his sleep Kamui moaned clutched at his vest's fabric stopping Alex from breaking their embrace.

And so Alex stayed this way, embracing Kamui in his deep sweet sleep until he too fell into a soft refreshing slumber.

(TBC)

14


	5. Remembering

Disclaimer 1: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

WARNING: this chapter contains mild Yaoi, nothing explicit that's worth an R rating though.

* * *

**Part 5 – Remembering**

That night Alex managed to get some real sleep.

Usually his sleep was simply turning off his mind until something or someone woke him up, no dreams, no real rest. Not that he really needed it physically anyway.

Yet this sleep took over him so softly he had to go into it, feeling refreshed and rested as he woke up.

Kamui's alarm clock went off to wake him to another day of school. The radio alarm clock shouted out a silly pop song ringing wildly around the small room. As if no windcatser was ever beheaded, no young girl's dog spirit was slain the day before. Such an ordinary morning.

When Kamui opened his eyes he noticed he was amazingly comfortable. Immediately he recognized where he was and what brought him to this state.

No matter what he did to gently escape the arms wrapped around him they were too big and strong for him to slip out of and so he had to wake Alex up, shaking him gently.

Alex opened his eyes, looking a little confused and sleepy. Directly above him Kamui's pretty little face stared at him. He could feel the youth's warm body in his arms.

Alex's mind went blank for a moment.

"Good morning Kamui" he managed to mumble once he pulled himself back to reasonable thinking.

"Good morning" Kamui smiled at him a little "can you let me go now?" he asked a little miserably.

"**Oh!** Oh god! I'm so sorry I…didn't mean to…"

The arms let him go, leaving him suddenly cold and a little lonely.

Alex was blushing….

"No, no don't apologize please" Kamui was still leaning against his body, his face still hung a little above Alex's.

"I want to thank you for last night, for saving me, healing me and holding me when I cried…..Thank you" breathtaking mauve beauty stared down at him.

Alex couldn't do anything but to stare up into those lovely eyes and be swapped with emotions.

"Alex….yesterday…what you showed me….you…you really did that? You really…oh why am I asking you these questions again?….I thought I stopped that" Kamui looked away.

"So…so you believe me now?".

Kamui's face dropped "Yes, I believe you…I wish I could at least remember how it was ….to make both of us happy again…we looked pretty happy _there_…I wish I could find that happiness again" now his sadness made him look a little old, gazing at golden days long past.

Alex froze in shock, Kamui _wanted_ to be that happy again with him! **This** Kamui!

"Do you?" Alex whispered, Kamui turned his face back down again and smiled at him.

They fell silent.

Kamui was looking into Alex's eyes; Alex looked into Kamui's eyes.

Alex was still holding Kamui, his arms wrapped around him again. One palm resting on his lower back and another above the first.

Kamui was still hanging a little above Alex. His soft hair landed around Alex's face as Kamui lowered himself slowly closer to Alex.

Seconds before their lips met Alex turned his face sharply away from Kamui "I can't….." he said painfully.

"W…why?"

Alex closed his eyes and tried to relax and clear his mind. The sensation of Kamui in his arms like that, Kamui **wanting **to kiss him it made Alex's head spin. He had to concentrate on the grim facts.

"Kamui….I can't…I shouldn't….if we do anything…you'll die"

"I'll _die_!" Kamui pushed himself a little away from the man holding him.

"Yes. It's a curse placed on me without me even knowing it, ever since I was born. To keep me focused on my role as Death on Earth I had to choose to be only with Creatures of Death.

"If I chose someone that isn't like that then my lover will die an ugly, painful, unneeded death coming to him years before the real time he is supposed to die.

" For years I didn't know that and killed people unknowingly….you…."

"Do _you_ actually kill them?"

"_I_ don't do it but they get accidentally thrown off of their motorcycles and crash into the bushes when they're only 35, or shot to the neck accidentally when they still have at least 60 years of good life ahead of them…" Alex shook his head as if to chase the memories away "….long stories from long ago…

"Kamui, you're bound to die in this battle….Fuma is ever so stronger then you, he's defeated you time and time again….I can't run the risk of killing you because I wanted something as selfish as having you with me"

"But…we were together in that dimension…oh, I was a vampire there….a creature of Death…I see"

Alex lay his head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling solemnly.

Kamui rose from Alex's embrace, this time the arms let him go easily.

He had to get ready for another day in this rotten life didn't he?

He walked up to his closet where his extra pair of CLAMP academy uniforms hung. He opened the closet, took out a starched ironed pair of pants and a starched ironed white shirt only a boy with Japanese restriction could keep that ironed and that white.

He slid the doors shut and began changing from his pajamas. Carelessly he dropped his shirt to the floor near his feet, then his pants.

Alex watched him, his huger eating him from the inside. Kamui wanted to kiss him, and oh how he wanted to kiss him back….

Kamui removed his shirt….

There must be something he could do after all. Alex was burning to hold Kamui like he did back then in their dimension, like he did in his dream…..

Kamui removed his pajama pants! This is too much!

Kamui didn't sense a gush of light wind or heard the footsteps as Alex shot to his feet and ran at him.

Grabbing him from behind Alex pushed Kamui a little against the closet door, rubbing his body against Kamui's with a single powerful thrust.

Kamui threw his hands to the door to lean against this sudden attack. He was too amazed at all these sensations to do anything or think of anything but of trying not to fall.

Alex began showering Kamui with kisses sending shivers of delight through Kamui's body. He kissed the cheeks the Dragon so abused last night. He kissed down his delicate jaw line, he kissed down his neck, he kissed at the base of his neck, he kissed his shoulders frantically. All along he ran his hands across the silky skin of Kamui's chest, along his thy up to his lap.

Between one kiss and the other Alex whispered Kamui's name in a voice hoarse with lust and love.

Kamui didn't resist the intimate touches. He was swapped by the sensations; he gave in to them, willingly.

He spread his legs a little under the slight pressure of Alex's weight on him. He could feel Alex pushing against him through his thin underpants' fabric. It made his heart race, it made him feel good.

A palm that caressing Kamui's inner thy moved over his boxers and slipped under the cloth…reaching out…touching.

"**STOOOP!**" Kamui threw Alex away, turning around and putting his hands in front of his body. A look of deep terror clouded the violet deeps. He was shivering and it wasn't just because he was suddenly very cold when another body didn't rub against him making his own body heat up like that. He was frightened, what if they began doing things…..things that Kamui didn't know about?

Alex took some steps back looking hurt and weak again, like he always did, whenever Kamui accused him of lying about their familiarity.

"I…I'm sorry Kamui, I shouldn't have done that….I….should have asked if you wanted to…I'm so sorry" his eyes filled with despair and fear, tears welled up in them.

"No, no don't cry please! It wasn't wrong it was just….too quick….and we can't do that you said….it's ok…_I_ should apologies…." Now Kamui was crying too, bowing his head.

"I should remember, I should know you….it would be easier and we both can fight Fuma…..I'm sorry Alex, it's not you…it's me….".

Alex bowed his head as well "I see….I'll leave you to dress…" he exited the room, leaving Kamui alone.

* * *

That's when something lay hidden inside Kamui woke up, and it wasn't the Dragon of Heaven.

He saw a transparent Kamui standing before him looking very angry. The other Kamui sent his hand to grab his throat and nailed him to the closet door violently.

This was the spirit of the Kamui from Alex's dimension. It gritted its fanged teeth and growled at Kamui. "You idiot! You really forgot and let me sink into oblivion didn't you? And then now want to run around him like he's yours! You're only making him more miserable, you know that!

"You're using him as a bodyguard, throwing him dry bones from time to time to make him feel like you really care about him! You **asshole!**"

Kamui fought to recover his shock at seeing himself like this, and so angry "I….I don't do that…I really care about him, I do…but I can't do more….Alex said so himself that we can't"

"Don't you worry about the creature of Death bit, leave that to me" the other Kamui smiled maliciously.

"Ok….but I'm….I'm still frightened, I don't know how it'll be…I can't remember….I'm afraid…." He put his hands over his face, feeling how they shook from a new fear.

"You want to remember?" the other Kamui's smile widened "here, I'll give you a particularly good memory".

Kamui found himself trapped in minutes of sensations and sights so real it was _there_.

He was held up against the closet door. Alex was holding him there; his head was dug into Kamui's shoulder. They were naked.

Alex was kissing him like he did moments ago. Then he raised his head and kissed Kamui deeply.

Suddenly Kamui felt the complete rainbow of sensations that made what they were doing clearer…and it felt so good!

The moment was gone, leaving Kamui to drop to the floor in shock. He stared around without a single thought in his head until one finely came "Now I remember how it is" he said, out of breath.

There was a little silence, and then Kamui spoke again "Now I can take over again, be with Alex, finally!" smiling, he shot to his feet.

He shrieked as he saw the light of the sun glowing on him through the window. He turned his back to the rays, covered his eyes and his head. Screaming mentally he called Alex to come and help him.

Alex stormed into the room seriously alarmed "What's wrong?"

"**THE SUN!**" the youth shrieked from between his arms.

"_What!_"

Kamui threw his hands away from his head and turned to look at the rays harmlessly shining on him. He walked to the window and put his hand outside the window into the kingdom of sunlight.

"I….can't be hurt in this body…." he said quietly in the mature and calm voice that sent Alex's head spinning.

"Kamui?…..you remember….but you're…."

Kamui smiled at him softly, his eyes shone happily.

He walked from the window to Alex and embraced him, snuggling on the broad chest "Don't worry my knight, see this?" he placed his hand he poked out to the sun at Alex's face.

Alex studied it carefully. It wasn't something that humans could see but Kamui's hand was a little blackened as if burnt "Ooh, my poor prince, does it hurt?" He whispered finally, turning the palm here and there to better examine it.

"It stings a little bit but I'm fine now, will you kiss it better?" the childish pout held a great deal of seduction in it.

"I better not start that, you saw how I couldn't control myself back then" the shameful shrug held a great deal of hidden glee.

"Oh yes…" Kamui returned his head to the strong chest.

"I'll just have to wait until you'll completely transform this body" Alex wrapped his arms around his lover.

They held each other and fell silent.

"Kamui, what of that boy…."

"He's me Alex. You just met two me who are the same person, I hardly changed from the time I first met to the moment I was brought back and returned to myself. That was the same old boy you've met in the city…only now…

"…only now I have the chance to defeat the Dragon of Earth without the need to kill Fuma. Then I'll bring him back somehow, while keeping my powers and you by me at the same time" Kamui drew away from Alex a little so he could stare up to his face "finally there's hope in our life!".

They held each other closer.

"Kamui?"

"Yes?"

"You better keep behaving like the normal you, for the others, you know"

"Why? I would have behaved the way I am now if I'd remember what happened to me when I returned. They'd have to deal with me this way or the other"

"All right my prince, they're your friends…..but Kamui…"

"Yes my knight?"

"You have to get dressed and go to school or you'll be late, they're already down there waiting for you to come with them"

"Oh damn!" Kamui rushed out of Alex's arms to prepare himself for the day.

He turned around one last time and smiled at Alex "I wish I could kiss you already"

* * *

"What happened there?"

"What happened where Sora?"

"Your room, you screamed" Sorata was checking Kamui over worriedly.

"Oh, it was nothing I…..listen people"

Sorata and Arashi turned to look at Kamui who stopped under the shade of a tree and looked at them.

There was something different about him, he changed, and they could sense it.

"Kamui….are you alright?" Arashi said, suspicious. She could actually _see_ the change in him, the vampire working his way at Kamui's body. She didn't like what she saw.

"I remember everything from that dimension. I know what Alex was talking about. I thought you should know that".

"You're changing" Arashi said, coldly glaring at the younger teen. She was talking like he was an enemy. Kamui could read it off her.

Sorata looked at her surprised to see her behave this way at Kamui. She was clutching her fists, frowning.

"Yes, I'm changing; I'm becoming what I was there. It started since I came back to this dimension"

"No, you're lying; it started now that you remember"

Kamui glared at her. He remembered now how he was actually relieved he didn't have all the seven Seals around him in the Lost Dimension. He was reminded how they kept him down when he wanted to fly away, how he actually liked to be a lone wolf once he had Alex.

Now he had seven people constantly running around him again, scrutinizing him, asking him if he's ok, talking to him, and fussing about him. Now he remembered what a nuisance all this was to him.

He wanted to return to the world where it was only him and Alex. A team amongst the bunch of heroes who guarded the rest of the dimension' population.

The rest of the heroes never buzzed around each other like that and he missed that, the exclusiveness, the freedom to do as you wish without anyone interfering.

But he wasn't in that dimension anymore, he was in this godforsaken _sunny_ dimension that was his home yet seized to be his home….it frustrated him.

If he returns to live inside of his old version would he still change into the vampire he could be with Alex? That way the Seals would get what they want, their own Kamui. He will eventually be able to be with Alex….no, it was impossible. He sighed.

"Arashi, I'm sorry if I disappointed you but…." He walked out of the shade to the sunlight, holding back a cringe from the heat pouring down on him. "If I would have returned from that dimension in this form you'd have to face the same thing you're facing now.

"More then that, you'd have to face the me that would make much more trouble because he's not with Alex and not in a dimension that doesn't depend on him to save it like in here" the two Seals stared at him.

"Then how….why now?" Sorata asked. He sensed the anger still beaming from Arashi. He saw before him the devastation of the peaceful unity they had between the younger part of the Seals so far. This unity which held them together like siblings replacing the families they left for this battle. Will he stand aside and let it shatter?

He looked at Kamui and saw this is not the boy he used to know. It made him sad.

"I was inside the Kamui who returned from that dimension, I waited for Alex to come and get me. I was willing to sit and wait while that happened. I put myself to sleep in there until Alex came, that's why you saw nothing of it all this time"

"Why didn't you immediately return once Alex came here?"

"I wanted to see what Alex would do, what _I_ would do. They got along very well in the end. But the old me….he was too slow and too frightened, I took over because he let me, we united into one"

The two Seals took a little step backwards. 'Took over' it had a bad ring to it.

Suddenly Kamui realized, he had missed them really, he did! At first he was so lonely when he had just arrived at the lost dimension with no one he knew by him and all the strange and frightening things happening around him.

"I missed you" he said, making their suspicion turn into surprise "in the first days there I was so frightened….I walked around like I was in a nightmare. I was so lonely without you guys…." Their stance softened.

"I hardened there, it's true, and becoming a vampire has nothing to do with it. It was the dimension that made me like that. You see things there and still have to keep yourself cool and clear enough to fight whatever it sends at you…..you can't help not creating a little shell over yourself there….I'm sorry if I'll be a little quiet and distant from now on…." Kamui sighed.

It'll be some time until they'll learn to accept him. He walked towards his class when he felt someone grab his hand. He looked back at Sorata hanging big puppy dog eyes at him.

"You're still Kamui, aren't you?"

"Yes Sora, I'm not possessed by anything if that's what you think"

"But you'll be a vampire; you'll drink living people's blood"

"You saw yourself that Alex can give me blood, that's how it always was. He never let me kill anyone. He never let me face anything by myself; he was always there to protect me…." He smiled to himself.

"It's ok then Kamui" Sorata beamed at him, grabbing him for a hug. He walked them to class, one arm across Kamui's slim shoulders and the other across Arashis' stiff ones.

The girl stared at Kamui with a blank face; she'll take longer time to get used to the idea.

"So…Kamui, you wouldn't be able to eat Korian barbeque anymore!"

"No, thank god for that"

"More for me then!"

Both Kamui and Arashi sweatdropped.

* * *

After Kamui left Alex became restless. He was pacing the dorms apartment like a caged animal rubbing his chin deep in thought.

In all the mess this morning he forgot to follow Kamui to school. It didn't really matter now because Kamui could call him over mentally anytime, they had that bond again.

But there was something else on his mind; it was the battle of the end of the world that hung like a pendulum over his reunion with Kamui. He remembered the Dragon, considerably stronger then Kamui; there was no doubt that the Earth will win this battle.

Perhaps if Kamui will completely become his dark self by then there is a chance, after all it'll be a little hard to kill a vampire on the strength level that Kamui was….unless the final battle will be held at daytime….

But Alex didn't even want to have the whole thing happen in the first place! He read the comic book, here he met the actual characters and learned to like them. He couldn't let them die like they did in the books, he simply couldn't let so much pain inflict on them and on Kamui who's friends they were.

But what could he do?

He had to make a plan, someway to either stop the battle or delay it. If he could he would take Kamui's place so there will be no doubt that he will be the one to win the battle.

But then what will happen to the earth if the Seals would win? He remembered the future as seen if the Seals would win; the humans would ruin the planet worst then any earthquake could do.

He saw that happen in his original dimension. He hated humans for their crimes against nature at the time, their ignorance and cruelty towards the planet they grew out of.

The other possibility of no humans at all and the environment taking over everything was good by him, he wasn't human and neither will Kamui be. If only the Seals and some of the Harbingers wouldn't also die.

He needed a breath of fresh air to help clear his mind up a bit. He left the apartment and began walking towards Kamui's classroom building. Often he found the youth was an inspiration to new ideas for him. He remembered how he'd plan a tactic in the Lost Dimension as the young vampire lay in his arms or curled on his chest sleeping.

He walked the green gardens of the campus side, enjoying the warm weather and clear bright sunshine.

Alex saw Subaru silently smoking in a little sitting corner and smiled to himself.

The young man looked a little more peaceful then how he was when Alex first saw him. Perhaps it helped when he told him Seishiro loved him. Perhaps it helped that he told him of his sister's spell.

Subaru was staring off into the distance, smiling to himself.

"Smiling is good, I haven't seen you smile ever since I came here. It's important to smile from time to time".

Subaru turned his head to Alex and smiled wider "Good morning".

Alex sat down by Subaru, taking a cigarette from the onemoji's pack. He lit it and inhaled with a deep sound of satisfaction.

"I didn't know you smoke"

"I don't usually; it's your presence that makes me want to have one"

"How so?"

Alex smiled "You're a very powerful medium, which makes you a Man of death. Your powers I absorb into myself as if I learnt to control them like you did. My presence also makes you stronger as my, say, protégé.

" I know it sounds strange but that's just how it is; I arrive at a world with Creatures or Men of Death and I'm immediately responsible for them. It's actually mostly for your own good.

"Now you need a cigarette, which puts you into some kind of a physical distress, so I feel it too so that I'll know how to fix it."

Subaru stared at him "I did kind of feel it….like suddenly there's someone watching over me….someone to…."

"Nick all your cigarettes from you" Alex finished his sentence, winking at the other man.

Subaru smiled a little.

"All that crap them righteous tight assed bastards say about smoking is bad for you? It's all bullocks 'aint it?"

Subaru laughed, coughing a little on the smoke he just inhaled.

They smoked in silence, lighting another cigarette once they finished the first.

"You know about that Subaru"

"About what?"

"About the camps, how?"

Subaru crossed one leg above the other uncomfortably "One of the calls I once had was to a house of an old couple. They were foreigners, they moved to Japan after the war. The husband became a businessman here and they settled in. Back in their homeland both were in the camps.

"Their granddaughter called me over after both her grandparents sank into mysterious catatonia. They didn't leave the house or even their room and no one could see the reason why.

"The granddaughter knew a little about onmyouji and called the shrine for help. She told me to study that time in history, especially about the two camps her grandparents came from. I was Japanese and hardly knew anything about it. To fight what was grounding her grandparents I needed to know what I'll face she said.

"The moment I arrived I saw the problem: The inside of the house was filled with angry spirits coming to take vengeance on the couple. The father was responsible for a block in his camp, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. He probably wasn't the best of them and so the spirits concentrated mostly on harming him.

"The mother worked at sorting out the belongings of those who arrived at her camp so she was surrounded by spirit piles of belongings, completely imprisoning her.

"The couple sat in their room seemingly sunk in a coma. What actually happened was that their souls were held back by ghosts possessing them and stopping them from running away.

"It was one of the hardest assignments I ever had; it was also one of the first after what happened with Seishiro-san. I worked for three days without stopping, not once. I managed to clear the house in the end, but I was exhausted. I wasn't in my best mental state myself but I had to do something about them…..they were in a horrible state; I've never seen anything quit like it….that's how I know a little of the camps"

Subaru looked at Alex sitting by him smoking silently.

Something changed in him. He lost his air of calmness; there was something cold and bitter about him, something distant. Suddenly Subaru could see Alex's old age written in weariness across his face.

"You shouldn't have saved the father, the mother was indeed a victim but the father, you should have let him be eaten by those ghosts, he deserved it" Alex's voice was harsh and brutal, cold as ice.

"How do you know, did you know him?"

"No but I know his kind. Angry spirits don't become angry for no reason …..Let's stop talking about it shall we?" Alex turned a forced bitter smile at his companion

"Of course. I'm sorry, I mentioned something painful"

Alex looked at Subaru and smiled, shaking his head.

They sat in silence again, smelling the fresh air, each man in his own world of thoughts.

In Alex' head Subaru's story rolled along with the things that were on his mind in the first place.

The angry spirits possessed the father and kept his soul from controlling his body and running away….

His prince Kamui was inside this dimension's Kamui and waited to take over the body…..

Fuma became the Dragon of Earth when Kamui made his decision to be a Dragon of Heaven…

Kamui told him that sometimes Fuma would faze out completely and act like the Dragon before his decision was even done. He told him that when Fuma returned to himself he wouldn't remember anything from what he did when he was acting weird.

Those were typical symptoms of being possessed by a spirit or ghost: phasing out, body acting under the control of the intruder. Then when the ghost would leave the possessed person wouldn't remember a thing of what they've done….

Possessed? Fuma was possessed by….the Dragon of Earth….

"**OF COURSE!**" Alex shot to his feet shouting.

Subaru dropped his cigarette on the sitting corner's marble floor with the surprise. "What's gotten into you!"

"Nothing! Nothing's gotten into _me_Subaru! Not into _me_, into _Fuma_! I found a way to stop this battle and get Fuma back to Kamui!…I mean as friends strictly!…"

Alex grabbed Subaru by his shoulders and shook him "Subaru I got it! **I found a solution!**" he was shouting with happiness, making passing students and workers at the academy stare at him in a funny way.

"Subaru, go tell all the Seals to come here in the evening, tell them I have a plan to stop it all and win the battle before it'll even start!"

The onemoji blinked at Death "You do?"

"Yes, now go, quick! No time to lose!"

Subaru ran off, feeling another aspect of Death's presence here; when Alex told him to do something he felt he _had _to do it.

Alex stayed behind charged with excitement. He only had to make the plans around what he'll be doing and it's complete!

"Oh my prince, I found a way to solve this! I really did!" he said to thin air, sending his sound waves to the youth.

A little bird on a great beautiful tree near the sitting corner cocked it's head to the side with confusion.

(tbc)


	6. The Plan

Disclaimer 1: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

* * *

**Part 6 – The Plan**

That evening time all Dragons of Heaven gathered at CLAMP Campus.

They've gathered upon a picnic blanket right in the middle of one of the campus's seemingly endless stretches of lawn. Here, in the warm fresh air of the summer night, where hardly any student passed frequently enough to disturb their conversation, they could talk.

They sat in a circle chatting around waiting for all the members to gather. One by one they arrived at the spot carrying with them a whiff of where they came from, whirling into the heavy destiny soaked atmosphere.

Seiichiro was a bit late, as usual. When he ran over to the meeting spot he was panting, mumbling something about his work. A writer kept him behind waiting for his work to be edited made.

Yuzuriha limped over to the meeting place. To sit she had to lean on Arashi in order not to crash.

Alex cringed when he looked at her, wishing her hospital bed wasn't in earshot from a Harbinger who could listen to their meeting, if it weren't for that they could have come to her sickbed.

Kamui sat by Alex. He spent the waiting time informing the rest of the latest news about him. Karen simply smiled at him and nodded with no big fuss. Yuzuriha gave him a beaming smile. Seiichiro stared but shook himself back to mannered behavior immediately.

Arashi still looked a bit uncomfortable; she sneaked a few glances at Kamui and shot her eyes away again whenever the boy returned a stare. She seemed to be more alert and sensitive to things in him now, as if checking the pace of his change.

Subaru sat a little away from them, dragging at his cigarette madly. He hopped across Tokyo to get all the dragons to hear his message. By the end of it he was feeling a bit tired so he took a cab back to campus. The cab driver didn't let him smoke. It was a long journey in Tokyo's rush hour and many times Subaru was sure his head will explode.

Finally all Dragons were gathered. Alex got up and cleared his throat to stop any chatting and noises and draw all attention to him.

"I called you here, as Subaru had probably mentioned to you, because I have a plan. If my plan goes smoothly then this whole Battle of the Apocalypse won't be even happening. If only _some_ of my plan will be taken out then we'll be showing the Harbingers what we're made of and give them something to think about before they charge at any more kekkais…"

"And if the plan won't go smoothly at all?" Arashi cut his speech quit rudely, her eyes were cynical ice.

"Well….there is little chances for that to happen but it'll make an impression on them anyway."

He turned to the rest of them again "I thought about everything Kamui told me regarding Fuma's behavior before and after the Dragon of Earth came to be. From what it looks like it seems that Fuma is possessed by this Dragon of Earth….what is it Subaru?"

The onemoji had his hand in the air to gesture he wanted to talk; it was also a little hint for Arashi about her earlier behavior. "If he is possessed then I'd be able to recognize it, wouldn't I?"

"I don't think so. First of all because this Dragon is far on a different scale then what you're used to seeing. Second, I'm not sure it's a spirit possessing him. I think it's some sort of an entity that's been created for this battle and possesses Fuma as a vessel, just like a Heaven one is supposed to posses Kamui…."

"The Dragon of Heaven is supposed to be awakened within Kamui anyway, why can't we wait until that happens?" Arashi broke Alex's speech once again, not minding anyone who looked at her questioningly.

"I read the comic books of this story, according to them Kamui's DOH will never awaken, ever, that's why we can't wait. The comic books also tell of a struggle that occurs between you, Karen and Aoki, and two other Harbingers over derailing the Yamanote line. This battle, which was supposed to happen already, didn't happen. That is probably because the Harbingers have to readjust their attacks to the new conditions here. That buys us time; trouble is we don't know how much time.

"My plan is to go into their lair and force the Dragon out of Fuma, I know how…"

"You can't possibly go in there all alone!" Kamui broke into the speech, giving Alex an accusing look.

"I won't go alone, I've made a plan for us to attack the lair, I'll get to it in a minute….yes Yuzuriha?"

"Err….I'm a bit lost here, I think I'm not the only one here" she looked from face to face and met the same slightly confused look "how will that help to stop the Battle?"

Alex scanned his listeners as well, it was true. Apparently he went off rambling to himself because to him everything made sense and left them behind. But they didn't know everything he does, all they see is a bunch of jumbled facts. He took a deep breath and began explaining.

"For the battle to happen two things are needed: a Dragon of Earth, which we already have, and a Dragon of Heaven which we'll never have _in time_ for the battle if we'll ever have at all. So, if we take out the Dragon of Earth we won't have a battle at all.

"Look the Earth is in some sort of a balance now isn't it? Humans don't over pollute the planet; in fact they're becoming more and more aware of their damages as the days go by. On the other side things like earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and the likes only happen on a natural cause not more. If any one the dragons win then this balance will be disrupted and thrown into extreme situations. If the battle won't happen at all then this balance that we have now will last onwards. Is it clearer now?" he waited until they all understood, explaining again to anyone who still didn't understand.

Once it was all settled Alex moved on to the plan itself "Now I'll start giving you roles, feel free to ask questions if you don't understand anything. Don't be shy; tell me if you think it's stupid. Please recommend me to do something if an idea comes to mind, ok?" he scanned their faces; they were all ears.

"The Harbingers, like us, have several stronger aces and several weaker ones. One of the strongest Harbingers is Seishiro. Subaru, can I count on you to deal with him?"

Subaru's eye brows shot high into his forehead. He didn't see that coming, he thought Alex preferred them to not fight at all.

"Call him on his mobile, page him on his beeper, cut down his tree, I don't know what but draw him out and as far away from the lair as possible. And please, just talk to him, please"

Subaru looked up at Alex and smiled "You can count on me"

"Next, Yuzuriha, do the same with Kusanagi. He's pretty powerful and if he uses his power in battle the whole building might topple on us. Draw him as far away from the lair and keep his mind busy on anything but the Battle alright? Can you do that?"

The girl nodded. A little cringe as she moved her head made Alex regret her role a bit.

"Don't push yourself too much, just talk to him. Don't be afraid to leave it in the middle if you don't feel good or anything, ok?"

She nodded again and smiled faintly.

"So, who we're left with in the lair is Nataku, Yutu and Satsuki. Satsuki is one powerful bitch but I have a plan on how to shut her down right on the beginning don't worry about that. That leaves us with two Harbingers…"

"And Fuma" Kamui added

"I'll deal with him myself, that's why I need two more Seals with me to handle Yutu and Nataku. Sorata, you're one of our most powerful Seals, you're with me."

Sorata nodded enthusiastically. Alex never really paid attention to him or spent enough time with him to know him but still he trusted him. Sorata was somewhat proud of himself.

"Now I need another Seal…..this is where I have a hole in my plan, none of you would fit…." He scanned the faces before him.

"I can go" Karen raised her hand.

"No, you can't, you're a fire caster and Yutu's a water caster, if you'll fight there'll be steam everywhere, blinding us all. Sorry."

Seiichiro raised his hand in silence. He did not look very good; dark rings under his eyes, his eyes slightly swollen and reddened showed the signs of his grief over his cousin taking its toll on him.

"No, you can't go Aoki, you have a wife and child and you've already lost one member of the family. I'm not going to make you wife a widow and your child an orphan"

The editor simply nodded and hung his head a little "Thank you" he mumbled.

"I'll go with Sorata" Arashi pointed out, making the priest look at her with big shiny eyes.

"No, you can't go. Especially not with Sorata, he'll die to protect your life. So far every little thing that's about to charge you he's there to protect you from. If he dies I'm left inside the lair with nothing but a girl that has a sword coming out of her hand as backup, that's not very useful"

Arashi narrowed her eyes at Alex and turned her face away angrily.

"I'll go then" Kamui folded his hands on his chest, knowing Alex will object.

"How? Fuma will sense you the moment you enter the building with us, it'll ruin our element of surprise"

"Then I'll wait for you in a safe distance from the lair and once you're in I'll come too, in my fog form. I'll be able to work that if I'll be a vampire again"

Alex was about to say something when Kamui started speaking again. "If you'll change me today it'll be in time for your plan. It'll also solve some other problems" he said suggestively.

Alex smiled at him "Don't distract me"

"So the three of us are left to do what!" Karen asked

"You will wait outside the building in reserves; if anything starts going wrong I'll have to call you in. I'll try not to, I promise." He watched them slowly digest it.

"People" he turned to them one last time "go home. Get some sleep, eat well, rest well. Tomorrow at 20:00 we start the plan so you have about twenty four hours to prepare. Any more questions?" all heads shook. Good.

* * *

The group spread away, each to their own home. Each had their own thoughts of what's to come. The plan seemed such a novelty to them they almost didn't believe it.

Sorata was walking with Arashi back to their dorms. They walked in silence, heads sunk in their thoughts.

"Is he right Sorata-san?" Arashi's voice cut through the silence stretched between them in the warm summer night air.

"Right about what?"

"Would you sacrifice yourself to protect me from anything that comes my way?"

Sorata stopped to look at her.

She stopped walking as well, noting he's not by her side. She looked back at him puzzled.

He was smiling softly. He grabbed her and held her in his arms "Of course I will, I've chosen you haven't I? And I've chosen well" he caressed her hair. For the first time in their odd relationship she gave into the hug, comforting in his arms.

Subaru carried Yuzuriha to her bedroom. The girl hardly weighted a thing in his arms, it was like holding a bird, he thought.

When he laid her in her bed and covered her for the night she grabbed his hand before he turned to leave.

She hung huge hopeful eyes at him "Subaru….do you think everything will be alright tomorrow?" her few years shone out through her tone of speech.

He smiled at her kindly "Yes Yuzuriha-san, don't worry. I'm sure you'll do your job on its best side". With that he gave her a light goodnight kiss on the forehead and left, turning off the light and closing the door.

She lay under the covers wondering why he didn't answer her question. He spoke about her part when she wondered about his and the other's parts succeeding. He did it to clear her mind and focus her on better things to think of. He did it out of good intentions.

Yuzuriha snuggled deeper under the covers and let her fatigue kidnap her into sleep.

In his own apartment Subaru found a picture on the floor. It was an old picture with Hokuto, himself and Seishiro from the Year's golden happy days.

They were all smiling happily together without a hint of the tragedies about to unfold on them. It all seemed so far away, the time that was in the picture was taken in, that he could hardly imagine how it was like. This, of all things, seemed to be something from another world.

He sat down on his bed still looking at the picture.

"Hokuto-chan, why didn't you tell me what you planned? You silly little girl….look what happened to me because of it…..and because of him….

"Seishiro-san……(he smiled to himself) don't worry, everything will be alright……

Karen hugged her teddy bear, sitting on the windowsill in her apartment, looking out at the breathtaking view of Tokyo in the night. She was silently praying for tomorrow's success.

She had one hand cradling her teddy and the other holding her crucifix amulet. Her lips were moving at the silent chants she recited.

Seiichiro walked to his home slowly. When he arrived there he called his daughter and wife over to him. He sat on the sofa with them, holding them both close to him in silence. He knew Alex promised to keep him away from the fight as possible, but still, he felt he needed the power his family gave him now. They were the reason why he could form a kekkai; they were the reason why he perfected his skills. Without them he's powerless, without them he's as good as dead.

Kamui and Alex stood in front of each other in Kamui's bedroom. There was tension in the air and an awkward silence spread upon them like a heavy blanket.

"It…feels like the first time we did it, doesn't it?"

Alex nodded. He looked at Kamui a little hesitantly "Are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I was the first time" the boy smiled softly.

They held each other in a long embrace, rebuilding their bond.

Alex nuzzled the line of a main artery in Kamui's neck and bit in.

Hinoto was in a dream. Before her all the symbols of the Battle of the Apocalypse were frozen in time, never to move again. One thing did change though; the Earth was no longer a glass one but a real, unbreakable Earth.

Hinoto looked to her side where in a little distance Kakyou was standing.

The two dreamgazers simply stared forwards. There was nothing they could do about it anyway, nothing to change what was happening, whatever it is.

Yutu was returning from work via train as usual. He was looking around from his paper and though about something. Wasn't there a Kekkai in here somewhere? Perhaps he'll suggest attacking it to his /Kamui, see what he thinks. He returned his random thoughts to his paper.

Satsuki was digging around the world's computers, looking for information about an Alex that matched the picture Beast scanned into itself. She found nothing; there was no Alex in this dimension.

Seishiro was standing on a rooftop from which he had a comfortable view into Subaru's apartment.

He saw the younger man pick up something from the floor and sit on his bed. What was he on about?

Seishiro could feel the change in Subaru, there was something he knew that changed his thoughts and mood towards him.

What did he know now? What had that man told him? What was he planning?

That man….Death….Seishiro met him in Ueno park once while the Dragon was killing Saiki.

Seishiro' right hand was covered in blood but Alex didn't care, he simply smiled knowingly at Seishiro while caressing the cat in his hands.

Seishiro recognized the power emitting from Alex, the power over him. It intrigued him greatly but before he could enquire further Alex disappeared, called over by his love's shouts of pain.

When Seishiro saw Subaru _talking_ to that something he picked from the floor his curiosity couldn't be tolerated anymore. He cast a small spell enabling him to hear what was going on inside the apartment.

"Seishiro-san……(Seishiro could see Subaru was smiling to himself) don't worry, everything will be alright……"

What did he mean! What on earth is going on behind his back! Seishiro never lost grip on what he took hold of, he never lost control. He was losing his grip on Subaru now. Seishiro _did not_ like it.

Nataku was slowly dozing off with his head on his father figure's leg thinking vacant thoughts.

The Dragon sat on his chair seething with anger and frustration. This new challenger, this man who constantly stopped his toying with Kamui, what was he? Who was he? How dare he?

He closed his eyes trying to relax.

Inside him Fuma hung from his restraints, weak and hopeless. The Dragon was showing him everything he was doing with his body. The mental torture was accompanied by physical torture as well, hurting him every time a little more.

By now the youth was beginning to lose hope completely.

The Dragon had told him his plan of the end: he'll let him watch as he kills Kamui, then kill him slowly in horrible torture.

'Funny' thought Fuma 'what was he doing so far if not killing me slowly in horrible torture?'

Kusanagi was walking around in one of his favorite parks, enjoying the wonderful summer night. The air was rich with scents of flowers and freshly cut grass, it enveloped him like walking in a dream.

He closed his eyes and tuned in to the nature around him.

The trees spoke to him of the refreshing evening wind that blew through their leafs. The flowers chirped and babbled mindlessly about the insects who walked on their petals today. The grass moaned lowly.

There was a quiet in the air despite all that noise, quiet in the atmosphere itself, everything was calm.

The night was so peaceful why bother himself with the silence that rang a bell in his head. He ignored the bell and lay on the grass, letting the small animals of the close vicinity gather around him and succumb to this lovely evening together.

He was wrong to ignore the silence; an army man such as himself should know the silence before a war.

(tbc)


	7. Man of Death

Disclaimer 1: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

WARNING: this chapter contains light Yaoi. Oh, and mild language, very mild.

A.N: this wasn't supposed to be so long and this chapter wasn't supposed to be here especially. This one I just thought up after reading a particularly good Seishiro story. Inspiration is something I sadly cannot control so…hope you'll enjoy this

* * *

**Part 7 – Man of Death**

Kamui was sleeping as all vampires do when the sun rules the world. His sleep was thick and dreamless, a come more then a real rest mortals know. After sensing the world the way vampires do total shutting off of all stimuli is a real rest.

While his prince slept Alex took a stroll down the streets of Tokyo.

It was a mistake, not a grave one, but a mistake.

the CLAMP academy was a protected zone into which the Harbingers couldn't come.

The moment Alex walked out of it's spell packed protecting territory the all-seeing eyes of the Beast spotted him.

Satsuki shuddered with delight at the sight of Alex as seen by the eye of a shop's security camera. She smiled to herself, her cheeks touching her visor's icy cold metal. He found him, he was out there strolling around innocently, just waiting to be caught. Before she'll take her shot at him she'll see how others handle him, if not for the sheer amusement of it. Thinking that sent out the message to any Harbingers around.

Alex was looking at a children's book in the front stand of a bookstore when he was grabbed from behind and yanked off the street. one of his capturer's hand covered his mouth, the other hooked across his neck to threat him with suffocation.

It was funny actually, being kidnapped, in this world anyway. This wasn't the same dimension that had the level of technology like the one where he was held in the British institution….or so Alex hoped….why would anyone think they could just kidnap him and live to tell the tale? The man taking him he could kill with a whiff of his hand. The suffocating threat was non excitant, he didn't have the organs or the need of air for the threat to be even remotely valid.

For now he let his capturer think he's got the upper hand, he'll be amused by his efforts.

Alex was blindfolded in an empty side ally he was dragged to. His hands were tied behind his back. He was shoved into the back of a car where he sat calmly. Apparently, for now, he was kidnapped by only one an who, despite his speed and good technique was alone in this charade as Alex heard him slip into the driver's eat and driven off alone, with no one else in the car to monitor Alex's behavior.

* * *

When the blindfold was taken off Alex opened his eyes and saw a man neatly dressed in a black suit and tie. One eye was a blind white glass eye, the other a flaming gold lit from inside by sheer malice and restrained violence. the lips smiled at him, an empty, meaningless, worthless, fake smile.

"Seishiro" Alex smiled back. he couldn't help laughing straight at Seishiro's face.

The Sakurazukamori hardly flinched, not a muscle moved in his face or body to react to the straightforward scorn.

Seishiro received a message about Alex on his beeper. he looked at it a bit puzzled at first, wondering how Satsuki knew he had one and how she managed to contact it, he didn't remember the lair had any phones in it. then again he didn't really bother with ever staying there for over three minutes, let alone get to know the other harbingers.

To a man who lived and breathed the magic that has been around since ancient time computers were a confusing mystery for the younger generation to toy with.

What prompted Seishiro to take up Satsuki's offer was that this man from another world knew something that he himself might not know and converted it out to Subaru. it's that information Seishiro wanted to get, the unnerving calmness that set on Subaru was too much for him to bear.

Besides, he could sense the strong bond between Kamui and this man and if he could break it while he finds out then all the better.

"I know what you are" Seishiro's voice was calm and amused, not at all angry or suspicious as he really was inside.

"oh? You do? so why do you think that a simple rope will restrain me?" Alex smiled gleefully.

Seishiro cringed from inside. Of course he could see what Alex was. He could see it just as much as Subaru could. Holding who is practically his master captive was a dangerous behavior. He shoved his fears down and fixed his mask firmly on his face. "if they aren't why are you still restrained?" his tone came out cold yet tempting. He took a small step towards Alex with every reply to Death's words.

Alex could sense the distance between them shortened and realized it's true meaning. his back was against the wall, he had not much space to run to if he didn't use his powers. He too shoved his little worries behind his pride and power to sustain his cool demeanor. "to satisfy your twisted little sense of….I don't know…pleasure!" he rolled his eyes heavenwards, putting on his joker face "I'd have to ask Subaru if you've ever had any saucy sessions to know if it's your sense of pleasure. Maybe I'll just ask you, have you ever played 'gay boys in bondage' together?"

Seishiro's smile widened, he even laughed a little. The direction Alex was taking this conversation pleased him. It served him ever so better to have the sex brought up by the other man and not by him.

"you're Death" Seishiro grew serious all of a sudden, yet still held fast to the growing seductive tones in his behavior "something I've been feeding and working for since I was on my own in my field of work"

"You fed death when you were a vet?" Alex played innocent and clueless.

Seishiro's face darkened a bit, playing cute could only serve to distract him, he needed to focus Alex "I'm serious now"

"oh! Sorry, I do apologize; did I step out of character Sei-chan?" Alex bowed playfully.

Seishrio placed himself inches from Alex "can't you read it off me? Can't you smell all the hundreds of people I killed? Can't you tell how many deaths I've brought to this world to enhance your power?"

That's when Alex stopped smiling. It was true, as Death Alex could feed off the presence of death around him. He was strongest around multi casualty's scenes or around Creatures or Men of death.

And he was right; he could sense the death oozing out of Seishiro, it made him shudder. The man was an expert killer, it was his life's purpose ever since he was born. a Harbinger was nothing but another name for a professional killer. It made Alex see Seishiro in a different light, more attractive.

And Seishiro was damn good at what he did. not because of his mother's good training, not because of the power the participation in the Battle gave him since birth. Seishiro was good at what he was doing because he perfected himself for it, out of his own free will and from no one's influence or request. He deserved his Death's respect.

That respect he felt rising again as he looked at Seishiro, a powerful Man of Death. It was a respect that blurred some of his clearness, which interrupted his regular thoughts.

Seishiro could see it on Alex's face, the change in his expression and eyes. He had cracked Alex's mental defenses. He didn't think it'd be that easy to do, especially with such a powerful creature, but he made it.

Creatures of Death, serial criminals and mediums were included in that list along with vampires, ghosts and zombies. It was this fact that created an instant magnetizing between Alex and Seishiro. Magnetism they didn't sense and couldn't control. It was a magnetizing that controlled their thoughts and acts without them even knowing it's there.

Seishiro, as much as he thought the situation is under his control, was dominated by it as much as Alex was.

Seishiro's smile widened and turned slyer then before. He leaned with one hand on the wall, nearing himself to Alex's body.

Alex stared deep into his eyes, concentrating on the seeing one. This wasn't funny anymore, he _was_ restricted.

Seishiro leaned in to nuzzle Alex's long neck, blowing hot air on the pale white skin that was cold and hard like marble. He trailed his finger down Alex's chest and lower belly while his lips found a stark white earlobe to nibble on.

Alex was shuddering with pleasure, his breath heavy and his mind fogging slowely.

'goddammit Alex, concentrate, don't lose yourself to this, come on!' he screamed to himself to no avail. 'Must find something to pull myself out with….must to concentrate…'

He found his anchor to reality when Seishiro found the bulge at the front of his pants and cupped, rubbing lightly.

"I don't like to be touched without wanting to" Alex growled, his eyes suddenly glowing.

Seishiro activated something he didn't expect or predict.

Alex started developing a glowing turquoise aura. His eyes blazed in turquoise, his wings fluttered out spreading inside the small Japanese scale apartment.

Seishiro stumbled back a few steps, frightened.

Alex glared at him in full Deathness mode. He tore off the rope that held his hands behind his back and charged at Seishiro knocking him to the floor with one blow. He leaped at Seishiro, going in for the kill.

The dark onemoji lay squirming on the floor, kicking against a heavy strong body that pinned him down to the floor without even any slightest chance to escape. Alex had his hands around Seishiro's neck, suffocating him. Seishiro never felt such strength, if he wanted to, Alex could crush his neck like a twig.

The winds changed, the power that gushed over Alex switched directions in an instant. After all, he was lying on top of a powerful Man of Death. The possibilities to do in this situation did not have to be so morbid.

Alex forced Seishiro's legs apart, shoving himself in between them. His furious expression changed to a malicious smile, his glowing eyes became predatory. The strong palms left Seishiro's neck and began traveling lower across his chest, opening his jacket and loosening his tie. One hand raised his leg, stroking gently at his inner thy while the other began unzipping his pants. Alex bent over his face running his tongue over Seishiro's lips sensually.

The Sakurazukamori was squirming out of pleasure now, though deep within him he didn't want it.

Now it was Seishiro who struggled to clear his mind and find something to anchor him to reality. He remembered that something when Alex sent his power and ripped his shirt in one blow, preparing to treat his freshly exposed skin. Time was short.

Seishiro shouted "**Kamui!**".

Alex's face blanked in a fragment of a second, shock quickly filling in the expressional void. His body froze on the spot, seizing every action he was doing a moment before. The effect was immediate; Alex's aura disappeared, his eyes stopped glowing and returned to their original color.

He leaped off Seishiro and stumbled a few steps backwards, frightened. "My god….Kamui…." he was panicking "and I was…..going to…..oh my god….". he examined, with of sheer horror, Seishiro with his shirt torn open and his pants halfway zipped shaken and ruffled.

Seishiro struggled to clear his mind and sort his breath. He closed his eyes and fought the unexpected gush of emotions back; fear, relief, sorrow, regret, stress. Adrenalin was pumping through his veins, he shook involuntarily with it's aftermath.

"Oh my god, Seishiro…"

"don't apologize, it was my mistake, my fault…I shouldn't have started it…" turning away from Alex, Seishiro ran his hand through his hair as if it helped brushing off the raging thoughts in his mind "fucking Satsuki….she sent my a beeper message telling me you're loose, that I should try to get at you …."

"That bitch"

"It's not your fault Alex" why was he apologizing with that soft tone? He should be either begging for his life or ordering Alex about.

"no…I'm sorry I attacked you"

"same here….." he straightened his gaze at Death, seeing the other man still treated him as equal.

Alex hurried to the door of Seishiro's apartment then stopped and turned around. As frightened as the man was right now, he was still what he is and cannot be trusted for it. "Seishiro" his voice was harder, more commanding then talking.

"what?" Seishiro was trying to sort out his torn clothes. It was a difficult mission with his hands sweaty and shaking.

"don't you **dare** say **anything** about this to Kamui, I swear I'll burn you alive if you will".

a flash of fear ran across Seishiro's face "no, no I promise I won't and you….don't say anything to Subaru!" _now_ he was begging.

"Subaru…." Alex snapped out of his strict demeanor "Seishiro, talk to him the next time you'll meet, just talk to him. Screw this stupid battle, screw the Seals and the Harbingers it's not worth the lives of those participating in the battle. Just talk, don't fight each other!" now Alex was begging.

Seishiro nodded.

Alex left the apartment, slamming the door behind him with his rush.

* * *

Alex willed himself to the Clamp campus dorms and into Kamui's room moments after slamming that door.

the curtains were shut and the small room was completely dark, the air was stuffy and warm. The young vampire lay sleeping deeply on the bed in the exact same position Alex left him in this morning.

He crawled into the bed and under the blanket snuggling and spooning with Kamui.

"I'm sorry my prince" he whispered into his lover's ear "…it's….it's better that you wouldn't know about this…" he began running his fingers through the silken raven hair "I know we promised to tell each other whatever happened to us no matter how hard it was but….there are things you shouldn't know about".

He blessed the blank coma-like sleep that kept Kamui from hearing anything in his slumber.

Alex closed his eyes and tried to sleep as well, trying to erase the memory of what just happened to him.

He had a big battle today at evening time and he better be focused on that or he won't fight it properly.

He inhaled Kamui's unique scent; vanilla and coconut with a tinge of cinnamon, he took a lungful of it in. the boy's very presence was unwinding him back to calm and serenity. Soon afterwards Alex sank into deep sleep.

(tbc)


	8. The Battle

Disclaimer 1: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex though is definitely mine!

WARNING: this chapter contains icky yucky gory things

A.N: today' motto; Love & Peace (said in heavy Japanese accent)

* * *

**Part 8 – The Battle**

Sorata, Karen, Aoki, Arashi and Alex stood on a rooftop before the city hall building.

For now they were to stand and wait. They should see two harbingers leave the building soon. Then they'll receive a message from two Seals and begin their attack.

Kamui stood a good distance from them enjoying his vampire vision again, looking at the city lights and the people walking in the streets. From time to time he turned to check out on the five people standing away from him. He exchanged thoughts with Alex from time to time.

Subaru was waiting in Ueno Park pacing about nervously. When he called the dark onemoji Seishiro sounded a bit strange on the phone, he sounded confused and dazzled. He agreed to meet Subaru immediately, no mind games and no questions asked besides "Where do you want to meet?" and "What time?".

Subaru hung up the phone feeling a little strange, perhaps there _is_ a chance that they'll really actually just _talk_!

The Seals waiting outside the lair didn't see Seishiro leave the lair, he wasn't in his the lair, but Sorata's mobile phone rang Subaru's phone number twice and stopped.

It was a code they set; they won't have a conversation, simply two rings and hang up. Satsuki might hear the conversation if they'd actually talk.

"Good, Subaru is with Seishiro then" Alex whispered, sighing

"When did you tell you tell him to call me?" Sorata cleared his cell phone screen from Subaru's unanswered call.

"When he can see Seishiro approaching him"

"Good, one down, one more to go".

"Look" Karen pointed at a man leaving the building, it was Kusanagi. He turned towards the direction of Tokyo's Ginza district, where all the best shops and restaurants are. "I hope Yuzuriha-chan won't be too tired or put up too much of a show for him and exhaust herself, poor girl" Karen was playing with a little fire in her palm. She was nervous; she needed her power's encouragement.

Yuzuriha stood at The Big Ice Cream Palace's entrance. She did not stop quaking nervously until she saw the burly figure of Kusanagi approach her. She pulled her cell phone out and dialed Sorata's number then listened for two rings and hung up quickly. Her hands shook as she pocketed the little machine, after that they quaked no more.

Not until they received the two rings signal from Yuzuriha did the five people move towards their plan.

"Well Sora, looks like it's time, are you ready?" Alex turned to the monk.

Sorata nodded quietly.

He could be extremely silly to the point of wanting to smack him, but when it really counted this guy knew when to be serious and do what is needed. Alex knew he could trust him and not just because he's the strongest of the bunch after Kamui.

Sorata took Arashi's hand in his and smiled at her. She looked up at him with watery eyes. "Don't worry babe, I'm supposed to die for you and since you won't be in there I'm going to be fine" he laughed.

Arashi grabbed him for a hug.

Alex watched them and sighed. He looked over to the distance and spotted Kamui standing in a tree, partially hidden amidst the lush leafs. "Good luck my knight" he heard him say "see you inside my prince" Alex answered.

* * *

Alex and Sorata leaped off the rooftop and entered the building through the lobby, passing the usual human traffic in the huge office building casually. Turning to the elevator no one knew of but the Harbingers, an elevator hidden by magic, they broke out of the small mundane crowd.

No magic in this world could blind Alex. He prized the doors open letting Sorata in. He left a crack in the doors for Kamui's fog form to slither in through.

They stood in the moving elevator on it's way to the hidden basement, two normal passengers in a seemingly normal elevator.

"Now what?" Sorata looked around the elevator nervously, suddenly he felt claustrophobic.

"We have a few floors to go before the lair. This elevator has a little camera Satsuki uses to spy on people for security reasons…." He leaned on to whisper in Sorata's ear "Hopefully by now she's spotted us and will try to attack us"

"Why would you want that!" Sorata whispered back.

Alex smiled calmly, ignoring the rising panic in his partner's eyes and voice "Sora?"

"What?"

"What are your shoes' soles made of?"

"**What!**" Sorata jerked his head backwards, sure that Alex has lost it now.

"Shhhh! Answer me!"

"I don't good" Alex looked around the elevator still smiling.

Sorata was giving Alex a funny look, he did lose it! Just to be sure of it, he checked his shoes while shooting puzzled looks at Alex.

The elevator stopped dead with a strange mechanical creak.

"Beautiful, just as I planned" Alex hissed.

Satsuki noticed them before they entered the elevator. She expected them to run around the building looking for the right entrance, she didn't expect them to find it so quickly. She called out to the Harbingers around her when the elevator began it's journey towards her

"**Warning! Warning! Dragon of Heaven on the way! Inside the secret elevator!**" She called out, the mechanically enhanced voice ringing through the large hollow marble halls.

Yutu, Nataku, Kanoe and the Dragon himself rushed over to Beast's room.

"What! Inside the elevator! How did he know it's there!" Kanoe swore under her breath.

"Since when do the Seals _attack_!" Yutu huffed as he ran to the icy room.

"What's going on father?" the panic of those around him seeped into Nataku's voice.

"He's not alone" Satsuki's lethargic voice cut through the panic, calming the people down "the Alex person is with the DoH"

"**I knew it!**" shouted the Dragon "He's changing everything in this battle! He's turning the table. **Fuck!**" he grabbed the sides of his head.

He fought to clear his mind; everyone was looking at him, depending on him! He better snap back or they're all screwed.

"Satsuki" he said calmly to the girl inside the computer "is it just him and one Seal?"

Satsuki took some time to answer "Yes, only one Seal in the elevator. There are three more Seals outside the building….One Seal with Harbinger Kusanagi in an ice cream parlor….One Seal with Harbinger Seishiro in Ueno Park….Kamui is a little away from this building"

"So, they've called out two of our strongest men outside and now they're planning to launch an attack, he's got brains this Alex" the blond harbinger rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Be quiet Kigai, you're not supposed to praise the other side!" the Dragon snarled "Satsuki, fend them off!"

"Already working on that" she grinned maliciously, bettering her position in her cockpit.

Inside the elevator the control panel was violently torn out of it's place. Thick electric cables burst out wiggling and lashing like tentacles of a mechanized squid. Electric currents danced a blue little dance on the protruding wires inside each cable.

Sorata prepared a ball of electric currents between his palms. He was stopped by Alex.

"No need for that Sora, just shut your ears and jump when I tell you" Alex's voice was so calm.

Death pulled out his sword, pressing an unseen button on the hilt. In a flash it turned into what looked a little like a long rusted metal hockey bat or a pole in a big fence. A single short barbed wire twisted around before the bend on the top of it. The pole buzzed with electricity, the voltage in it rising to levels which eventually forced Sorata to shut his ears

"Jump on my signal, remember Sorata".

The cables neared them, almost touching.

In the world outside cables rose from the building the three Seals stood on. Each readied their powers; Karen developed an intricate circle of little fire balls around her, Seiichiro surrounded himself with gushed of sharp wind circles, Arashi pulled her sword from her hand.

Kamui watched as cables burst from the earth under his tree. He frowned at them and sent his explosive force towards them. The rest he burned with his newly acquired Fire Gift, one by one as he grinned at them.

At Ueno park the earth around Subaru burst with electric wires, they soared above Subaru and prepared to launch themselves back down right through the onemoji. Seishiro shot himself towards his countering star, grabbing him into his arms and hurling them both out of the circle. "Subaru-kun! Damn that crazy cyber girl" Subaru heard his opponent/lover scream.

A computerized cash registry shot from its place in The Ice Cream Palace, landing in the middle of Yuzuriha and Kusanagi's table. The cables burst out from under it madly lashing out at the two.

Kusanagi grabbed Yuzuriha and hurled the both of them through the window into the street. Yuzuriha screamed.

"Are you ready Sora?" Alex was still calm. There was a strange toothy grin he wore now; Sorata could only describe it as bloodthirsty.

"**Just do it already!**" he tried to scream back through the double electric noise and the cranking metal around him.

Alex sent the buzzing pole straight into the middle of the cables, touching three of them. The world around them buzzed and flickered as electric currents tore through the air.

Sorata jumped and stayed floating in the air as the metal floor under him flowed with electric currents. He realized why Alex asked about his shoes; if he landed he still wouldn't be electrocuted. Alex, he realized, would never activate a plan unless it had a backup option ready and sure.

Satsuki's scream of pain and horror tearing through the frozen air chilled the blood of all those who heard her. Her Beast was taken by electric currents leading them straight into her body. She was twitching and dancing a little electric dance on her seat, her body rising off of its seat with convulsions. Then it stopped forever.

Outside the building, before they could do anything, the cables that attacked Kamui and the three Seals danced as well. Then danced like that for a few moments, their original aims forgotten for the sake of this strange art. Then they fell to the ground lifeless.

At Ueno park the same thing happened to the cables attacking Subaru and Seishiro.

They lay on the ground, cables falling dead all around them. When it was finally over Subaru noticed he was lying under Seishiro and that the man was still clutching him protectively, arching himself above him to protect him as much as possible. Something happy skipped in Subaru's chest.

Outside the ice cream parlor Yuzuriha noticed the cables died. She raised her head to see it and smiled "The plan! It's working!" she giggled, sitting straddled on Kusanagi.

"What plan Missy?"

she stared at the man under her and blushed.

Satsuki sizzled in her computer's seat, the voltage baking her flesh. The sweet stench of burnt human flesh made the Harbingers freeze on their spots with shock and fear.

Yutu leaped to her seat the moment currents stopped flowing through what was once the Beast. "/Kamui/…..they've…they've….killed Satsuki" he muttered, looking down at his leader with tears in his eyes.

The Dragon gritted his teeth.

The wrecked elevator creaked and began dropping, without control, down its shaft. It crushed at the bottom floor with a great cacophony of crushed metal, shaking beams and snapping wires.

"Sora, are you all right?" Alex helped Sorata back to his feet

Sorata rubbed a tense muscle in his back. "I'm a little shaken but fine, did you kill her? The cyber girl"

"Sure did, the rest will be easy-peasy…. on".

Alex prized elevator doors open.

The doors opened to a scene never written in advance by that world's stars, dreams, tarot cards or any other future reading methods:

The Dragon of Earth stood with his shinken ready to fight, his dark red eyes blazing. A Harbinger stood on a dead computer monster with water circling around one hand, his deadly whip in the other and tears streaming down his eyes. Another Harbinger stood by the dragon with his ribbon floating around him ready for battle. One sister-of-a-dreamgazer running away to take cover, trying not to slip on the marble floor with her high heeled shoes.

Alex stepped out of the elevator, an evil smirk on his face, his eyes blazing green. His electric pole turned into a sword again. He swirled his weapon in the air playfully, enjoying the effects the little 'woosh' it created on the harbingers.

Sorata stepped out as well, creating a ball of force between his palms. The plan started its second part.

* * *

Outside the building three Seals did as they agreed in advance; each formed a Kekkai; triple protection over the battle zone already damaged by the cables Satsuki sent at them.

Hearing Alex's call, Kamui willed himself into fog and floated towards the building.

Subaru pushed the other man off of him and got up. He reached a hand for Seishiro to help him back on his feet. the hand was slapped away rudely. Seishiro got to his feet on his own, he was in a _very_ bad mood.

"What's going on Subaru-kun?" he growled "Why did you suddenly call me out here? Are you ready to die?" in a moment of pure rage and humiliation Seishiro drew his right hand backwards, ready to lash out at Subaru.

"So that you would kill me the way you killed my sister and activate the spell she cast on us two?"

The assassin blinked a couple of times, his hand fell to his side like a rag.

"No, I don't want to lose you Seishiro, I love you".

Seishiro snapped himself back to reality "So that's what he told you, about the spell. How did he know?"

"In some of the dimensions he traveled to find Kamui our story was a manga. He read it and told me what happened to all of us. He also told me that when you activated the spell, as you died in my arms, your last words were that you love me. Since the spell is now confirmed to be true I assume you love me in this dimension as well" Subaru smiled, nearing Seishiro.

The assassin pulled his black ofuda, ready to throw them, his expression as dark and angry.

"Are you angry? That's an emotion Seishiro-san, I thought you had none, especially towards me" Subaru kept walking towards Seishiro, he didn't even pull his own Ofuda to counter whatever Seishiro'd throw at him.

"Subaru-kun, don't …." He didn't finish his sentence.

Subaru grabbed the hand holding the black cards and gently moved it lower, away from Seishiro's body.

Subaru wrapped his arms around his countering star "I love you too Seishiro-san. I know you'll never tell me the same but at least I know that you do"

Seishiro trembled; this day was starting to take its toll on his nerves.

Black Ofuda scattered on the floor, redundant.

"There's something going on in the lair, am I right?" he managed to say once his nerves resumed their strength.

"How do you know?"

"I assumed….now I know"

"Yes there is, do you mind that you're here and not there, helping?"

"Not really, I couldn't care less. If this whole battle to the end of the world didn't include meeting you in the process I wouldn't join in never mind how much they'd call me here".

Subaru raised his head to look at Seishiro "Really? That's so sweet Seishiro-san, you're so kind" he giggled.

"Don't push your luck!" the Sakurazukamori snarled.

"You're cute when you're angry" Subaru giggled onwards.

Seishiro didn't get angry. He stared at Subaru with a funny look. "Subaru-kun…."

"What?"

"I haven't heard you giggle like that in such a long time"

Subaru held him a little tighter "I love you" he whispered into the black suit.

Seishiro caressed his hair "I'd like you to grow your hair to the way it was once, my style only suits me." he could feel the man smile through his suit. "Get back to the way you used to dress in general, but….just don't wear that terribly gay hat"

Subaru poked him in the ribs and giggled.

"What plan missy?" Yuzuriha felt fear dripping down her spine like cold water. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? He saved her from his own kind just a few days ago.

"Kusanagi-san….what do you think about this whole battle to the end of the world?" she finally asked hesitatively, hanging huge hopeful orbs at him.

"What do you mean?" they were walking down the street. People passed by them gathering to watch the wrecked ice cream parlor.

"I mean, did you want to be a part of it"

"I liked the idea that the earth gets it's say against humans. I can hear nature scream to me when it's hurt but….the way it runs, this whole battle, something is just wrong about it" Kusanagi looked up at the stars above them fighting to blaze stronger then the city lights.

"What is?"

"The fact that nature _itself_ doesn't do anything on it's own but sends human messengers like you and me and those young men Kamui and /Kamui/ to do it. The way nature suddenly yanks them out of their normal life and into this battle….it's not fair towards all of us, isn't it" he turned to her.

Yuzuriha's eyes filled with tears "No, it's not….so you wouldn't mind if there wouldn't be a battle at all….would you?"

He stopped dead in the middle of the street, turning to face the young girl "What do you mean? What's this 'plan' missy, tell me the truth, don't evade my questions. Please, be honest with me" he held her palms in his.

"Promise me that you won't do anything there, promise me!" she was crying, torn from the inside by her bipolar interests. She wasn't supposed to do this, only to distract him mindlessly away from the lair. Her fatigue returned; she was shaking and slightly woozy. Oh where was Inuki when his warm furry body's comfort was most needed?

"I promise I won't do anything to you" his voice was calm and soft.

"Not just to me, to anyone, promise!"

He looked at her for sometime, thinking "I promise".

She took his hand and started leading him back to his lair, praying he would keep his promise and that Alex won't be too angry at her. After a few steps she nearly collapsed to the ground. From that point on she was carried by her love's strong arms.

"Where are we going Subaru-kun" Seishiro felt ridiculous being led by the hand by the younger man across the watching passerby crowd.

"You don't care about this Harbingers and Seals stuff?" Subaru lashed a short powerful emerald stare across his shoulder.

"No…not really…definitely not now, why?"

"Then come along, I'm sure Alex would forgive us"

"Alex!" Seishiro dug his heels in, stopping their pace "…..would I meet him there?"

"That depends; he might be someone else….why?"

"Nothing, nothing! Just that….he's creeping me out"

Subaru laughed out loud "Sakurazukamori Seishiro…scared shitless, that's a good one!"

"_**I'm not scared shitless!**"_ a shikigami hawk flew inches from Subaru's ear with a deafening screech.

The light onmyouji giggled. He never giggled so heartily in his life but tonight was an exception.

* * *

"It's no use to try and fight me with that shinken, you can't wield it against anyone while the other one is still sealed remember?"

"Care to find out?"

"I don't need to find out, I _know_! You're just wielding it because it's longer then mine, not that it proves anything…"

If Sorata wouldn't be too busy fighting off two Harbingers with one hand tied by a ribbon and another by Yutu's whip he'd laugh.

"Alex! Where's Kamui?" he yelled at the man sizing up the Dragon, walking in circles around each other.

Hearing Kamui's name Alex involuntarily spun around to look at Sorata. Could something go wrong with his plan? He wanted to spin back to face the Dragon when he felt a shinken pierce his chest where his heart should be if he had one.

As he spun quickly back it snatched the shinken from the Dragon's hands.

The Dragon didn't plan this. Alex grabbed the shinken by the hilt and pulled it out of his body moving it sideways, cutting thought what's supposed to be his own flesh.

"Watch carefully and start shaking" he said gleefully, the bloodthirsty grin smeared on his face.

The Dragon did shake when he saw the shinken left no bleeding wound, no gap, not even a scratch! Instead where the shinken cut through Alex a white light beamed and the rip was quickly closing.

The Dragon now shook in anger along with fear, what could he do against this thing!

"You can't do anything" Alex answered his thoughts out loud.

"I'm here!" Kamui called before he leaped at Yutu from behind and sunk his fangs into the man's neck. Yutu let go of the whip, the water spinning around his hand splashing to the floor. He began stumbling as he was now gaving the young Vampire of Heaven a piggyback ride.

"Don't kill him, take enough blood to stun him but keep him alive for god's sake!" Alex hollered back, watching his lover with pride.

"Alright but I wanna eat Kanoe!"

"Don't start, she's just a bitter exhibitionist little sister that's all"

"O you're no fun anymore!".

Yutu collapsed to the floor in a faint and Kamui leaped to his feet. He saw Sorata in a very poor state; the monk was so stunned to see his friend suck blood off of someone that he let his guards down and was now bound, slowly choked by Nataku's ribbon.

Kamui sent his Fire Gift to the fabric, burning the ribbon into two. Sorata was released, gasping as he knelt on the floor.

Kamui rushed over to him "That son of a bitch! I'll show him"

"No Kamui, he's mine!" Sorata jumped to his feet, starting to slam the bioroid with his power.

Alex sheathed his sword hinting the Dragon the battle is over, preparing for his real role in this plan.

The Dragon had other plans; he was building up an energy ball in his hand, an evil grin on his face.

His enemy kept his attention on him and that wasn't good, Alex needed a distracted Dragon if he wanted to posses him.

The Dragon sent his energy ball forcefully, but not towards Alex. He gained a direct hit on Kamui. The boy was smeared into the wall as a pulp of blood, flesh and bone.

That didn't bother Alex; while the Dragon was eyeing his success he leaped and worked his power to posses the Dragon.

The battle between Nataku and Sorata stopped at the bloody sight smeared on the wall just past their noses. Yutu, who was just wobbly getting back to his feet, very weakened saw it too. Kanoe was staring on the verge of sickness at the stain of Kamui on the wall. They all heard a scream erupt from the Dragon's mouth.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA****get out of there! GET OUT! NOOO!**"

The Dragon clutched his head with his hands, shaking it madly. He stumbled around, hitting the wall and bashing his head against it.

"Stop doing that you're hurting yourself…I don't care, I'm hurting you as well….no you're not you silly boy you're hurting poor Fuma here too now stop that, it's silly!" The body spoke for two men at the same time.

Hearing Fuma's name the stain on the wall started reacting. The Harbingers, Seal and dreamgazer's sister turned to look at it. The revolting sight was changing in front of their eyes from moment to moment.

The Kamui pulp was scraping itself off the wall until it could stand on it's own smashed legs. It was reforming and rebuilding as it stood there. Once he had eyes again it looked at the men before him "What? Don't tell me I look that bad!" the rebuilding pulp man said.

The men and woman only stared more, feeling their last meal rising up for release.

The Dragon stopped twitching, walking or talking. He just grabbed his head and screamed constantly, until his voice was a creaking, until he was spitting blood.

The Kamui pulp which by now started looking like himself again walked wobbly towards the Dragon. Once he reached the man he laid a hand on his shoulder.

The Fuma/Dragon/Alex stopped screaming, his eyes ogled at the pulp-Kamui, almost popping out of their sockets. Then the eyes rolled upwards and the body collapsed on the floor unconscious.

* * *

With great alarm three Seals in reserves saw two onmyoujis hurry towards the building through their Kekkai.

"Oh no!" Karen screamed as she noted Seishiro holding Subaru's hand as they ran "He's got Subaru! Shit!" she did not know Seishiro was merely the one in better shape then the slim and heavier smoking Subaru that made him be the one running faster.

They were even more alarmed when they saw Yuzuriha carried by the huge Kusanagi into the building a few seconds after the onmyoujis entered.

"Damn it! It's all crumbling! We have to get in there!" Seiichiro said, almost leaping down to the street.

"No! Alex told us to wait!" Arashi held him back from jumping off. Her voice was still calm through her comrades' panic.

"And what if he's dead, what if Kamui' dead?" Karen screamed back at her when she stopped her as well.

"Whatever it is that's going on, according to plan or not the balance of power Alex planned changed and we're needed!" Seiichiro began gathering bigger wind currents around him and leaped down.

"Come with us if you want to Arashi-san" Karen said as she leaped after him.

They were right. Arashi gritted her teeth and leaped after them.

Subaru, Seishiro, Kusanagi with Yuzuriha in his arms, Karen, Arashi and Seiichiro, each in their own turn leaped through the secret entrance down the ruined elevator shaft, through the wrecked elevator and into the very battle zone.

They found a slightly scared and stunned bioroid, an equally stunned but clearer minded Buddhist priest, a slightly drained of blood and stunned Harbinger leaning on his very stunned, frightened and powerfully disgusted girlfriend.

By the Dragon's body which lay on the floor motionless stood a young boy who looked like he was made of veins and flesh.

Kamui's skin started growing again so he asked Subaru to kindly bring him a blanket or something to cover himself because his clothes were all torn just now.

Subaru had to kick himself out of his shock to do it. He was too late, Kamui had to turn his back to them and face Fuma's body once he was completely regenerated.

That's when Fuma's body opened his eyes. He looked up at Kamui towering above him naked and smiled "I've died and gone to heaven…." He giggled.

"Oh it's you then" the young vampire said in a somewhat disappointed tone. The Seal onmyouji held Kamui a blanket he found. "Thank you Subaru….stop staring please"

"Yeah Subaru piss off!" Fuma was grinning evilly.

Subaru hurried away to hide a little behind Seishiro.

The youth wrapped himself with the blanket and turned to the older teen "So, it's you, Alex, isn't it?"

"Yes it's me, the Dragon is gone, it took quit a fight though but he's gone"

"And Fuma….?" Kamui was too afraid to ask.

Alex got up, not answering the question. He looked around stunned "Oh, you're all here? Hang on, what are those two doing here? Subaru, Yuzuriha? And you three! Plans mean nothing to you do they?" they stared shamefully back at him.

"**_Alex!_**" Kamui was tugging his shirtsleeve; his nakedness was only harming Alex's concentration.

"What is it dear?"

"What about Fuma?"

"Hang on a second, I'll tell you later"

"Something happened to him isn't it?"

"Kamui, not now! Look, the Harbingers are here, almost all of them!"

Nataku grabbed a spare ribbon he had and launched it at Sorata who was nearest to him. He wrapped the fabric tightly around the monk's neck, tightening until Sorata was coloring "What have you done with my father?" he growled at who once was the Dragon.

"He wasn't you father and I'd drop that ribbon if I were you" Alex growled back through Fuma's body.

Arashi walked over to Nataku and cut the ribbon from his hand. The bioroid prepared the rest of the ribbon to attack her, he was grabbed by Kamui powerfully pulling the ribbon away from him.

"Enough with this! Everyone! The battle is over, there's no need to keep acting by your roles!" the body of Fuma called out.

The Harbingers looked at him confused. Looks like he'll have to do the long explanations to this bunch as well, hopefully they'll get it faster then the Seals.

* * *

When he finished explaining they were sitting in Kanoe's bedroom, the only suitable place to sit at after the lair itself was either in wreckage or stinking from Satsuki.

As Alex left Fuma's body it limply fell, nearly hitting the floor. Kamui hurried and grabbed his friend's body. He carried the bigger man to Kanoe's bed, gently laying him there.

"Alex, why isn't he moving?" he turned eyes that began tearing blood.

"He's very weak. The Dragon was tormenting him in there, hurting him and showing him whatever he did with his body. Let the boy rest, he needs it".

Kamui crouched near the bed, holding Fuma's hand, not taking his eyes off the older boy.

It irked Alex a little bit, something in the way there was no "Thank you Alex" no hugs, nothing. He tried to brush the thought away thinking it nothing but silly jealousy.

He turned to the other people; they were waiting for an explanation of what happened here and why.

Upon the fancy tea table chairs and on chairs brought in sat Seals, whoever was left of the Harbingers and Alex in complete silence once the explanations were over.

Yutu sat on the other side of the bed holding Kanoe's hand and caressing her hair from time to time with hands that still felt a bit weak from his lack of blood.

Kanoe had to have a lie down but she promised she'll listen to the explanation. She didn't, she fainted quite quickly after the first few words. Yutu still caressed her, hoping it sent her to a better sleep.

Furthest from them all sat Nataku, curled to a ball, he hardly paying any attention. There was no point to his life now, was there? So why should he listen?

"So what do we do now?" He asked once the explanation was over, verbalizing what was on everyone's mind

"Get back to your normal life." Alex answered simply "I don't know about you but everybody else here has a life of their own. Get back to your jobs, your wife and children, you school, your Self Defense Force, whatever, You're free…."

Alex stopped talking; he was feeling something that he felt a long time ago, in the dimension he originally came from.

Kamui felt it too and his head shot to look at Alex. The earth under them became nothing. It started sucking them into it.

They weren't alone, the other twelve people in the room wherever they were also began descending into the floor.

"Alex! It's taking us back!" Kamui screamed in panic. He arched himself over Fuma, wrapping his slim arms around the bigger youth.

Alex hurried over to Kamui yet the ground was still taking him down with it as he moved.

The room became chaos; people tried to get up and run but couldn't, they still sank into the floor. They called out to each other, screaming questions into the air, frightened and panicking.

"**_People_**" Alex shot over the noise "hang on to each other, hang on tight, find someone to hold down to and do it or you'll be scattered and lost there".

"There where!" came Kusanagi's voice, he was the only one not in panic. He was cradling Yuzuriha in his arms. He was up to his waist inside the portal.

Alex took some time to answer, he didn't know how to say this, too many questions ran around in his head 'Why is it taking everyone with it!' was the main one, the second one was 'Why the fuck didn't you take the time and dimension traveling machine with you _now_!' which was a question he asked himself.

Kamui was holding Fuma's body protectively; Alex was holding him protectively cursing himself for his stupidity.

Subaru and Seishiro held each other fast, they were almost completely sunk.

Karen clung to Seiichiro who grabbed her just as forcefully.

Yutu was not thinking quite fast enough and still held only Kanoe's hand. Amongst the two of them only he was sucked in. He watched Kanoe turn her face faintly to him looking at him with a dazed confused look.

"Where are you going Yutu?" she mumbled, the bed under her body was stable and existing while the bit of bed under Yutu now took him in until only his hand holding hers was there.

Sorata and Arashi held fast to each other, both too frightened to speak.

Nataku was sitting alone, looking at everyone sinking as he himself was also sinking, for the first time he felt something: he felt terrified.

In his hotel room the sleeping Kakyou sank into a portal as well. All he could sense was that his dreamscape ended.

Kanoe finally woke from her daze completely. Suddenly she found herself in an empty room, a room that was full of people just a moment ago.

"Yutu….?" Her voice came out wavering and frightened, like a lost little girl.

"'/Kamui/'?" still no answer.

"Anybody?" her voice came choked with tears.

By then they were all in the Lost Dimension.

(TBC)


	9. The Lost Dimension

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex and any Lost Dimension characters are mine….almost….

TianZhu, I'd like to thank you both for a wonderful story (Guns & Roses) and for inspiring me (more like giving me the guts) to put the X characters completely into the world I created like you did with Akuma's hell. Dankeshein.

* * *

**Part 9 – The Lost Dimension**

One moment they were in the DOE's lair, in Kanoe and Yutu's room, the other they were no where.

The next thing they knew was they were falling towards somewhere, dropping very fast.

Whoever managed to look down through their panic saw a grey land, a ruined land. That is, if they landed at the populated part of the one-planet dimension, which didn't happen to them all.

* * *

Yutu had found himself falling quite quickly towards a small group of buildings surrounded by a fence. He was falling towards a long shed, crushing down right through its roof. A big haystack under him softened his landing.

He lay there, thinking about Kanoe and his world. He knew he wasn't there anymore. He stared up through the hole he made in the roof. It was nighttime outside and the air was rather chilly outside. Here it was warm and cozy, the nice little haystack was comfortable never mind where it's exact location.

He checked and found his sharpened ninja whip was still with him and with that some of his confidence returned. He could sense there was water close by which gave him more confidence. If he needed it, he could defend himself pretty well.

Into his sight came the head of a grey horse. The animal sniffed the hand Yutu reached for it and exhaled air through its large nostrils.

Yutu chuckled, caressing the silky soft skin on the horse's nuzzle "Hello there big fellow, how are you tonight? A bit chilly outside, isn't it?". The animal began sniffing away at Yutu. He smiled to himself and chewed down on a long strand of hey he found.

He could easily fall asleep like this, warm and cozy. He was a bit weary from all that happened in the last half an hour of his life so far. Though he no longer felt the heavy dizziness of anemia he was mentally exhausted. He needed some rest and here was a nice place to do it.

The horse turned its head to someone coming into the shed; Yutu heard a strange foreign language spoken by what he imagined would be a young woman, almost a girl.

He froze on the spot and readied his whip. He heard the voice draw nearer to him, the girl must have noticed the horse looking at the haystack and wondered who's there.

The hole in the roof must have also been a rather big clue to his appearance.

Into his view came a young looking woman, perhaps in her late teens, wearing a strange looking helmet. She looked at him with innocent surprise and smiled merrily "Hello" she said in English with a heavy strange pronouncing of the 'l'.

Yutu smiled back at her. His English, as a ward office worker, was a little better then the usual. He guessed her English wasn't that good but decided to give it a try anyway.

Before he could say anything she smiled a street-wise smile at him and asked him "Newcomer?"

"Eh! Oh…eh….yes…my name is….err…call me Yutu. Did you understand me just now?"

She nodded and sat by him on the haystack.

Yutu flipped to lie on his tummy and took some time to look at her strange outfit. She was wearing a blouse half blue and half red, the colors meeting in an angular separation that started from her right shoulder and ended at her waist to her left. The collar of her shirt was black. Her left sleeve was stark white with an orange light-reflecting plastic band at it's bottom. She was wearing a mid-shin length black skirt and a pair of high black boots finished with a white strip.

Her helmet is what was quite strange; it wasn't completely covering her head, it was more like a cap from under which her flowing light brown hair descended. The helmet was designed so that it had the texture of some animal's fur with two ears poking out of it which reminded Yutu of some small mammal.

She noticed he was staring at her helmet and smiled. She pointed at the ears and said "Ferret".

Yutu's English wasn't that good "Ferret! Is that your name?"

"No and yes. You should call me Ferret; my real name is for my base members".

"Base? Am I in some military facility!" only then did he notice she had a black band across her shoulder. He thought it a bag before and paid little attention to it. Now he followed the band and noticed it was carrying an M-16.

"Oh….oh my…."

"Don't worry" she smiled "you're a newcomer, I won't hurt you".

Yutu smiled a weary smile back at her. He was a newcomer, a newcomer where?

Another woman appeared at the horse shed's door. She was slightly fuller in body and wore the same outfit Ferret did. Her helmet was designed to look like the ears of…

"Is this Cow then?" Yutu asked Ferret and the girl nodded ,smiling happily.

The new girl spoke with Ferret in their strange language, the word 'newcomer' repeated a few times in english. The new girl obviously ordered Ferret to do something for the girl got up and took Yutu's hand. "Come with me" she beamed at him.

"Where are you taking me?" Getting to his feet and walking so fast was making him dizzy.

"Don't worry"

"I will if you won't tell me"

"Infirmary" she said, pulling him outside the horse shed, taking the reins of the grey horse and leading it out with her other hand.

Ferret and Cow led Yutu to a shed right next to the horse shed. They dragged out (with Yutu's gentlemanly help) what looked like a roman style designed racing carriage painted in red blue and white. The carriage had the white symbol of a side view roaring lion on its front. Something was written in white under the lion. The letters rang a bell in Yutu's mind.

He pointed at the writing "Kabala?"

The two girls stared at him confused "No, almost" Cow smiled at him. The girls exchanged a few words, sneaking peeks at Yutu from time to time. In the meantime they tied to the grey horse to the carriage and rode it aiming at the big gate in front of the two sheds.

Kabala was something Satsuki knew about and the memory of Satsuki still hurt Yutu. It made him less resistant when Ferret and Cow ushered him into the carriage and climbed on by his sides.

They began riding outside their base, aiming towards a hill in the distance.

Yutu noticed the young black girl in the same uniforms and a different animal helmet who opened the gate for their departure. She smiled the most charming smile at him and yelled "Welcome" after him, waving her hand merrily.

Yutu snapped out of his initial shock and turned to his two new companions "Tell me, is your base full of such pretty nice girls?"

Ferret turned a cheeky smile and him, poking his ribs playfully. Cow smiled quietly.

* * *

Yuzuriha and Kusanagi found themselves in a desert of ice. Wherever they looked around was either an endless landscape of ice for ground or icebergs erect from the frozen land in dangerous sharp angles. Wild razor sharp winds whipped cold around them.

"Where are we?" Yuzuriha whispered, looking around in terror.

"I don't know…is this…the dimension this Alex person came from?"

"Y-yes, I think so, we were taken the way Kamui was taken when he was taken so I suppose we're there but…." She was shivering violently. Her short skirt, the thin fabric of her shirt and school vest did not help her with the brutal cold around them.

"It's cold here, so cold" Kusanagi finished what she wanted to say.

They were standing in an ice land like nothing they were told this world would be like.

"W-what do we do now? Kusanagi-san….it's…too…cold here….." her voice was broken by tears, tainted by fear.

He collected the little girl into his arms, attempting to share the body warmth with her.

The freezing wind blazed around them, sharp like icy knifes. If Inuki was here would they be able to join their warmth all together? It didn't seem so; it seemed so deadly cold here….

The two huddled together on the icy earth, hoping for some sort of rescue or at least a quick death instead of this freezing nightmare.

* * *

Karen and Seiichiro landed in a huge wonderfully blossoming field of daisies.

The stretches of yellow and white flowers seemed to last forever wherever they looked.

A small house in the distance broke the sea of daisies, standing solemnly atop its little flower-covered hill.

Above them the huge moon hung shedding a brilliant light all around them. The weather was wonderful, if not a bit chilly, little gushes of air swirled the chamomile scent of the flowers from the ground into their nostrils.

Karen opened her eyes and found Seiichiro leaning over her "Are you alright Karen-san?" he looked worried sick.

She fought her blushing off "Y…yes….where are we?"

"I think…I think we're in the dimension Alex and Kamui came from"

She sat up, forcing Seiichiro to take a little distance from her. She looked around at the white and yellow stretches "Oh…. This is a wonderful place! I don't know why it made me think of this place like a war zone, look around us" she grabbed a handful of daisies and inhaled their wonderful perfume.

Seiichiro did not answer her for a few moments "…..I think this field is…magical? Look Karen, the flowers from where you just picked them…."

Karen looked at what she remembered was a small hole in the endless flowers. On every stem that once held a flower, a new flower grew. "And flowers aren't supposed to bloom like that during nighttime, are they?" she mumbled.

They shot to their feet, sensing there was something strange about this field. Where they landed, crushing the flowers, the plants now revived and returned to their healthy stand.

"Hello" they heard a cheerful female voice behind them and turned around. They saw a man and a woman standing a little away from them.

The woman was the most beautiful blond in her late teens, beaming under the moonlight. She stood there in the chilly night air completely naked. She sent a radiating warm hearted smile at them. Seiichiro tried not to choke; Karen tried not to be jealous at her friend's reaction.

The man wore a nighttime robe and glared at them suspiciously. "Are you newcomers?".

Seiichiro and Karen looked at each other confused. Karen knew English well because sometimes she had foreign businessmen over as clients, Seiichiro knew English well because it was essential when it came to translating foreign articles for his magazine.

They smiled at the couple wearily "Are…we…in the lost dimension" Karen finally asked.

"Oh? So you've heard of this place?" the naked woman asked. She didn't seem at all worried at her appearance before strangers.

"Yes, from Alex and Kamui, perhaps you know them?"

Seiichiro made the couple's attitude change completely. The man's suspicion melted completely, he walked forward and offered his hand for a friendly shake. The woman beamed an even wider smile. Karen noted that she actually really _beamed_ a little.

"You know Alex?" the man asked Seiichiro, his strong palm shaking the editor's unprepared one into a frightened little forced dance "Where from? Never mind we didn't introduce ourselves, forgive us. I am Jacob and this is my lovely wife Venus" he wrapped his arms proudly around the naked blond's shoulders.

"Why won't you come in with us, it's chilly outside, and we'll make you something warm to drink" Jacob offered happily.

"Oh but darling" Venus placed her delicate beautiful hand on her husband's chest "they're newcomers they need to go to the infirmary" she softly caressed her husband's unshaved face with the other hand.

"You're right my dear. Well, I'll go prepare the cart, make them some nice warm tea with some honey and lemon while I'm at it"

"Yes my darling" she kissed him lovingly then took Karen and Aoki's hands leading them towards the little house. Her steps were light, as if she was walking on air. She didn't crush the flowers as she walked, Karen noted, she _was_ walking on the air above them.

What was she? Her name…could she actually be the _goddess_ Venus?

"Eh…Miss Venus, why should we be in the infirmary? We're not ill" Seiichiro managed to stammer through his embarrassment of the nonchalant naked woman who was holding his hand.

"It's because all newcomers go to the infirmary as soon as they arrive. That's where you go through a little physical checkup to see you're not hurt from your arrival, where they find out what you've been in your dimension, where they'll find you a job and accommodation"

"That's very organized of you" the windcaster noted out loud, wiping his glasses with his jacket.

"It took us some time until we got this organized, I'm sure there are still flaws in the system but we try to do our best" she smiled radiantly at them.

They were in the little cottage now, sipping some hot tea and chatting with Venus when Jacob returned "So, you said Alex is back?" he asked them.

"Yes, I should think so…." Karen mumbled. Her attention was grabbed by something hung on a coat hanger by the door. It was a shirt and a pair of pants in white and dark blue stripes. By his enthusiasm of Alex's return Karen guessed that it was Jacob who once wore the stripy uniforms, as Alex had a long time ago.

"Ah, thank god, I missed him" with that Jacob gestured them outside.

They were led to a roughly made carriage with two plump work horses reined to it. Karen, Seiichiro and a chirping happy Venus climbed on the hey-padded cart while Jacob took the reins on the driver's bench.

They spent their driving time explaining Venus and Jacob of what happened before they arrived there.

Venus still didn't seem very bothered about her looks never mind how many times Seiichiro stared, shook his head and looked away changing into a deep shade of crimson.

* * *

Kakyou was falling down very fast without even knowing why he was falling, let alone knowing where he was falling into.

He fell through high trees into the midst of a forest, hitting the ground with a light thud. The thick lair of fallen pine needles and leaves that covered the ground softened his landing.

It was nighttime and the forest was so thick Kakyou could hardly see the big moon above the trees; he could only see some of its rays piercing through the lush treetops.

He sat up, clinging his aching head that must have gotten hurt hitting something hard under the layer of thick leafs.

**_Wait!_** He _set up!_

Kakyou froze in shock….. he…. can…. move…. like…. he….was….never even damaged! Is he healed!

Could he…..do other things? All he could do before was to somehow hold himself upwards when seated in a comfortable enough chair.

Desperately, he clung a nearby branch and heaved himself onto his frail legs.

**Yes!** He can stand! He can pull himself that much! Kakyou was amazed, he is healed, whatever it is that did it, however it did it!

He looked around, _where_ was he standing! This isn't a dream, he knew, so where is he? Its pitch black, he can't see a thing, it's chilly out here, where is he for the god's sake?

He began limping at a random direction; his gentle body so out of shape he constantly needed to lean on trees for rest.

He's healed so this can't be that bad whatever it is…. all he needs to do is get out of here and fins some form of civilization.

To his left he saw a dim light though the thick forest branches bushes and trees. He began wobbling towards it, hoping his dwindling strength would hold all the way over there.

He found a small cottage in the middle of a little forest clearing. It was like, the houses you see in picture books of western fairytale books. The way he was right now Kakyou couldn't be picky, strange house or no strange house. The faint smell of food came from the chimney along with soft pale smoke.

Kakyou wobbled over to the hut and knocked faintly on the door, feeling how weak he really was from the faint sound it made. He had to repeat the process after some time, noting no one must have heard him inside.

The smell of food made his stomach turn; reminding him it hadn't worked properly for a long time.

The sound of furniture moving gave Kakyou a touch of hope; maybe he was finally heard. The door was swung open and Kakyou toppled over into the house, unable to hold his body upright anymore. Before he passed out of exhaustion he felt strong arms delicately catch him.

Kakyou opened his eyes and found he was in bed again, but not in the hospital bed he so knew; he had nothing up his vain and no machines beeped around him. Where was he?

Climbing out of his daze, he distinctly remembered that he actually had some physical activity that worked his body into such exhaustion as he felt right now. He tried to get up but his whole body was cramped. Walking for several meters in the forest was like running a marathon for his under-worked body, now his muscles were complaining.

Kakyou did manage to raise his head a little and look at the man who stood alone by a fireplace in the big room.

The man was tall, strapping, standing confidently with his chin a little upwards. He was dressed like something between a hunter and soldier. His more modern looking clothes were in a bright khaki color, looking old fashioned and foreign. Around his shirt collar fur was tailored into the fabric, giving the modern looking outfit something tribal and ancient. His heavy modern dark brown boots were mended here and there by raw skin and decorated by fur at their lining. The man had a shortly cropped mucky blond hair and a healthy tan.

He stood by a fireplace set in a big room which, according to, Kakyou's calculations was the whole hut. A little away from the fireplace stood a table and a chair, a little distance from it stood the bed Kakyou was laid on. Those were the only furniture in the room. They were all made, like the hut itself, out of wood and looked hand made most lovingly.

This man, whoever he is, built this house all by himself with his own hands, it made Kakyou fill with awe.

The man noted Kakyou's awakening and rushed to the bedside. He placed the back of his fingers to Kakyou's forehead and talked something to Kakyou, speaking in a language that sounded heavy and strange, yet soft and musical in a way.

Kakyou stared at the man confused, the man stared back and smiled.

He kept talking, asking questions by the tone, without thinking Kakyou could not understand him.

He got up and brought something from the table, not stopping the chatter for a moment. Perhaps he knew Kakyou couldn't understand him and didn't bother to try and explain himself, Kakyou didn't know.

He was far too confused now to start thinking such elaborate things up. He was snatched from his dreamscape into this forest, healed from his crippled state and then abandoned, weak and frail in a foreign land right in the middle of the thickest forest he ever saw.

The man returned with a wooden bowl and a crude spoon. The bowl contained a most delicious smelling liquid with blobs of meat and vegetables bobbing up and down the surface.

Kakyou gathered the bowl and began eating despite his muscles' complaint at it's weighed in his hands. He hadn't eaten properly since Hokuto's death and his hospitalization, now his stomach ached for nutritious that weren't liquids pumped into his veins.

The man looked at him eat and smiled. When Kakyou's hands began to tremble with the weight of the bowl he took it and hand fed the frail man.

When he finished Kakyou sighed and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his hospital gown.

He looked at the man who still gazed at him curiously and smiled faintly. "Arigato" he made a humble little head bow.

The man crossed his eyebrows, puzzled. "Ah, Japanese" he finally spoke something Kakyou could understand even through his thick accent.

"H-hai…."

The man got up, took the bowl away shaking his head and scratching it looking puzzled.

Kakyou dragged himself to sit up on the bed, leaning his back on the wall. He watched the man struggle to find a way to communicate. Then the man froze, jerking a little as realization grabbed him.

He went back to crouch at the bedside, looking up at Kakyou hopefully, his eyes shining. He pointed at himself and said "Dimitry" then looking at Kakyou asking with his eyes if what he said was understood. He pointed at Kakyou, trying to get a message through.

Dimitry, it was a name Kakyou knew, a Russian name….this man was Russian….was he in Russia! It wasn't that cold outside but he supposed though forest would match a Russian one.

So he's in Russia, however he got there, this man was Dimitri and now Dimitri wanted to know what's his name. "Kuzuki Kakyou" the pointed finger received an answer.

The man stared at Kakyou a little puzzled and said something, making a gesture for something big with his hands to make himself clear.

Dimitri must have thought that Kakyou' full name was the first name, like Dimitri.

Kakyou gently shook his head and said again "Kakyou".

Dimitri was still puzzled "Kuzuki!" he asked.

Kakyou shook his head again, then faintly pointed at Dimitri "Dimitri, Kakyou" he pointed back at himself.

"Aaaa!" Dimitri flashed a broad smile at him, his cheeks gaining a golden aura as the fire sent light through the unshaved spikes on his skin.

Dimitri pointed at Kakyou again and pointed upwards looking asking something.

Kakyou stared back puzzled, knitting his eyebrows.

Dimitri sighed and made a little puppetry with the wooden spoon: He showed Kakyou was the spoon, saying "Kakyou" at the spoon, then showed the spoon falling from the sky while making a long "eeeeeezooooooooom" sound as if Kakyou the spoon was a crushing plane.

Kakyou thought for a while, he was falling when he noticed that he's not in his sickbed anymore, and he did remember falling for a very long time. Dimitri pointed heavenwards again and repeated the show, asking.

Kakyou nodded.

Dimitri made another long "Aaaaah". Then he clapped his hand, got up and began talking a lot, too fast for Kakyou to even try to understand. He was taking something off of the table and wrapping it with some fabric, and then gave it to Kakyou. It was bread, which Dimitri signaled should be eaten by Kakyou.

The big man took Kakyou gently in his arms and carried him outside towards a big black horse that stood nibbling grass by a tree he was tied to. Kakyou faintly tugged at Dimitri's shirt to catch the man's attention and stop him but he was still carried to the horse.

He was sat on the horse before Dimitri himself leaped and sat on the horse behind Kakyou.

Ice cold fear ran through Kakyou's spine, he never met a horse in real life let alone tried to sit on one. This horse was one big muscular beast, it must be capable of running as fast as the wind, Kakyou felt sickness rise in him at the thought of sitting atop of this thing with no experience.

The feeling of Dimitri's strong body behind him melted some of the fear gathering into a heavy ball at the pit of his stomach. Two strong arms almost hugged Kakyou as they held the reins of the horse from each side of him.

Dimitri made a gentle clicking sound and the beast began moving forward…..very fast….

"Dimitri" Kakyou asked faintly, looking back at the man puzzled and miserable.

Dimitri said something in his language then made the spoon show again without the spoon, repeating Kakyou's name. He then said "Infirmary" and pointed forward.

Kakyou looked at that direction confused, shaking his head to say he didn't understand.

"Infirmary, hospital" said Dimitri in a heavy Russian accent.

Hospital! Kakyou knew that word! But he didn't want to go to a hospital, he spent all his life in a hospital, he didn't want to go back!

He walked today, he ate food, he sat up, and he held something! He was in a forest, a real forest and talked to someone with his own voice! He's healed; he doesn't need to go to hospital!

"No hospital…no…." he tried to beg his new friend in his faint Japanese, tugging at the sleeve on the arm near him.

But Dimitri only smiled at him, a soft and kind smile. One hand held the rains while the other gently caressed Kakyou's face. His eyes held such softness and kindness as they traveled over the newcomer's features.

Kakyou blushed so badly he was unable to think or talk for a very long time. He just turned to face the direction they were heading and remained silent. A captive or a survivor, he didn't know.

They were exiting the forest, past a lake and into a built area; Kakyou could see little dots of light in the distance and shady buildings gathering to become a city.

Where was he! He wasn't in Russia…where was he!

* * *

Arashi and Sorata landed straight into a big shallow lake.

The two who never had a swimming class or visited the seaside in their life splashed the water hysterically for a while until they realized they could stand in the water. They stood there, the water up to their necks, and stared at each other puzzled.

The water was warm around them from the sun it soaked all day long but their heads were wet and the night was chilly around them. Arashi's teeth were chattering as she spoke "Where are we!"

"I think we're in that Lost Dimension Alex was talking about sis"

"**_What!_**" she screamed uncharacteristically "Great, just great….and we're wet!"

"It would help if we'd get out of the water…."

They began walking towards a shore they saw in the distance.

A huge moon hung above them in the clear night sky. It shone down on a serene shore between the lake and a thick wall of a forest. Arashi and Sorata stood in the open air, soaked to their bones and confused out of their minds.

"So….where do we go? Where's everybody else?" they looked around, puzzled, confused, and just a little scared.

Finally they settled down on the shore, somewhat enjoying the magical silence and the beautiful scenery. Little insects buzzed, hummed and clicked in the bushes and trees around them creating a harmony of natural music around them. The earth they lay on was warm and soft. Strangely the sky had no stars in them besides the huge moon.

"Say sis, are you hungry because I feel like catching some yummy fish in that lake"

Arashi shrugged and looked away.

She never liked Alex or what he made of Kamui, now he managed to kidnap them into a completely different dimension that didn't sound like any nice place to live in at all. Actually she imagined this place to be much more hostile and not so….relaxed and serene…..

She leaned back on the sweet smelling earth and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

This could actually be nice, she felt Sorata lie down by her, taking her hand in his. Yes very nice.

* * *

Subaru and Seishiro landed in the middle of what looked like a half ruined city. Around them were buildings looking shady and half destroyed but definitely inhabited. Lights shone in the windows and people's voices came from within them.

The two onmyoujis looked around puzzled and bewildered. "I can't believe it, we're in that dimension Alex came from" Subaru mumbled, getting up and aiding Seishiro with the same task.

"Where!" Seishiro was dusting and straightening his suit. He felt weak, unexplainably weak, alarmingly weak, like something vital was taken from him. It unnerved him.

"We're in a different dimension I think. This is how Kamui was taken away so it makes sense"

"You're telling me we're in a different world now?"

"Different dimension, yes we are".

Seishiro felt horror and shock freeze him. In this world there was no Sakura, therefore no Sakurazukamori powers…..

That's why he felt like half of him was missing, because that is literally what happened. And with the Sakura gone a spell it has on him was gone: the emotion-repressing spell.

He stood there, shaking a bit, emotions swapping through him. A storm raged within him. He didn't like this entire obsession his freshly recovered emotions had of showing themselves.

Subaru gazed calmly around, looking more curious then frightened. Didn't he realize he was in a different world completely! It annoyed Seishiro, unnerved him more then anything.

"Hey there! You two!" came words in English, aimed at the onmyoujis. Two men neared them talking more English and faster then both could understand.

One of them was dressed in tight black pants, a golden jacket and had a shoulder length rich bright brown hair. Under hairs that fell on his forehead Subaru could make out something golden glittering on the man's forehead, it was a letter: H.

The other man was dressed in a snappy yet under-maintained blue suit with a yellow shirt under it. He had a mop of light black hair, unruly and standing in a strange looking almost Afro style around his head. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips and a gun in his hand. Despite his suspicion driven actions his eyes looked like they couldn't care less.

The golden dressed man sent his hand to the other and lowered his fellow's gun "Relax Spike, they could be newcomers".

Subaru and Seishiro who both pulled out their different ofuda at the sight of the gun relaxed a little as they saw the open and welcoming expression on the long haired man with the H on his forehead.

"Are you newcomers? Did you just fall from the sky?" He asked in English. He had a correct British accent.

Subaru hardly knew English; he skipped classes in high school and then dropped out completely.

Seishiro, who had dealt with the odd ambassador and their helpers and had to read several veterinarian textbooks in English, knew more.

"Yes we did, we don't speak very good English" he grunted, feeling more and more annoyed as the moments pass.

The cigarette smoked by the man called Spike made both of them want to smoke one themselves. In matching, almost synchronized moves, the onmyoujis pulled out their own packs, took a cigarette and lit it (Subaru lit Seishiro's then his own). It made Spike smile at them.

"Well" the H man clapped his hands, talking slowly and clearly "we'll walk you to the infirmary where you could be properly checked and welcomed. This is Spike, my companion, and I'm Ace. Pleased to meet you" he offered his hand for a shake.

Seishiro crossed his arms on his chest and puffed smoke at the two new men, making Ace caught a bit.

"Ano…..eh….Sumeragi Subaru and….Sakurazuka Seishiro" Subaru introduced with what little English he knew.

"Subaru! Isn't that a name of a car!" Spike chuckled, making the other three glare at him. He shrugged it off and lit another cigarette.

Ace began walking past Subaru and Seishiro, expecting the other three to follow him, which none did. He stared back at them puzzled.

"Oi, Ace, it's almost time for shift change, why won't we just tell them where to go and leave the rest of the directions to Lestate and Vicki?"

Ace turned around looking at Spike reprimanding "we need to finish our shift properly. We'll get them to the infirmary, then leave. We can't leave a shift unfinished AND besides, they hardly know English, how will they survive here all alone?".

There was a little battle of glares and looks between the two. "'Com on Spiky, come oooon"

Spike sighed and walked over to Ace "Fine fine, come on car man and tuxedo guy"

"Subaru"

"Seishiro"

"Whatever".

The onmyoujis looked at each other, one grudgingly, the other enquiringly "Do we have a choice Seishiro-san?"

"Humph"

They began shuffling after the other two.

They were walking towards a hill on the edge of the city where a big square building stoop atop the hill and by it stretched a large cemetery.

"This is the infirmary?" Seishiro grunted, getting a bit out of breath with the long walk uphill.

"Yes"

"It's not very good if there's such a big cemetery behind it"

"People die here not just because of the infirmary" Ace snapped back, he was becoming impatient with the two newcomers "….err….that didn't come out right, did it…" he looked at Spike a bit embarrassed.

Spike looked back amused and shook his head stifling a chuckle.

Subaru tugged at Seishiro's sleeve to translate something for the two men. After some refusals and persuasions the older man gave in "Subaru-kun wants to say that Alex had told him this dimension wasn't easy to live in".

That made the two at their front stop and turn to them sharply. Ace even took some steps back to Subaru. "You…you know Alex?" he looked hopeful and happy, his eyes glittering with excitement like the golden H on his forehead.

Seishiro translated the question.

"Hai"

"Yes"

"Really, how? Is he here? Did he come with you?" Ace grabbed Subaru by his shoulders, shaking him a bit.

"Ace man, calm down would you, you're scaring poor car man!".

Subaru smiled a little awkwardly.

Seishiro kindly but brutally enough removed Ace's hands from his boyfriend. "Yes, we know Alex; he came to our dimension looking for Kamui and when he finally got him back we were all taken to this dimension"

Seishiro's words took the glitter out of Ace's eyes. "Oh" the man said, looking more somber from one moment to the other.

Seishiro now translated Subaru's words again "Kamui was taken back to his own dimension and Alex went to look for him in every dimension possible. Then he found Kamui again and somehow we're all here. Are you familiar with Alex?".

Spike joined them "Sure we know Alex, we're this place's Special Patrol and Rescue Team. Alex and Kamui used to be part of us, and then they just disappeared one night. Now we know where they went, don't we Ace…Ace?".

Three men stared at Ace who looked suddenly very down and depressed "Yeah…right…whatever…." He shrugged and walked back towards the hill.

"Come on, we haven't got all night you know" Spike said before dragging the rest of them along.

* * *

Two vampires stood by the building Kamui and Alex used to live in, where all the Rescue Team members lived.

Lestate, the vampire who turned Kamui to a Creature of Death the first time, looked at the location of the moon in the sky and shrugged at his partner "I wonder what keeps them up so late, usually all Spike wants is to end the shift…".

His partner, a short blond vampire in a tight short blue uniform dress was looking behind her and didn't notice the words.

"What do you think had happened Victoria, Victoria?" Lestate turned around and saw what Victoria saw.

Nataku lay prone on the floor where he landed, trying to recover. "A newcomer" Victoria said, pointing at Nataku.

Both vampires stared at Nataku as the bioroid got up and shook himself. "Newcomers…" Lestate looked up at the night sky "Now that you've mentioned it there were several of them tonight, quite a lot in fact, maybe that's what's keeping Spike and Ace back…." He mused posing an elegant finger on his chin.

"Hey, young boy…girl…what are you!" Lestate stared at Nataku who stared back, looking horrified and blank.

"I don't think he understands you, look, he's dressed like he's Chinese or something. Do you know Chinese Lestate?" the other vampire shook his head and shrugged, looking worried at Nataku.

"He looks like a lost little boy, poor thing…."

He made Victoria emit a long motherly "Oooh".

She offered Nataku her white gloved hand. He didn't get the hint, she simply took his in hers and pulled him to his feet "Come along little boy, we'll take you to the infirmary" she began walking him away.

Nataku's legs were planted in the ground, refusing to be led away. He could sense that same strange, dangerous aura from these two as he sensed from Kamui when the Seals attacked the DOE's lair.

He will not let them lead him wherever it is, he would fight them if he had his ribbon here.

Instead he leaped away to the top of the building behind him, taking Victoria with him (she didn't let go of his hand).

It made the two vampires upset at him "Now now, that's no way to behave little boy" she crossed her eyebrows at him gesturing him she's reprimanding him. Next he was grabbed and hurled over Lestate's shoulder and taken away before he could say a thing against it.

Lestate and Nataku as his captive were flying, hovering like a cloud over the city towards the hill where the infirmary lay.

Nataku noticed, under him, under the body that carried him so firmly, that the younger woman was running on the ground towards the same direction with amazing speed.

They were the same kind of creature only this woman who reprimanded him couldn't fly.

Peculiar.

* * *

Alex, Kamui and Fuma landed a few blocks away from where Subaru and Seishiro had landed.

Kamui was shielding Fuma with his body still, half laying on him. He felt Alex's hand on his shoulder gently pulling him away from the limp body.

"Kamui, it's okay you know, we've landed".

The older youth was coming back to consciousness. He opened his eyes slowly. Noting Kamui and Alex above him he smiled gently.

Then he took in where they were, definitely not the DOE's lair, he sat up quickly "Where are we?"

"Fuma, you're feeling better! You're alive! I'm so glad! You're back!" Kamui threw himself on Fuma hugging him longingly.

Fuma embraced him back "Thank you for fighting to get me back, I'd never be able to do it without you, Kamui" he spoke into the boy's hair.

Alex made a little coughing sound; he was getting a little annoyed with this over emotional reunion.

The lost dimension healed whomever it took in from whatever it was they were suffering. That's why Kakyou was no longer disabled, that's why Fuma was rested and healthy after the Dragon of Earth's long abuse and the battle his body had with Alex. Kamui's vampire state was also healed just like when he was taken back to his home dimension.

Alex didn't like it, he was tired of changing Kamui, and he was tired of fighting for him while the boy hardly did a thing to help.

Where was the Kamui who insisted on sharing things, on leaning on him when he was sad, on hearing what troubled him instead of just receiving help? Where was the Kamui who didn't look past Alex and saw Fuma?

Hang on, why was he thinking like that! Fuma was nothing more then a brother figure; he remembered how Kamui talked about the shock of the first time the Dragon completely took over Fuma, about the pain of it.

All he wanted was his friend back, nothing more. Of all the things in Kamui's past Fuma was the sole survivor, Kamui clung to the last relic of his long gone happy days.

He shouldn't feel jealous of Fuma, he should just forget about it.

And in that tone Alex smiled and grabbed Kamui's attention again "Kamui, you know the way from here to the infirmary right? I'll go see where everybody else is. You take Fuma to the infirmary okay?".

Kamui looked at him for the first time since they got there and smiled faintly "Sure, go ahead" he returned his eyes to the bigger teen "Come on Fuma".

A fragment of a second of eye contact, that's all Kamui gave him.

No longer a vampire, Alex sighed and took off flying high to get a better viewing spot. Under him he saw Kamui aid Fuma to his feet and head out to the infirmary. Were they holding hands or is it just his imagination? Alex felt a shiver run down his spine.

Yuzuriha was crying. Her tears rolled out of her eyes and froze on her cheeks; it made her cry even harder.

Kusanagi brushed the little icy crystals with swollen purple fingers, he was getting frostbites.

They were both slowly freezing to death. Will no one find them? Will they really end like this?

Kusanagi remembered the silence in the park before the day of the attack, yesterday….

He was a fool to enjoy the silence a day ago, he should have guessed something was up.

Yuzuriha sobbed, her whimpers softened by the fabric of his shirt and silenced by the freezing wind's roar.

(tbc)


	10. Infirmary Welcome to the Lost Dimensio

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

A.N: and one more thing! If you think this story' Fuma is OOC then he's not, he's Fuma and not the Dragon of Earth! If you still think it's OOC then give me a good proof of it!

* * *

**Part 10 – Infirmary / Welcome to the Lost Dimension**

Frostbites threatened to eat Yuzuriha and Kusanagi limb by limb. They stopped feeling their noses, their toes and fingers, their complexion turned almost completely purple and white. Their moves slowed down, their thinking clouded.

When Yuzuriha thought she heard footsteps she convinced herself it was an illusion, a deathbed fantasy. But she was wrong.

They both raised their heads slowly, hairs full of snow and frost, and saw a tall man clad in a heavy bright colored fur coat. He had short-cropped dark blond hair, a chiseled face, his body well built. His eyes were the same color as the glaciers around them of crystalline blue. They were just as cold.

He stared at them with suspicious, surprise and care all mixed up. "Are you newcomers?" he asked but they didn't answer, none knew English that well, if at all.

"Never mind, you're in my land and you're slowly freezing to death" he was talking to himself. His tone was leveled, emotionless and careless though his words said otherwise.

He neared them, separated them from each other's arms with amazing physical strength and embraced them. His body emitted brilliant warmth, slowly melting away their cold.

Yuzuriha cradled into the warmth like into a duvet, Kusanagi was too cold and desperate to bother about such a sensation coming from a man.

When they were no longer cold the man levitated and began flying away with his passengers. He flew towards the populated part of the one planet dimension and away from its pole.

They flew over barren land seemingly stretching forever onwards to no end. Kusanagi looked down at the burnt ground, lifeless, bare, destroyed. He wondered how the land became like this, who or what cause this.

They flew onwards, over chaotic destruction areas, over ruins of cities and villages; all destroyed. Between the buildings, from the roads little white things glimmered in the moonshine where men and women fell and died. Their bones shone a gloomy memorial in the night's light.

Then the land began changing as trees bordered the disaster area. First it was a few trees here and there, then they grew so thick Yuzuriha and Kusanagi could hardly make out, under the canopies, two men on a horse riding in the direction of their flight.

The forest cleared making way to a big lake. The lake's surface remained undisturbed thus giving a perfect mirror reflection of the huge moon above staring up at them.

On the lakeshore Yuzuriha recognized her two friends and began shrieking wildly at them. "Araaaaaashiiiiiiii-san! Soraaaaataaaaaaa-san!" she waved her arms and legs madly at them.

The man who saved them stopped his flight to let her communicate. He landed at the lakeshore a little away from the other two and let Yuzuriha run free. Her rescue and the warmth made her bubbly personality spring right back to life, frightening the man slightly.

"She knows these two kids?" the man asked Kusanagi with a deep voice. Kusanagi stared back at him puzzled. "You don't understand me do you?" he sighed "I guess I'll take them along too".

Arashi and Sorata jumped to their feet as they heard Yuzuriha's cry, readying themselves for battle seeing the girl held by a stranger and yelling for their attention.

She hurried towards them "No! Don't be like that, he saved us from freezing to death! He's nice….and really cute too" she blushed a little, bouncing on her toes.

Kusanagi made a small 'I'm still here' cough.

While the three teens and adult reunited, babbling about what they've been through and how their landing was, the fur coated man worked his powers.

Gleaming bright light flashed around them and suddenly long slide-like carriage tied to two white horses appeared in front of him. It was like a Santa slide only white. With ice crystals clinging to its body in snow bright color gleaming with gold as the light hit it. The horses' harnesses were golden, the slide's rims were golden, and the horses themselves had a golden gleam to them with golden manes and tales.

The three Seals and Harbinger stopped their babble completely and stared with awe; it looked like a carriage for the gods.

Suddenly, out of the woods on the other side of the lake came a single horse riding powerfully across the shallow lake and straight back into the woods on their side. The horse and the two men on it were in such a hurry they went past them in a blur, hardly recognized.

Kusanagi blinked a few times, he thought he really saw something but he wasn't sure "That….that was Kakyou, our dreamgazer….but I thought he's crippled, he shouldn't be riding a horse in such speed…..and who was that who took him along with them!" he turned to the glacier eyed man who stared after the horse as well and shrugged carelessly.

The man stared back at them and said something in English. They stared back, Arashi and Sorata being none the wiser in english Yuzuriha and Kusanagi. Giving up on proper communication the man gestured for them to enter the carriage.

With a great deal of giggling, excited and awed babbling, some frozen silence and a lot of worry they finally climbed into the carriage.

Once he made sure they were all seated properly the ice man settled on the driver seat and hurried the horses to a canter.

Instead of riding forward as horses usually do, these horses rode forward and upwards.

The carriage soared after the horses, causing the newcomers inside a great deal of panic and excitement.

Over the forest and towards the infirmary they began their journey.

After a few minutes of their ride the ice man pulled out two lumps of shooting range ear protecting sponges and helped himself to them, blocking out Yuzuriha and Sorata's happy shrieking.

* * *

Karen and Seiichiro ran out of things to mindlessly babble about with Venus who began talking about her magical garden when her husband interrupted.

"So….eh…..how did Alex behave when he saw him, Kamui that is?" he didn't turn to look at them, he seemed to want to remain a bit detached from the subject.

Remembering the stripy uniforms folded on Jacob's coat hanger Karen wondered if Alex and Jacob knew each other there. It would explain Jacob's concern over Alex's condition.

"He was wonderful, he was such a gentleman, helping Kamui with all his might" she smiled.

"And he helped us too, before we came here he arranged us all to help him solve our big battle problem…It's a long story, but he was very helpful" Seiichiro added.

Venus smiled "Yes, he loves Kamui very much. Before Kamui came here Alex wasn't in the best of states…then Kamui came over and simply healed him, it's amazing really".

"Why? What happened to Alex?" Seiichiro, forever the reporter, began his enquiries. This time Karen didn't stop him, she too was interested.

Jacob turned his head a little towards them "The years of his age and the things he's been through began taking their toll on him. He was breaking up a bit, going mad and annihilating things with his powers running wild.

"So far he's been given medicines against it. Every time he'd go mad the medics would have to rush over to him before he'd kill us all.

"Then Kamui came. Suddenly all it took was for that boy to be there and Alex would either calm down or not go mad at the first place".

"He's amazing this boy, I don't know how those two found each other or what they have in common but they just clicked" Venus smiled, her eyes gleaming.

"What brought him to these states of madness at the first place?"

"I told you, what he's been through. And this dimension didn't help much. He's in the Rescue Team, they deal with every danger that comes over the people in this little city, and it's a tough job. There are monsters coming out of the woods or the river south from here. All of a sudden something huge comes up and everyone's in a great danger, you need to clear your mind and fight, never mind what you see.

"North from here there used to be a heavily populated city, much like the one we're driving through here. Some time ago these monsters started attacking the city and destroyed it to rubble, killing the population by the dozens.

"There is a doctor in the infirmary from that times, he went through some rough things. The ground itself there used to explode in fires bursts here and there, just killing people like that. That's how the Rescue Team came to be; defending the citizens from the dangers facing them in this place. It's a hard place to live in, this world, never mind how many times we move the city"

"Oh don't put the blame on just that Jacob, there's more" Venus seemed a bit angry and turned to her guests "He had some heartbreaks too. There were a couple of Noters that broke his heart before Kamui came here".

"Noters?"

"Yes, they're the police men and women of this dimension. They're just kids but they know their work. They were taken from their dimension where they were a whole regional unit of military police brought here by this dimension. Here they do the same policing work around the city area.

"The first Noter was a vampire, a pretty handsome young man who was an officer. Alex took a long time to convince him to even give him a chance as a lover. Then a man who knew Alex in another dimension killed that Noter to get back at Alex… that's when Alex began to crack…." She took a small break to sigh.

"At first we thought he got over that, we didn't even mention anything of that to him…and then came Mouse…" Jacob was telling the story now.

"All the Noters wear white helmets carved to look like heads of animals. They call themselves by those animals instead of names, those are the only names they give you, they know each other's real names.

"Mouse was a commander of his little base of Noters and was a rather pretty man, according to Alex anyway. In his world he visited the destruction camp Alex was in and had pictures of the place in his head. He was able to project these pictures into Alex's head whenever he tried to grab Alex's attention or stop him from doing something. Like that he controlled him"

"It sounds like this Mouse wasn't a very nice man at all, why did Alex love him? He did love him right? You said two Noters broke Alex's heart" Seiichiro turned to Venus for affirmation.

"Well, Mouse was pretty and he knew a lot about something that was a big part of Alex so they somehow communicated. Mouse didn't mean to be like that to Alex but he eventually grew spoiled" Jacob practically spat the last word, his tone becoming bitter and angry.

"Alex would protect him, help him, flatter him, court him and he didn't do a thing in return….that damn bastard….did nothing back but show him more and more pictures! It did his head in…"

"Jacob, you're forgetting things again. Mouse was engaged back in his dimension, his fiancée didn't come here so he missed her. Besides he was orthodox, it's not really approved to be gay in their religion you know"

"Darling, he _used_ Alex, downright used him!

"When Alex started going crazy Mouse only shunned him out more until he grew downright cruel to him so Alex would go mad even more. On the evening Kamui came Alex had had enough with Mouse and killed him in a fit of madness.

"Kamui watched that and still chose to stay with Alex. Now that's true love; being able to look past the acts and see the reasons for the acts" Jacob smiled at Karen and Seiichiro.

He turned his head forward again and emitted a long sigh "Here we are: The infirmary".

* * *

Yutu noticed strange clicking sounds coming from Ferret, he turned to her. She smiled as she saw him look. "What's this sound?"

She laughed and pocked her tongue out. She had a tongue piercing she was clicking with.

It made Yutu laugh; he never saw anything like it before. He stretched his arm across her shoulder and tried to pull her a little to the back of the carriage, away from Cow's halfhearted reprimanding gaze.

The two girls exchanged a few words in their native tongue until Cow shrugged and concentrated on driving the carriage.

Yutu and Ferret finally got a moment alone.

Yutu had noticed when Kakyou on horseback and accompanied by another man rode past them but he didn't feel like caring about this right now. Ferret was such a lovely young woman. He wanted to erase the memory of Satsuki from his mind with Ferret's aid.

He cupped her little face in his hand, caressing her cheek with his thumb. They were so close almost close enough for a kiss…..

Cow spat a few words sharply. They all heard a rumble of hoofs behind them, and Ferret detached herself quickly from Yutu's arms.

Yutu saw three Seals and Kusanagi seated in a fancy carriage driven by a strange looking man. The carriage rode to their side and slowed down for the smaller carriage's speed. The man in a fur coat who was driving the carriage looked past Yutu and straight at the two girls. They said something and saluted the man, smiling a bit, yet dignifiedly. The man merely pierced them with his glacier glare in a heavy authority silence until the girls began speaking.

Kusanagi stared at Yutu, Yutu stared at Kusanagi. The three Seals stared at the harbinger and the two girls with him. If the four wouldn't be so detached from each other maybe they'd exchange words of their arrival and ask Yutu how he got where he is right now. But they didn't, they were too awkward.

The three Noters exchanged information in their language before the fur coated man nodded and hurried his carriage onwards past Yutu's carriage and towards the infirmary.

"What was that Ferret?"

"That was our commander"

"Oh….so you're not all beautiful young women….that's a shame…" the girls began giggling again.

* * *

Fuma sat on an examination table in the infirmary looking and feeling quit puzzled.

A man who looked exactly like Charlie Chaplin only with a stethoscope examined him.

Besides the Chaplin man stood a nurse, a young woman with purple hair dressed in a Chinese styled outfit. She eyed Fuma looking very pleased with what she saw.

She was glared at by Kamui who was already examined and now occupied himself with forceful glaring. Sometimes he placed a hand on Fuma's leg, marking territory.

"So….how is he Charlie?" Kamui asked once the doctor stopped his examination and sent the purple haired girl away.

"He's just fine, as sound as possible"

"Good" Kamui smiled.

"I'm glad I'm fine" Fuma mumbled, a powerful blush working it's way on his face "that girl was looking like she's going to jump at me any minute now, I was afraid" he chuckled.

Charlie looked at the door the girl went out of, making sure she's not coming in, then bent to whisper to them "She's not really a girl….." he winked at them.

Fuma blushed even deeper, Kamui knitted his eyebrows "It doesn't matter what she is, she's shouldn't be staring at him like that" he said in a possessive tone.

Charlie turned grave "iI doesn't matter if she's staring at him like that, he's not yours to claim like that" there was a tone of reprimanding growing ever stronger as Charlie spoke.

Kamui blushed, looking away angrily, making Fuma look at him with surprise.

Just in time Alex walked in cheerfully, he hugged Kamui from behind, planting a kiss on his head "Well, we're home dear, aren't we?" he was in high spirits.

Kamui didn't answer for a while. he was exchanging looks with Fuma who eventually, under the harsh stare from Charlie, looked away.

"Where are the others?" Kamui finally asked, looking up at Alex who smiled down at him softly.

"All are on their way. Yuzuriha and Kusanagi fell in the North Pole, they almost froze to death but Iceman got them out in time. He's bringing Arashi and Sorata with him as well. Subaru and Seishiro are led here by Ace and Spike, I saw Lestate take Nataku here. Kakyou is carried by Dimitri over here. Karen and Aoki are also on their way. Everyone's all right don't worry".

Kamui didn't answer. He leaned into the hug instead, trying to calm a storm of emotions that started swirling within him.

One by one the Seals and Harbingers arrived each in their way.

Nataku had to be dragged over and have Fuma always by him for the medical examination. He was in a very bad mood and constantly glared at the two vampires who brought him. Fuma stood awkwardly by him, refusing to be his father figure again but unable to say no for now.

As they saw him Lestate and Victoria hurried over to Alex to hug their Death "Welcome my friend" Lestate said in his sing song tone.

"You're back! I was so glad! I felt so alone!" Victoria chirped, jumping on Alex and wrapping her arms around him a little too violently.

"What do you mean you felt alone, what about Lestate, wasn't he good company?" Alex sounded like he was talking to a child. Indeed the little blond vampire girl looked very childish and not particularly smart.

She reminded Kamui of Yuzuriha; perhaps the two could be friends sometime.

Victoria pouted, "He keeps calling me a simpleton Britton and patronizes me" Alex turned a mock accusing look at Lestate who stared coldly back.

"But she is a simpleton".

Alex shook his head and sighed, returning to hug Kamui instead of them.

Next came Kakyou who surprised everyone as he walked on his own to the door and over to the examination table. Dimitri was there by his side all the time, making sure he was all right.

When it was time for Kakyou to sit on the examination table he had some difficulty with his weak body. Dimitri simply held him at his waist and lifted him gently to the table, making the young man blush a bit.

Dimitri turned to chat with Alex in Russian. They spoke a bit until Alex suddenly cried out something. "Oh my…." He said finally after some moment of silence and staring at Dimitri.

"What is it? Alex? Did this man heal Kakyou?" Fuma switched looks from Kakyou to Alex and Dimitri, amazed at the crippled man's healing.

"Err….not really….it's funny actually…..well….eh…..you see, this man here thinks Kakyou is a beautiful young woman and wonders if I know if she has a boyfriend…." Alex tired not to smile too hard or burst out laughing.

Kamui and Fuma did it for him.

Dimitri glared razors at them, silencing them all. When Alex explained him of the situation his eyes went dim a bit and he sighed. He walked away to lean at the corner, eyeing Kakyou constantly.

Karen and Seiichiro arrived, nearly stomped down by Jacob rushing over to Alex. The two men shared a friendly masculine hug, babbling in yet another unknown language.

Fuma began wondering how many languages this Alex knows. He turned his gaze to Kamui who was looking bored.

"I'll go get David, he's probably sleeping, that lazy idiot" Jacob rushed out of a back door in the large infirmary hall.

"You look bored Kamui" Fuma neared his friend worriedly.

Kamui, who was standing with his hands folded on his chest looking a bit annoyed now turned a pair of surprised happy eyes to Fuma.

"Y-you care?" he asked, mauve eyes filled with hope and happiness.

Fuma smiled softly at him "Of course I care, I'm me again Kamui, remember?"

Kamui's eyes filled with tears of happiness.

Another man stormed in with Jacob through the back door. This man wore a pair of dirty black pants and nothing more. He had two big crow-like black wings protruding from his back. Between them, on his back he had a mark of a red plus sign.

He rushed to Alex and grabbed him into a hug, Alex hugged back. They squeezed each other for a while relishing on the reunion.

Kamui turned his eyes to the scene. They went dull again, his mood murky "Sometimes it seems to me like everything revolves around Alex. Sometimes I feel like something pretty that hangs from his hand across my shoulder….I feel like a trinket and nothing more".

Fuma wrapped his arms around Kamui and hugged him softly "You'll always have me here Kamui, if you need anything" his hot breath on Kamui neck made the boy shudder, sending him into another emotional whirlpool.

Karen saw the reuniting scene of the three men as well and noted the crow-winged man also had a number on his right arm, she wondered how many of them there are in this dimension.

Her mind was dragged from that when Seiichiro sat on the examination table and was ordered to take his shirt off.

Yuzuriha, Arashi, Sorata and Kusanagi entered the infirmary next, still eyeing the fur coated man with a great amount of awkwardness.

Charlie called the purple haired nurse to help him bandaging Kusanagi and Yuzuriha's frost bites.

As they were dealt with and examined the Seals chatted merrily, sharing their experiences. Karen noted the earplugs in the fur coated man's ears and wondered if he had another pair, Yuzuriha and Sorata really started gritting her nerves as they reached higher and higher pitches telling her and Seiichiro of their adventures.

Kamui found he was happy to have his friends surrounding him while Alex was sharing cold respectful 'welcome' stares with the Iceman who brought Arashi and the rest with him.

Why did he like it? Why when in the mean time he wished for all of them to give him and Fuma some time alone?

He must be missing Fuma that's all….or was it? Then he wouldn't want Alex away from him so badly….maybe it was because he wasn't a vampire again….or was it?

Kamui looked away, consumed by his emotions, wishing all of a sudden to be completely alone.

Subaru and Seishiro walked in, huffing and puffing from the walk long, followed by Spike and Ace. The latter threw himself on Alex merrily, shrieking his name. They hugged, Alex obviously awkward by the gesture. There was something bordering on violence in the way Alex finely tore Ace off of him and there was a bit of fear and madness in his eyes when he did it.

Ace seemed used to this reaction, he knew it would come and still he couldn't keep his emotions from showing. After Alex tore him off he stood a little away from the man, hanging big loving eyes at him.

Alex knew Ace was in love with him, he knew Kamui knew it too. He became suspicious again as he saw Kamui watch them hug and not do anything. In the past Kamui used to share long angry silences with Ace whenever they were together in the same room because Kamui was jealously suspicious of Ace. Now Kamui, standing so closely to Fuma, didn't even as much as flinch. Why?

Subaru turned into a light shade of red when Charlie, translated by a heavily smirking Seishiro, asked him to take his shirt off for the medical examination. Seishiro helped turning Subaru even darker red when he was asked the same.

"You're behaving like you were when you were 16 Subaru-kun, that's so cute" he purred atop the examination table.

Subaru glared at him, putting his shirt back on, turning his back to the Sakurazukamori when he heard his chuckles.

But deep inside Subaru was happy; no matter where they are they're united now. They were frank about their emotions to each other, they were one. Finally.

He smiled to himself thinking of how they sat by each other on Kanoe's bed before they were taken here, they were still holding hands. He felt complete and happy, at last.

He turned his smile to Seishiro who stared back at him a bit puzzled. Subaru didn't look away even when staring right at Seishiro in his half naked mode. There was something anticipating in his eyes.

Seishiro understood what it was and smiled back, satisfied.

Yutu was the last to come in, the two Noters with him eyed suspiciously by the Iceman. The two girls chatted with Yutu of some watery demonstration he threw to impress them, which was also the cause of their delay.

Yutu seemed to have them spun around his little finger, almost shepherding them along with him. The two young women were flushed, eyes glittering, bubbly and happy as if they were infatuated with him.

Yutu himself had noticed that he was having his charms on them stronger then he was used to. They were young, which could explain it, but still, he never confronted someone the way he did with Ferret back there and got it going so smoothly.

He eyed the people around him in the infirmary as they seemed to have come out just to look at him.

Every medic, every nurse, and every worker around the infirmary came into the main hall when Yutu came in, as if called in by magic.

Alex noted that too, reminding himself to think about it later.

* * *

Once they were all united they went through a short interview. These interviews, conducted by a tired looking psychologist and a Noter were to determine what they would do in this dimension.

From experience and past mistakes the leaders of the City's residents and it's surroundings understood that a job was the best thing for newcomers: The shock of being torn from their worlds would mellow a bit as soon as they'd fit into some system. Their worried / frightened/ wondering mind would find an occupation something distracting enough to soften the blow.

The Harbingers and Seals all possessed unusual powers that would usually send them straight to the rescue team but each insisted on keeping as close to their usual jobs, if they had ones.

Yutu and Seiichiro were suggested to stay in the infirmary's re-homing center. Here they kept a record of each residence of the populated area of the planet, sort of like a ward office.

The two men's experience with paper work was perfect for the job.

Seiichiro moved awkwardly in his seat as he saw Yutu smiling at him saying "Looks like we're going to be working together, Dragon of Heaven".

Seiichiro answered him with a chilling glare "That is all over you know. It's useless to try and revive it".

Yutu still smiled but looked away, he knew he shouldn't tease the man who was just torn from his family and his home.

Karen had two choices; it was either the makeshift brothel in the city she could fit in to, or the rescue team. She chose the latter "I had a taste of doing something to protect peoples' lives back in my dimension and I'd like to stick to that". She did wonder how a brothel in a place like this would look like though.

Seishiro was asked if he had any occupations "I was an assassin". He had to say "was", it hurt him.

Here he was without his aim in life, without his constant true occupation as it was in his home, without the purpose his family served for ages…would he manage to deal with life like that?

Perhaps Subaru could help him.

The Noter he smiled at glared back at him. She gave him a heavy reprimanding look "Well we don't need anything like that here do we now".

Seishiro felt like tearing her head off her neck. She was a young woman of maybe 20 tops, what right had she to act like that towards him?

He only smirked at her, letting his evil aura go a bit so she could pick up his irritation and the danger behind it.

She ignored it, or maybe she couldn't pick it up.

"That was all? You never had another job?" she asked coldly.

"Well, I was a vet for a while there…"

"Ah good, our already existing vet is in need of an assistant"

"You mean people here have the time and money to keep cats and dogs as pets?"

"No, they have cattle, horses, sheep, and the likes. The vet we have is currently working his ass off on them"

"Hang on a second, I never studied anything about such animals, I was…."

"Animals are animals aren't they? You'll be his assistant and learn as you go by. That's all for you, next one please" she cut him off to scribble several things on the paper with his name on its head.

Seishiro felt his right arm rising, and then remembered that there isn't any point in it is there?

He simply got up and quietly left, feeling empty and defeated.

He hated all these emotions welling up in him, it made him weak and soft. Subaru passed him on his way into the room. He made Seishiro's emotions cheer up a bit though he still hated them.

Subaru, Arashi, Sorata, Kamui, Fuma, Yuzuriha and Kusanagi were put into the Rescue Team. They were mostly too young to have had any prior jobs while their powers were a shame to waste.

Kusanagi was a little military expert; he was suggested to help out the Noters. He shuddered and muttered something about military police and awkwardness. His powers sent him to the Rescue Team.

Nataku sat with his hands crossed on his chest pouting, he refused any offer he was given. Such a young man with no experience and without the ribbon that was his weapon was useless.

Yet at the same time he was a blank page, ready to learn any profession. His interviewers tried reasoning with him but it was like talking to a brick wall; he was as stubborn as the child he was within.

Finally the Noter snapped and growled "If you won't accept any job I'll put you as an assistant undertaker in the graveyard. You'll be digging graves and pulling on bodies with David all day long. You'll eat, sleep, bathe, breath all around corpses".

That made a little effect on Nataku; he fumbled with the edges of his shirt, burying his stare there as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. After some pause he simply shrugged childishly and pouted harder, pushing his jaw stubbornly forward. Tears began forming in his eyes.

The psychologist sat there fascinated by the humanoid with a three petals flower on his forehead. He was looking grown up but behaving like a complete child. His shell of emotionless behavior was shattered and under it a little scared boy (or girl!) was found. And there was such sadness in his eyes, why?

He broke himself off his chain of thoughts and placed a calming hand on the Noter's palm about to write 'undertaker assistant' on Nataku's paper.

"Don't write him in anywhere yet Gazelle, I think I might need to do some work on him"

Gazelle sneered "Tell me about it….".

Nataku was then deemed to stay with the rest of his friends with no occupation for now but to come and meet the psychologist daily.

"Is that alright Nataku?" the psychologist asked kindly, gaining Nataku's surprised look. After some more staring the bioroid nodded softly, still pouting and shrugging like a child.

Kakyou was deemed as rather worthless; he was too weak to do any work and the people around him didn't seem to take his dreamgazing abilities as very useful.

He had no former occupation, no trade, no talents but his dreamgazing, nothing. They told him to come over once a month to see if there's anything for him and in the meantime do some training to get himself in shape.

He walked out of the interviewing room sadly, leaning on the walls constantly to support his weak body.

His head felt heavy from the experience-packed day and the thoughts zooming madly in his mind. he was so sad he didn't watch his step.

He tripped and fell helplessly, nearly hitting the ground, when he was caught again.

He looked up at Dimitri who was smiling to him softly.

He said something in Russian which Alex translated for Kakyou "He says you're not a woman, but he supposes he could keep you as company, what do you say?" Kakyou looked back at Dimitri and smiled "Arigato gosaimas" he muttered, letting Alex translate it back.

* * *

The last stage was to find them a home. The Rescue Team's little house was too small to hold all its new members which was a problem. The twelve remaining of the bunch decided to live all together, for the sake of the good old days.

A big half destroyed house was found for them. It was a little further from the crowded city, towering atop a small hill with its three floors.

It looked like the building was once a big cake sliced in two by a chef's précised knife. The bit of it that still stood had enough rooms in it to hold them all. There was a kitchen and a living room on the first floor, a huge laundry rake in the back yard and a toilet shed. On the second floor there were five rooms neatly arranged with their doors facing each other in a narrow hallway. The third floor seemed to be non existent, a huge slanting roof and nothing more.

Due to the low number of rooms and some familiarities between the Seals and Harbingers it was agreed amongst them that some had to share a room with others.

Subaru and Seishiro shared a room of their own, so did Arashi and Sorata (much to the rejoice of the latter).

Yuzuriha blushed deeply as she was suggested to share a room with Kusanagi. She calmed a little as she saw the room spoken of held two beds.

Karen walked into the conversation between her and Kusanagi "I think maybe you and I should share this room, girls should stay with girls" she spoke to Yuzuriha, glaring at Kusanagi from time to time.

Under that arrangement Seiichiro shared his room with Yutu "It'll be comfortable since we both have to wake up at the same time to go to the infirmary in the morning" the blond smiled.

Seiichiro gave Karen a 'help me!' look.

She smiled at him, holding back a giggle.

Fuma would share a room with Kusanagi, who was just kicked out of his room with Yuzuriha and didn't care much about anything else.

Nataku would sleep in the same room since there were three beds there. He didn't seem to care about anything either.

"And you my prince" Alex wrapped an arm around Kamui's waist "go back to our room; your coffin is still there".

Kamui edged from the hug a little "I don't need a coffin anymore" he said coldly.

They were mostly alone now, all the rest went up to their rooms to settle down, Fuma being the last of them sending a slightly longing "Goodnight Kamui" at his friend.

"Well, we can fix that, no problem" Alex nuzzled Kamui's neck, inhaling his unique scent.

Kamui shrugged away from the touch "Alex…I want to stay human for a while….do…do you mind?" he looked up at Alex hopefully.

Alex looked a bit disappointed "But…you know….we couldn't…."

"Don't worry about that, I'm tired anyway. Surely you can hold yourself a little bit" Kamui didn't wait for an answer; he walked out of the building's door leaving Alex behind him wondering.

* * *

Alex stayed standing there, thinking.

He could sense Fuma wasn't in his room yet. He was high enough up the stairs to the second floor where he couldn't be seen or heard yet hear the conversation between Alex and Kamui.

Why was he listening? Why was he looking at Kamui like that? Why did Kamui not want to have him again like before? What was that patronizing impatient tone that snuck into Kamui's voice when he spoke to him?

There was something between the two boys, some bond that was more then friendship….

Alex tried to shake the thoughts away but it didn't work this time, he was suspicious and growingly jealous.

"Goodnight Fuma" he growled, sensing the youth heard him and climbed up the rest of the stairs in a hurry.

He hoped his words held enough of a threat to get the message through to his rival.

Kamui noted Alex wasn't following him. He found he was upset.

Fuma was back with him and it felt different then what he thought it'd be. He was human again but he wasn't without his memories like before…..

And still, with everything in mind, he longed to spend more time with Fuma…and not with Alex….

(tbc)


	11. Destinies

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

* * *

**Part 11 – Destinies**

It was on the first patrol shift Yuzuriha had that she met the Blue Fairy.

As per Kamui's recommendations the young girl was paired off with her vampire equivalent for a trial shift.

Indeed Victoria and Yuzuriha got along so well that they promised each other to ask to be always paired together. Despite the age difference, despite the cultural difference, despite the fact that one was mortal and the other was a vampire, they where almost completely identical in personalities.

Yuzuriha's English problems were solved in an intense two weeks of studies in the infirmary. Anyone else who had such problems went through the excruciating cram school-like experience as well.

The two girls spent most of their patrol babbling getting hardly any good studying of the patrol as should be.

Yuzuriha should have learnt where the patrol moves through, what things to take note of and what to ignore. After all, the Lost Dimension was something full of phenomenon of the likes of which Yuzuriha never encountered and she needed to know what was good and what was bad.

But she didn't…..which wasn't that good but it was either that bad, she could learn from experience, thought Victoria. The vampire fledgling was not quit that good at learning things enough to teach anyone, she thought.

Yuzuriha stopped dead as she saw one of the most beautiful things her young eyes ever lay on:

A long gondola in bright blue sailed towards them with a single person in it. The gondola hovered above the ground as if the air was a river, gliding ever so elegantly. As it rode the air little bright blue and white glitters trailed after it like a comet tail.

Inside sat a woman clad in a bright blue dress. Two transparent and twinkling fairy wings perked out of her back. Her face was beautiful and kind, beaming soft light in the night. She had soft black hair descending gracefully down to her shoulders. Her eyes were the same bright color as her outfit and gondola.

The Blue Fairy sailed her boat next to Yuzuriha and beamed a wonderful smile at the young girl, reaching out a bright blue lace gloved hand for a handshake. "Hello, are you one of the thirteen newcomers?" her voice was like soft little silver bells jingling, so gentle and pleasant to the ear.

Yuzuriha stared at her for a while, unable to talk.

"Isn't it obvious that she is Blue Fairy?" Victoria twitted merrily, drawing the gaze of the matching bright blue eyes.

"Hello Vicki, how are you dear?" the soft voice asked.

"I'm fine! I have a new friend!" she bounced on the balls of her feet, gesturing at Yuzuriha who started snapping out of her shock.

"And how is your master? I heard he returned along with the newcomers"

Victoria took some time to answer that question, her red gaze was covered with puzzlement and longing "M…master?….oh….ah, Alex! Well, he's fine as well!" she looked away sadly.

"That's good to hear, how is his loved one, Kamui?".

Yuzuriha was now in full control of her mind again "Kamui? He's fine …hey, I can talk again! I'm sorry I blacked out a little"

The Fairy beamed another smile "That's alright, I get that a lot" she laughed a small charming laughter.

"So, how is the wedding going?" Victoria chirped suddenly.

"Wedding? You're getting married Fairy? That's so great! To whom?" Yuzuriha hopped on the spot, beaming as well.

Fairy blushed a little yet kept her smile on "To Charlie, one of the doctors in the infirmary, have you met him, I'm sure you have"

"Oooooh, yes! I have met him! He's such a nice guy, you'll be such a lovely couple, I'm so happy for you!" she was chirping and bouncing on her feet, sending Victoria into it as well.

For a while they rejoiced like that, under the somewhat parental stare of Fairy who began feeling a little uncomfortable.

Finally Yuzuriha calmed down enough to talk again "So, what do you do here Fairy?"

"I sail around at night helping newcomers find their way to the infirmary. I help the depressed and desperate find light. I help spread hope and love around here" she smiled proudly "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you landed, it was my night off….I need a lot these nowadays. This wedding isn't helping with my schedule management you know…" her spirit sunk a little bit for a while and the two girls saw how the usually fresh and happy Fairy suddenly looked very tired.

"We can help! The people who came with me too! I'm sure no one would say no! We'll help wherever it's needed! Please let us help you" Yuzuriha took the Fairy's hands in her, looking the woman in the eyes.

They filled with happiness again. "That's so sweet of you dear, of course you can help, any help is needed….there's so much to do"

"We'll come to the infirmary and help when we can! Could we do that?" Yuzuriha leaned in closer.

"Yes….thank you…." The girls sunk into happier girl babbling, keeping it up even after Fairy sailed on and away from them.

* * *

The night after it Yuzuriha wasn't on a patrol duty but on house duties. She was always happy to do those. that's when she'd get a chance to work with her friends again like in the days they were in Clamp Campus….god it seemed like years away when it was merely a few weeks ago.

The meal was ready. She wiped the sweat from her cheeks and forehead, smearing the dirt from her hands over her apron while yelling for the people in the house to come to dinner.

They've found a long table upside down in one of the rooms of the house and made it their dinner table. They later found enough chairs for them all, even when Kamui tagged in.

And he did that a lot, always giving this excuse or the other for not spending his time with Alex.

Actually Kamui spent most of his time with his Seal friends then with Alex and more time with Fuma then with his Seal friends.

No one eyed the two suspiciously, besides those who had the chance to be in danger by the Dragon and still kind of found Fuma intimidating.

The boys were merely reuniting after their long tragic separation by destiny, nothing more.

Nothing more but in the eyes of one man who saw what was really going on. In his eyes the true feelings of that reunion was seen, well….in his one seeing eye anyway…

Seishiro slacked over into the house, exhausted from work just as everyone was sitting down for dinner.

He took off his shoes at the doorstep and slumped down to his chair at the table, by Subaru at the end of the table. On the other end of the table was Seiichiro who was, along with Seishiro, the oldest of the members in the house.

When Kamui walked in as if in a hurry, sat down by Fuma sharing a happy glace with the older boy, Seishiro frowned at them angrily. "Where's Alex Kamui?"

The boy whipped his eyes to Seishiro, surprised at the question suddenly coming from such a direction.

Silence. No one started eating the food on the table, not even Sorata. They stared from Kamui to Seishiro.

Kamui shrugged the subject off "He's on duty or something, I don't know, idatakimas" he began eating, refusing to go on talking about the subject.

Seishiro didn't take his eye off of the boy, not until his exhaustion took over him anyway.

Yuzuriha sighed deeply as she stared down at her bowl.

Arashi inspected the weary looking girl. "Is everything alright Yuzuriha-chan?" she sounded a bit motherly.

Sorata adored how lovable she was this way. One day she'll probably be motherly to their children, it made his heart skip in his chest.

"Everything's fine….it's just that….well….I have another patrol shift today…."

"You're with that vampire aren't you?" Arashi's face became a porcelain mask of grave discontent.

"Yes…." Yuzuriha sighed again, poking at her food unwillingly. All they could find here was western cutlery, chop sticks would be too much of a hassle to make and none of them knew how.

"Is she that bad?" Arashi kept inquiring

"Who Bictoria? (A.N: remember Yuzuriha is Japanese so she can't pronounce 'V', like in Fake Bikky is supposed to be Vici…..I think……errr…..) oh no she's wonderful! I really love being on duty with her only that……well……every night when I come to pick her up she's just feeding for the night and……" the girl stopped poking her food and put the cutlery down completely.

"You mean you see her eating off someone's blood like that!" Arashi became more and more serious and reprimanding.

"_What?_ No, she's drinking blood Alex gives her it's just….not very appetizing to see…." She sighed again.

"Yuzuriha" Arashi made the girl look up to her with her serious and worried tone "I want you to keep your guards around that vampire, you never know what she could do, she is a monster after all, you know".

Yuzuriha stared at Arashi for a moment, a bit bewildered "But….but Bici-chan will never hurt me….we're friends…tomorrow when we're not on duty we're going to help Venus with the wedding preparations, it's going to be fun" she smiled, hoping for someone to change the subject quickly. Arashi's stern gaze was bearing down on her like a heavy weight.

Somebody did, Nataku, awfully awkward yet quit determined gave of a little "Ummm….Nekoi-san…."

The girl looked at him surprised.

The bioroid was actually bashful, almost blushing "I…. you….umm…..can I join you in the flower field tomorrow?...please….".

Yuzuriha gave off one of her uber-genki smiles at Nataku "Sure! Any help would do good!".

Nataku returned to dig his plate with his fork, happy but still a bit awkward.

There was more silence as everyone ate, their own thoughts busing their minds.

Only Seishiro finally broke it, mumbling "I had my hands through doctors, dentists, and lawyers. ministers, prostitutes, beggars, rich men, poor men, normal men, reporters, editors, you name it….but never _ever_ did I have my hand up a cow's ass before…..".

Of course he was thinking out loud, a result of his fatigue, but it was heard non the less.

Subaru looked at his lover pitifully. The rest pretended they never heard it. "Don't you have some sort of an assistant to help you about?" the light onemoji tried to normalize the conversation, desperate to get out of the horrible awkward silence in the room.

"There is but he's some stupid ex-emperor who insists not to get his hands dirty with anything….damn spoiled effeminate brat….".

More silence….

That night as the shifts changed from Alex and Kusanagi to Victoria and Yuzuriha Alex noted the young girl's somewhat sadness. "What's the matter Yuzuriha?"

As Victoria was feeding off from his wrist he noticed the girl was looking away sadly.

"Nothing….it just that…..well…."

"You don't have to look you know…"

"No it's not that….." she hung big eyes at her immortal partner "Bici-chan…..would you ever hurt me?".

Victoria stopped her drinking and stared amazed at the one who became her best friend "Why….Yuzuriha….I'd never think of doing anything like that! Ever!" tears of blood formed in her red eyes.

Yuzuriha stared back, watery tears in her eyes.

"Yuzuriha" Alex's expression was grave and serious, bordering on angry "who told you she might hurt you?"

Yuzuriha stared at Alex surprised and afraid, and then hung her head down shrugging without an answer.

"Arashi did, didn't she?" the girl didn't react "Don't trust anything Arashi tells you about Victoria"

"But….but Arashi-san is my friend, she's worried about me"

"Arashi is also very prejudiced. Sometimes even good people have bad opinions. Trust your heart not your friends Yuzuriha, as tacky as it sounds"

Yuzuriha raised her eyes to Alex's, giving him a little smile.

The rest of their shift went on with the usual chatting and merriness.

* * *

The day after that Karen was on her duty, just on the edge of the city, near a line of cliffs overlooking a place called Dragon Valley. Her partner to the shift was Spike, who walked lazily, almost chain smoking, silently by her.

She stopped at the Cliffside, looking at the scenery below. Between two chains of high, sharp pointed hills lay a valley with a small village half in ruins at its pit. Around the village, on the hillside, cave holes caused the earth to looked more like Swiss cheese.

"Why do they call this Dragon Valley?" she asked, her eyes noting little dots of various colors at the entrance of some of the caves.

Spike sat down on the ground by Karen's feet, lighting another cigarette from the bud of the last one. "Well" he said after puffing out the smoke he inhaled "you see all the holes around the city? It's dragon caves, a whole clan of dragons live there all around the people in that city"

"Aren't the people afraid of the dragons?"

"There's a deep grudge between the people and the dragons. The dragons, so I heard, are as smart and civilized as humans are but the people of the city won't believe it so they treat the dragons like beasts.

"There is a long dispute over who was in the city first with the people and the dragons sometimes attacking each other. There's a whole base of Noters there, guarding the humans. Sometimes they don't know on who's side they should be"

"Noters? Are they qualified to handle dragons!"

"Well, I heard the dragons aren't that brutal and the Noters of that particular base were at a very similar job in some city in their dimension before they came here".

Karen looked onwards into the distance; beyond the city she could see a strange glow to the landscape. "What's beyond the valley?"

"Where the glow is? That's the Tralfamadores Craters. You shouldn't _ever_ get close to the Dragon Valley because the dragons don't like the idea of more humans in their territory but to those craters you REALLY don't want to go"

"Why?"

"I wasn't here when it all happened so I've only heard stories of what happened…."

Karen sat down to hear the story better. She nicked one of Spike's cigarettes and lit it.

"When the Tralfamadores arrived here they hid in the craters and started luring people towards them, mostly from Dragon Valley but also from the city when it was over there" he pointed to the west.

"What do you mean lured them, with what? What for?"

"Those things aren't humans, they're some sort of aliens who feed off on human emotions. They lure a human towards them and jail them while constantly giving them an illusion of the rest of their lives lived fully.

"They keep swinging you between your past and this made up future while feeding off on your emotions. They keep you in cages like animals, so I heard. But you don't know that, you just see the dreams they're selling you.

"The thing is that when you don't give off enough emotions they start showing you your painful past and stuff to get you on an emotional rollercoaster again. I heard that when they arrived they almost got one of the Noter officers in Dragon Valley. They kept swinging him from a happy life illusion back in his dimension to the times when two of his soldiers were killed in the city they were in.

"And when we managed to get to him we found another man there, a World War 2 veteran who also swung from a happy-go-lucky future to his worst war traumas. That guy, they really messed his head up, when we wanted to set him free all he wanted was back with the Tralfamadores….he got back to them eventually….we'll never know if he's still alive or not….".

Karen stared at the view. She was thinking of what Spike just told her when she noticed a lonely figure on the very edge of a very steep cliff near them. "Spike, there's someone there, are people supposed to be here?"

"No….not really, it's dangerous by these cliffs. Let's go talk to this someone, see what's up".

When they got close enough they noticed it was Alex sitting at the cliff's edge, dangling his feet down to the abyss. He stared off at the distance, looking like sadness on earth.

Karen's chest ached to see her friend like that, she knew why he was sad but she never thought it'd be that hard on Alex.

"Hey….Alex!" he didn't notice the two until they shook him a bit by the shoulder.

He turned a couple of sad eyes to them "Oh….hey you guys, what's up….say…have you seen Kamui on your shift or something?".

He was answered by a little awkward silence from Karen and an "I saw him with the other kid a while ago, they were heading to their house thingy" from Spike.

"….With Fuma….oh well, those two have a lot to catch up on….don't they…." He almost looked sick when he stared off into the horizon again.

Karen began feeling very _very_ angry.

All Alex got from Kamui lately was brushing offs and angry words. Kamui kept swinging from miserable surrender that totally put Alex off to repressed anger that only earned him angry silence from Alex.

Most of the time Kamui would just take off, not even bothering to meet up with Alex at all.

It was eating at Alex who mostly found good opportunities to ambush Fuma and glare at him until the boy almost pissed in his pants.

After her shift Karen returned home to find the living room teeming with life.

Most of the house members besides Yuzuriha (on patrol) and Nataku (in therapy) were in the living room talking, resting, playing or whatever. Karen stood at the doorway silently watching the scene. She had her share of dinner waiting for her in the makeshift oven but she could delay it to enjoy this.

Subaru was sitting on a sofa with Seishiro, rubbing the older man's feet

"Oh…you're an angel Subaru-kun, you're so kind"

"Knock it off would you or I'll stop".

Kusanagi was sunk in a feverish chess game with Seiichiro "You're letting off your guards Aoki-san, you didn't see what I just did coming"

"Hmmm, I am a bit exhausted after work".

Karen noted Seiichiro tended to bury the fact he would never see his family again and what it made him feel by becoming a bit of a workaholic. By him sat a huge pile of papers he brought home to work on.

Arashi was reading a book silently, sitting most dignifiedly in Sorata's lap (only she could do that and look dignified) who was reading across her shoulder.

"Say, babe, are you going to flip the page soon or what?".

Silence.

Yutu had invited a young Noter girl over. They were sitting at the windowsill talking most intimately. Karen couldn't catch a word of their conversation.

Fuma and Kamui were washing the dishes after dinner, chatting merrily with such happiness and excitement as only a young couple could.

That's when the sense of domestic happiness and warmness came crushing down, burning in the anger that started inside Karen since she saw Alex at the Cliffside.

She stormed over to the kitchen making herself as noticeable to the rest as possible.

As she wanted it, Kamui and Fuma both turned to her surprised at her sudden appearance.

She didn't give them long to stare before she slapped them both hard on their faces, one after the other starting with Kamui.

She stood there, calming her breath from her angr, as everyone else in the living room suddenly stared in silent shock.

"Karen-san…" Kamui began to speak.

The red headed had to stop herself from slapping the boy again.

"SHUT UP! You….you…..little ungrateful brat! Get out of this house! Go on, get out! The man who saved your life and loves you more then anything is looking for you; worried _sick_ about you…get out! **Now!** Go to your own home!" she threw her arm at the door's direction, pointing angrily.

A little more silence.

Kamui noted that beyond Karen's shoulder he could see Seishiro on the sofa glaring at him with a similar look.

He looked up at Fuma who just mouthed, rubbing his sore cheek. He shrugged angrily and stormed out of the house. Even Sorata gave him a reprimanding look!

* * *

The day after that Kamui and Fuma found themselves enough time to have a little chat under a tree in a lovely relatively sunny day. They started off as happily and friendly as before but soon fell into sad silence.

"Ano….Fuma….about yesterday….don't think about it. Next time we'll just sit in your room so no one can bug us okay?"

"Um….Kamui….I…I really would like to but…." Fuma looked at Kamui who was hanging hopeful eyes at him.

Kamui could be so beautiful sometimes that it took Fuma's breath away. He wanted to hold the boy in his arms and hug him, ignoring the world around them.

He didn't finish his sentence; he just sent his hand to caress Kamui's cheek. The boy leaned into the touch, his eyes smiling and happy.

"Kamui, you're so beautiful you know that, you look like a cherub, a really beautiful one"

"Fuma….".

They were leaning in towards each other, their noses touching, their lips almost touching…..when Fuma felt his instincts tapping him on the shoulder.

He whipped his head up and saw the figure of Alex approaching them from the distance.

For a moment he froze on the spot in panic, he didn't know how good the older man's eyesight was; he only hoped he didn't see them almost do that.

Fuma leaped back to lean against the tree, leaving Kamui frozen the way he was, his hand reaching out to be placed on Fuma's neck if they would kiss.

Alex arrived there faster then Fuma imagined, for a moment he thought Alex did see that little thing happening there.

Alex carried a picnic basket under his arm and a folded checkered blanket in his other hand. He stopped just a little behind Kamui, their closeness a statement, and glared at Fuma enough to burn holes in the boy's forehead.

"Ano, Kamui, I have to go now okay? I'll see you later….urm….tomorrow maybe….bye" Fuma tried to make his walking away not look too much like a panicked retreat.

Alex's glare didn't stop following him until he was out of his sight.

Kamui stayed the way he was, one hand in the air still, but his brain was storming with thoughts. He didn't have to look back and up to see how Alex was glaring at Fuma, he didn't have to ask why Fuma was leaving to know how much the older boy was distressed.

Lately Fuma has been canceling their meetings, making excuses and avoiding eye contact. But deep inside Kamui could see Fuma was hurting because of it.

He knew Fuma loved him, knew he loved Fuma, knew Alex loved him, and didn't know what he felt towards Alex anymore…..

Right now he was angry at Alex chasing Fuma away like that. He's allowed to spend some time with his friend isn't he!

"I'm allowed to spend some time with my friend don't I!" he growled, glaring angrily at Alex "what do you want anyway?" he spat.

Alex looked down at Kamui for a few second. Kamui could read the emotions running across Alex's face; Anger, fury, jealousy, misery, sadness, hope. "I just brought you some lunch, thought we might have it together…you know, while you're still eating food….." there was a bit of bitterness in the last words.

Actually Alex was about to say more, even sit down by Kamui and unfold the cloth for a picnic but he was stopped by the deadly glare from Kamui. Mauve fire burning the beautiful face.

The boy got to his feet, still glaring at Alex, getting angrier and angrier with each second. "Why you….why did you have to scare Fuma away! What made you think I was hungry at the first place? Why do you always chase me about?...why….." Kamui was huffing and puffing, gaining a genuinely confused look from Alex.

"Why I brought you lunch? Well I thought you might be hungry, you need to eat anyways you're still too thin I…."

"Stop force feeding me all the time I'm not some fellow prisoner! Leave me alone already won't you? Don't you get it? I….I…." Kamui was about to finish what he was saying but he didn't know just what he was trying to say.

His words were slowly sinking into Alex's head, making him angry now as well.

Kamui's mind froze for a moment. All he wanted was to run away, from Alex calming down and reaching out to touch him, from this situation, from this place which no longer had Fuma around it, from his puzzlement, from this new trouble he got himself into…..all he wanted was to be alone and away from it all.

He turned on his heels and ran away, letting his legs vent what was building inside him.

Alex followed suit, almost catching up with him "Kamui, where are you going? What's wrong, Kamui?"

"Leave me alone! Just leave me alone already, stop chasing me, **leave me alone!**"

Kamui's legs were taking him forward while his eyes were still on Alex running after him.

He didn't notice where he was running; he didn't notice he was running into the graveyard. He didn't notice David in his path.

David turned around when he heard shouts behind him. To him his graveyard was his domain, his home and his sanctuary; trespassers who don't come there for a funeral or to give a body over were most unwelcome.

He walked a little towards the noise and saw Kamui chased by Alex. He saw the tears in Kamui's eyes (after seeing, vaguely, Kamui with Fuma earlier), he saw the desperation in Alex's eyes.

"**Leave me alone!**"

"Hmm" he grabbed the shovel by him and walked towards what he calculated would be Kamui's path.

With a skillfully aimed swing Kamui received a nasty blow to the head from the shovel and collapsed to the ground. His head spun, the world around him fading and darkening.

In seconds Alex was by his side, cradling him softly. "Kamui, are you alright? Kamui?" soft fingers brushed over the bruised forehead where it was starting to redden and swell.

"Ouch….my head…my head…." Is all Kamui said, grabbing his head, closing his eyes to shut the blur out.

He couldn't think anymore, he couldn't fight anymore; he was beaten, defeated, helpless, hurt. He couldn't think of anything right now but the pain in his head.

Snapping his head to glare at David Alex growled "**David!**". Green fire burnt in the powerful face.

The undertaker merely looked down coldly, scornfully, at the boy in Alex's hands. He checked the look in Alex's eyes, finding that a bit more disturbing.

"Why you…." Death growled at one of his Men.

"**Alex!**" that stopped him for long enough for David to put a few more words in. "Remember who you're brothers are, and who stabs you in the back" he said and turned around to walk away, bettering his grip on the shovel.

He left Alex frozen with surprise for a little while.

Kamui emitting a little painful groan snapped him right back to reality. He shot to his feet, unfolded his wings and took off on the short distance between the graveyard and the infirmary.

* * *

"Okay….now close your eyes, reach you arms forward and try to stay balanced …..hmm….I see….alright Kamui, that'll be all. Nuriko will escort you to your room, rest for a while but do _everything_ to keep yourself from falling asleep.

"You have a minor concussion, if you'll fall asleep there's a good chance that you might not wake up from it."

the doctor handed Kamui a few dark red and green leafs "Take one of these now and one after each meal to keep you from vomiting any more. Nuriko, if you don't mind".

Charlie saw the nurse escorting the slightly wobbly Kamui away to a resting room before he turned to sit by Alex.

The other man was sitting as low looking as possible with his head hung down leaning on his fists.

"Alexander Michael, in all the years I've known you I've never seen you like this over anyone. What's up?"

Alex only sighed, shaking his head desperately.

"I see, you don't want to talk about it….say, I know this is a bad question and bad timing but….did you tell David to do that?"

That gained Charlie an angry glare "What on earth made you think I'd hurt Kamui for my own sake?"

"I don't know, I've seen you flip over people you love refusing you, you killed someone like that before"

"Charlie…."

"I know, I know, he messed with your head and he totally had it coming, I'm not saying he didn't but….something tells me you'll do anything in the world to keep Kamui with you Alex, you better watch yourself"

"What would I do Charlie?".

Charlie merely stared at Alex for a while, silent and sad.

Charlie was the first of the Rescue Team; he formed it the moment a man with super human powers appeared in the Lost Dimension.

At first he started as the only doctor around, being a Charlie Chaplin fan on the side. Then the hard times the first city had took their toll on him and he began deteriorating into constant depression and anger fits that interrupted with his work. The only time that he was clear minded was when he was dressing up as Charlie Chaplin for children in the little field hospital.

Lestate, who was that second man in the newly formed Rescue Team, remembered how, slowly, Charlie began dressing up to his shifts as well and even behaving like the comedian's most famous character, the tramp, on shifts and off of them.

Lately Charlie, aided back to a complete person again by his love to Blue Fairy and her love towards him, returned to be himself again and his outfit acting merely as his clothes now.

most of the times it meant that he wasn't such a silly comedian between surgeries and patients but more importantly it meant that he was more focused on the people around him instead of on his own problems.

Charlie was there when Alex first arrived and had watched him move from constant anger and frustration over his loss (the dimension Alex was taken from was some sort of a Heaven dimension) to recovery by the need of his powers in the Team. Then he saw him deteriorating again, mostly after his first Noter had died, David and Jacob's arrival, Mouse's mind games….then Kamui appeared.

Charlie's first memory of Alex was of getting chased by him in an extremely violent mood. All Alex saw of Charlie was a glimpse of his upper lip, and the mustache on it. When Alex finely caught up with Charlie (the doctor was so frightened his life flashed before his eyes, knowing he is going to die) the light that fell on Charlie fully saved his life when it showed the tramp character rather then what Alex thought it was. Now when Charlie thought of it he found it funny.

"You know Alex, I hardly recognize you anymore when I look at you now. You've changed….I can't find a word to it really but….something in you just…"

"Grew old and weary"

"I meant to say 'matured' but if you want to put it that way…."

"Charlie, we don't spend that much time together anymore now that you're mostly in the infirmary, you just didn't see me in a long time, and I didn't change"

"Ah but I'll always be there if you guys need me, you know that"

"No Charlie, you're going to be a married man soon, get a family, and get kids. Get a life, don't lose them, and trust me I know what I'm talking about"

Charlie simply stared at him and smiled softly.

"Well" Alex got up, hanging his head again "I'm going to see if Kamui isn't falling asleep, thanks for the treatment, bye".

Charlie sighed "Bye Alex….good luck…".

Alex sent a gentle rap on the door "Kamui? Can I come in".

He heard a groan from inside "Would it matter if I said no?...oh come in….".

Kamui was sitting in his bed, gripping his thudding head with his hands, curled into a little miserable ball.

The infirmary ran out of painkillers and the taste of that horrible herbal medicine Charlie gave him to stop his vomiting spasms left a horrible taste worse then the headache.

Alex sat softly next to Kamui on the bed, reaching out to ruffle his hair lovingly, again he was shrugged off.

"You told him to do that didn't you?" came a growl from inside the Kamui ball.

"Kamui I'd never do something like that, David was just starting to dig a grave and you ran right into him"

"Since when do you swing a shovel _that_ way to dig a grave!".

Silence.

Alex sighed.

Kamui groaned.

Then he started crying, breaking under the mind numbing headache. He cried powerfully, hysterically, miserably.

Alex wrapped his arms around Kamui, pulling him towards him, placing a palm onto his forehead.

But his hand was brushed away angrily "Don't touch me! God is this all you think about? 'Let's be all nice to Kamui when he's down and see if he's weak enough to let me have him'".

If Alex wouldn't read that the pain was what drove Kamui to those half crazed words he'd probably be angry now. Instead he brushed them away and reached down to touch Kamui's forehead again.

His palm over the bruise, he created a little dose of painkillers into Kamui's blood cycle. The face that twitched with pain now relaxed, gaining it's serene beauty again.

Kamui kept crying because he was still emotionally painful, still confused and miserable. Now he felt so weak with what happened to him he didn't fight when Alex held him again. He cried into the strong chest like he did in his home world.

Each sob hurt Alex as if he was the one crying, and more.

"What's wrong Kamui?" Alex whispered softly, his voice thick with love to the boy he held "Why are you always so miserable around me? What have I done? How can I help you? What do you want?"

Kamui was crying so hard Alex wondered if the boy even heard him.

"I want…(sniff)….I….(sob)…..I don't know what I want….I...(hick)

"I don't want you….." he broke into another fit of sobs, whimpering as he went along "I want Fuma….I want to be with Fuma…..".

He felt the arms around him go limp. the body he was leaning against detached from him completely. He raised his tearful eyes to watch as Alex left the room without a word.

* * *

Fuma was just mending his socks, using the sawing kit Karen pulled out of god knows where, when he felt his instincts jab him again with a greater warning.

He looked up and nearly jumped out of his skin as he saw Alex standing at his doorstep looking grim and deadly.

They stared at each other for a while in the tensest atmosphere ever to be made.

Fuma's face tried to make up its mind if it was scared, horrified, begging for mercy or angry.

Alex' face were a frozen emotionless mask that somehow managed to ooze of hatred and repressed extreme violence.

"Kamui wants to be with you. Go to him" he said coldly.

Fuma still sat on the bed frozen in shock.

Alex reached to his sword and pulled it out while taking a threatening step forwards "Go now before I'll kill you".

That was all Fuma had to hear to snap him out of his shock and send him running, without as much as his socks to his feet.

He ran as fast as he ever remembered himself running. Faster then when the school nurse told him of Kotori's 'heart attack', faster then he ever ran in P.E classes, faster then in his basketball games or training, faster then when he ran after Kamui to his home's shrine as he noted the men in black trying to block his entrance.

He stormed into the infirmary and into the room where he saw Kamui on the bed. The moment he walked into the room beautiful violet eyes, tearful and pain filled, hung on to him, sparking up with happiness in a moment "Fuma!"

* * *

Kakyou sat on his usual seaside dreamscape, looking at the ocean.

He didn't find relaxation here anymore, despite the fact this was always his place for comfort.

He changed the dreamscape to a forest one and smiled to himself.

He wondered to himself why on earth if all that he's been seeing lately is forest, forest, and some more forest did he want to see forest when he closed his eyes. He shrugged at it and added another item to his dreamscape.

It was Dimitri, cutting wood blocks for the fireplace.

He watched the man wield his axe over and over, so simply yet so efficiently and perfectly.

One day he'll be able to do it too, Kakyou promised himself he'll try and try and try again until he'll be able to. Right now he could hardly hold onto one of those pieces of woods, not even the smallest. Even a twig got him cramped and pained after a few minutes.

But Dimitri has been most patient with him, keeping him and fending for him despite the fact that Kakyou was more of a burden then any help. And he wasn't even any sort of helpful company; they still had a lot of language problems.

On the other hand there seemed to be a silent conversation between them about everything and nothing at the same time.

One evening as they were sitting in front of the fireplace silently drinking hot tea, one of those silent conversations happened.

Dimitri noticed the odd way Kakyou was sitting on the floor and stared at it, obviously confused.

When Kakyou was looking back at him to see why the man was staring at him Dimitri snapped his eyes from Kakyou's legs to his face with a questioning curious look.

Kakyou got up (aided by Dimitri) then sat down again, showing the man how to organize his feet under himself neatly to sit that way.

Dimitri got up and tried to do the same, then snapped after a few minutes of sitting this way. He was rubbing his feet and knees, sending a miserable puppy gaze at Kakyou who couldn't help smiling.

That made Dimitri look at him for a while, eyes lit with softness. He sent his rough palm and brushed a strand of hair away from Kakyou's face over behind his ear, lightly brushing the side of his face with the back of his strong fingers.

It made Kakyou blush into a lovely shade of red. It made his heart skip a beat.

Kakyou remembered that moment and smiled to himself.

In his dreamscape everything was as it is in real life and in real life, even in the upcoming winter's cold, Dimitri was chopping wood with no shirt on.

Kakyou followed the muscles on Dimitri's back move as they worked, his mind wondering over to the golden curls on the man's chest now hidden from him.

"So sorry to interrupt you but I think I need to speak to _you_ about these thing, don't I?" a strange female voice cut right through Kakyou's wondering mind and sent his dreamscape shuttering around him like glass.

He turned around to look at who appeared in his dream.

It was not much of 'who' and not quite a 'what'; it was definitely some sort of an entity. It formed itself into something woman like, yet the more Kakyou tried to rationalize her looks and focused her in his mind as one thing it would change and turn into an unrecognizable mess again. One moment it was a focused bright light, the other it was a collection of colors, swaying and swiveling in a mess.

"What…..what…."

"What am I?" it laughed a little. Even its voice was unrecognizable anymore, not a trace of the feminine quality Kakyou first picked up at first. "I am the destiny of this dimension"

"Destiny!" Kakyou found it was very difficult to look at that….thing when still standing, he sat down and found that the slight dizziness it caused him didn't get any better.

"I'm the power that makes the decisions over what happens in this dimension, I'm the one that makes it all happen. You had destiny in your world?"

"You're the one that made all the people in this dimension suffer, aren't you?"

He wasn't answered, instead the thing expanded and grew until it former a screen in front of Kakyou stretching beyond the boundaries of his vision. He got the impression that this silence was an angry one.

"Kuzuki Kakyou, listen carefully to what I'm about to say, you're the only one I will share this with. This dimension has no balance in it"

"Balance?"

"Yes Kakyou, every world needs a certain thing to balance it, you wouldn't understand because you're not like me but believe me that certain forces need to be kept in balance in a world's core in order to keep events from becoming too extreme on the world's surface.

"In some worlds the balance is only straightened and gained by one single event that fixes the balance back to normal when it sways. You were in a world like that Kakyou; the 'Battle of the Apocalypse' as you named it was there to create balance"

"But it didn't create balance it…"

"What you're allowed to know is one thing and the whole big picture is another Kuzuki Kakyou, now listen to me and do not interrupt!

"Such worlds are worlds with great balance, such a good balance that it only needs fixing once and no more. Other worlds are in such worse balance it needs creatures to keep it in balance…..now what?"

Kakyou raised his hand in the air to hint he had a question. "You said 'world' don't you mean 'dimension'?"

"No Kuzuki Kakyou, I mean 'world' because that's how you call your Earth and somehow in every dimension Earth is in a state of bad balance.

"You wonder why? Well, it's because of humans, again it's not something you'll ever understand or should even hear the explanation to make you understand but they disturb their own world's balance.

"Because of that in worlds with bad balance three creatures must be around to keep the balance. Each carry the very core of human's cause of miss-balance. These three things are: Love, Justice and Death" the thing stopped it's talking, waiting for Kakyou to take all of this in.

"Why _these _three things of all the forces which drive humans?"

"Think about it, it's the key things around which humans swirl in their every action. These are the three things that decide a human's every behavior: the thing they Love, their ideas and ideals of Justice and their fear or idea of Death".

Kakyou thought about it for a while then nodded to show the thing it can move on. Actually he still needed some time to think it over.

"As I was beginning to say, in those middle-stated worlds those three creatures whatever they are, each on their turn, live for a while to keep the balance around.

Just like your 'Battle' that seemed about the environment while balancing things around, the roles these Love Justice and Death play in their lives is nothing to do with the balance keeping, acting only as a cover up….now what?"

"Isn't that a bit cruel of you? I saw what the 'Battle' did to people in my group, people in the rival group….people at all….isn't it a bit cruel to run these games like that without even an explanation?"

"I won't answer that Kuzuki Kakyou, you're not on a level to understand these things and I'm not going to bother with it at all right now…."

"You don't have emotions" Kakyou stated, knowing she will brush him off. Back in his world he had a vague theory that whatever it was controlling destiny was an emotionless entity, now he was given proof of it.

"What?...I don't care, listen already or I'll have you dead!

"Middle- stated worlds, as I was just mentioning, are like the world Alex was in, he was Death in his dimension. He is Death in here too but it's not helping….

"This dimension is in the worst of state with balance all ruined and broken, it needs fixing _immediately_. That's what I'm talking about; this world needs _all three_ creatures around to keep the balance"

"All three Love, Justice and Death?"

"Yes Kazuki Kakyou, all three"

That's when the thing stopped swirling and changing appearances in front of Kakyou and started working as the screen it formed itself to be.

Kakyou watched with awe.

"Love" it said. On the screen Kakyou saw Yutu in a field of daisies, smiling happily, beaming with a wonderful inner light. His eyes half lid, his head raised up face like he was enjoying the brilliant sunlight and the weather around him.

On the bottom of the field at his feet a naked blond woman with daisies as a skimpy outfit and daisies stuck behind her ears lay. She held hands with another woman clad in bright blue with bright blue gentle fairy wings. The moment Kakyou managed to take in all the details the picture changed.

"Justice" the voice said. Kakyou saw Kamui and Fuma dressed in the matching school uniforms he knew, they stood inside some sort of a marble hall. Both their eyes were covered with a similar cloth and both held their hands at their sides.

One hand of their held their shinkens away from them, as if to set them aside. The other arm met the other's arm in a straight line.

From the place where their fingers met a scale hung down, completely balanced.

At the bottom of the picture Kakyou saw a little army spread across the line of vision. Young men and women were in the crowd. Standing amongst them were a few older looking men and women, all wore uniforms of blue, red and black with white helmets.

Unlike the neglected shinkens these men and women's firearms were in full fighting mode, prepared to shoot.

On one side of the picture, a little bigger then the army stood a man in white and golden fur coat holding a sword before him, he stood sideways to Kakyou's point of view and looked straight forward.

On the other end stood a woman, hardly clad in a half torn black outfit. Her black hair was a mess yet her eyes from what he saw them were determined, her face serious. She held a key out in from of her and a chain in the other hand. She too was facing sideways, looking directly at the fur coated man.

A shot of recognition panged through Kakyou's mind; Kamui and Fuma were together in something, Kamui with Fuma and not with Alex.

"Death" the voice said. It was the last thing it said. Kakyou stared at a picture of Alex sitting on a black rock in his battle dress, wings and armor on, his sword held out before him.

The picture showed a few other people, all standing in a gloomy night's light, the dark blue atmosphere around them brightening only to light their features. The land they stood on was charred and ruined with patches of snow lay scattered on the ground here and there.

Closest to Alex stood the two Onimojis, one on each side of the rock, each holding out a few of their ofuda. Seishiro was smiling his trademark fake grin while Subaru just looked stoically at Kakyou's general direction.

At the bottom of the picture, on each side sat the vampires; Lestate and Victoria, looking at each other smiling to reveal their vampire fangs.

Another man stood to Alex's left side. He stood with his backs to Kakyou with his heads tilted down so his faces somehow showed. He had only a pair of black pants on him, a red plus sign on his back between two raven-like wings. He held a shovel with one hand and looked away without a single emotion or expression in his face.

Something again rang into Kakyou's mind. Just when he was about to put a finger on the conclusion he was torn from his dream.

Kakyou opened his eyes to see the wooden ceiling above him.

For a moment he forgot everything in the blankness of a fresh new awakening after sleep.

Then it all came crushing down on him as the conclusion hit him clearly: this Justice-Death thing will not go down well….something will go wrong….

But first he must tell them! He must tell them what's happening here before any more misunderstandings happen, before more people will suffer because it's destiny's stupid wish.

Kakyou sat on his bed and made up his mind: he will no longer sit and watch placidly as destiny goes trampling down on people like that! He will see the future and do something about it! He will not be the weak thing he was back then, no more! He will take action!

He stumbled off his bed and wobbled over to the little shed where the horse stood.

Dimitri, who was out roasting a big pheasant on a small fire, watched Kakyou as the weakly man fought determinedly to lift the horse's reins and plug to get them on the animal.

He faintly managed to hang the things on the horse then ran off to get the saddle. He hardly managed to even pull the heavy leather and metal thing away from it's shelf.

He was stopped by a heavy hand over his small narrow palm where they lay on the saddle. A questioning blue stare asked him what he needed.

This is the time when silent conversation was the last thing Kakyou needed, he was urgent, he needed to get the message through to Dimitri and he needed to be understood. He was working himself into panic.

Frustrated, all Kakyou could do was point in the general direction of the city and look frantic.

Dimitri simply stood there, frowning, trying to read his friend's expression. "Infirmary?" the man finally asked.

Kakyou shook his head, tears forming in his eyes with desperation. He covered his face with his hands; they were shaking with the effort he just put them through.

Dimitri watched this and got worried.

He grabbed the saddle and heaved it onto the horse, quickly fastening it and the reins to the beast then sat Kakyou swiftly yet gently on the horse and jumped on it himself.

They stormed away from the little cottage so fast Kakyou found himself smacked against Dimitri's chest with the speed, between the strong arms holding the reins.

Even in the speed of the horse's canter Dimitri managed to send one of those soft confident smiles down at Kakyou who looked up bashful at the sudden physical contact.

Kakyou quickly cleared his mind from this thought, focusing on what was ahead of him and how he'll break the news to Love, Justice and Death.

(tbc)


	12. The Wedding Preparations

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

WANNING: one dirty word….only one…

* * *

**Part 12 – The Wedding Preparations**

Six people worked merrily on the decoration of a wedding altar right in the middle of the endless fields of daisies Venus kept.

It was a metal frame in the shape of a small square where the future weds will stand and perform the service itself.

Above them, through the layer of clouds constantly hanging in the Lost Dimension's sky, the sun was sending it's last and reddest light as nighttime began spreading.

Victoria was yawning madly as she pierced daisies on a thin metal wire close to one another to create a long chain to be wrapped around the metal frame. She woke way too early for her vampire biology but she had to or else she'd miss most of the work in this decoration business. The people who worked with her, accept of Yuzuriha, were all mostly after a whole day of work and her yawn echoed on other faces making her giggle at the absurdity of it.

Yuzuriha was, on the other hand, as genki as ever and feverishly babbling with Venus over this and that and more.

Yuzuriha too had found the naked woman a bit awkward to be around with at first, especially whenever she bent down to pick a daisy from the field, but she got used to it.

Venus was a wonderful person to talk to about anything in the world and slowly Yuzuriha found that she had actually gone through _every_ subject on her mind as the conversation went by, as if she was ticking them off on a list.

She spoke of herself and Inuki, her childhood experiences, the Battle of the Apocalypse, her Seal coworkers, and of one Harbinger.

There she lingered and babbled so much that the rest of the workers began eyeing her with different looks. Victoria was eyeing her interested; dying to hear what went on during daytime when she wasn't around. Blue Fairy eyed her with slight amusement but mostly happiness. Venus eyed her with curiosity and admiration, Nataku (or should we say Kazuki for by now he insisted on people calling him that and nothing else) eyed her with wonder. Karen eyed her with restricted anger that fitted Arashi more then the soapland mistress.

* * *

At first Yutu was supposed to be a part of these preparations towards the wedding, he was more then willing when he spoke to Venus about it. Sadly Venus's husband was there too and didn't like the idea at all; he had his senses and they were never wrong.

Jacob came to talk to Alex about it the other day, knowing that Alex must know this ever flirting blond more then he does for sure.

"This blond guy, the new comer that came with you, how is he?" he asked in Yiddish.

"What do you mean? What blond!" Alex wasn't in the mood; he was in the middle of trying to cook something for Kamui. He was preparing himself for a long argument over the dish, even if Kamui would like it, while he prepared it.

"The one with the pink suit….oh hang on a second, he's wearing a pink suit isn't he….that sort of ticks him off of my suspicions right? Is he from 'your side of the fence' Alex?"

Alex glared at him for a moment "….No he's not, he used to have two women swooning after him in his world. One of them, I'm sure, also had a relationship with him"

"And the other?"

"Was a fourteen year old computer nerd"

"Oh…..he's a horrible flirt then isn't he?"

"So?" Alex was getting impatient. he just added garlic to the stew he was making, it made the steam sharp and potent, something he didn't like as he bent his head over the bowl trying to cook as best as he could.

"I'm worried about Venus"

"Do you believe she loves you?"

"I know she loves me and yes, I trust her, if that's what you're going to say but….I don't know….I've seen the two of them talk, it's like there's some sort of communication between them on a level I can't see…. they speak in a language I can't understand, like there's something connecting them that I am out of…."

That made Alex think. The way everyone was treating Yutu all of a sudden, even his old fellows from his world were looking at him differently, even the completely straight or completely distracted ones. Jacob had something to worry about.

"All right I'll talk to him….hang on why can't you do it?"

Jacob only stared at Alex "Well, you know him better don't you?"

"I never spoke a single word with him until he came here"

"But you know his world and stuff, he'll feel a little more familiar with you" Jacob began turning to leave.

"But I've…"

"Alex….."

"Oh for god's sake!" he slammed the big wooden spoon into the broth, knowing it's going to be a futile courtship attempt anyway.

And so earlier on that day, as Yutu arranged all his work to finish early and left the office to help Venus and her other helpers he bumped into Alex.

"Yutu" they stood at the infirmary's entrance.

"Hello Alex, how are you?" the watermaster beamed a beautiful smile at Alex and kindly patted him on the shoulder.

Alex had to admit there was something in this man that just didn't allow you to be angry and hateful towards him, like he was melting something inside you and opens your heart to him. What was it? There's _something_ going on and Alex knew it.

"What do you have there Alex? Going for a picnic?" Yutu tore Alex from his thoughts as he noted the picnic basket under Alex's arm and the folded checkered fabric in his other hand.

"What? Oh, yeah….ah listen Yutu, where are you going?"

"I'm going to that lovely field of daises Venus keeps to help her with the wedding and stuff….why?" Yutu started cringing under the somewhat amused glare in his companion's green eyes. There was a hidden threat in the emerald deeps that was slowly surfing to clarity like a bubble of air in water.

"Venus isn't there all by herself; Yuzuriha, Nataku, Blue Fairy and Victoria are there with her"

"Ano…..yeah, I guess, I heard the little Seal talk about helping Venus out, now that you mention it" the glare was slowly becoming more threatening despite the fact that the whole face didn't give off any sort of hostility.

It was a trick Yutu noted the Sakurazukamori could do as well. There were days when Yutu admired that and even practiced pulling faces like that in front of the mirror as he trained with his ninja whip.

Now all of a sudden, as he found himself on the wrong end of those faces, he started to understand the feeling they were suppose to arouse in their receivers.

"And Venus doesn't run that field all by herself, she has a husband you know" Alex took a little step towards Yutu, focusing them man on his words. "A husband that is a very good friend of mine"

"And you're saying!" he tried not to let his voice waver.

"Touch Venus and I'll whatever you touched her with" a little smile accompanied the threat.

Yutu could have swore Alex must be spending too much time with that assassin/vet thing "Blunt" he managed to mumble with a crocked voice.

"I'm not someone who beats about the bush with too many words. I say things in a way that makes people remember them. And remember my words Yutu, I tend to keep my promises" and with that he left towards the back of the infirmary where, past the graveyard, was the tree under which Fuma and Kamui sat.

Yutu waited for Alex to leave and then hurried back to the office to start a whole new session of work. Seiichiro gave him a strange look but eventually shrugged it off not bothering to ask of his sudden return.

* * *

Night was almost completely on the land and the wedding altar was almost prepared when the people in the daisy field heard a silent thunder coming towards them. It was the sound of horse hoofs beating the ground in the force they did when Dimitri was riding his horse like a mad man.

By the time they arrived at the field of daisies Kakyou had enough time to think about how he'll break the news to everybody and found more time to relax a little.

Dimitri could sense this relaxation and offered Kakyou the hold on the horse's reins as a form of education/exercise. It was in bad timing.

Just as the horse sped towards the general altar-making area Karen, along with Victoria, spun the daisy covered wire around one of the altar's legs. Karen carefully stretched the unused length of the wire outwards, ready to spin it around again. The movement she made with her arm and the gentle whiplash movement the rest of the wire made was probably too sharp for a horse's eye.

The beast panicked and rose on its hind legs, kicking the front ones dramatically while emitting a cry of alarm.

Dimitri, with years of experience behind him, immediately grabbed the reins above Kakyou's palms and pulled them both upwards on the saddle to keep them from being flung on the ground.

The redundant straps Kakyou wrapped around his wrists earlier, as Dimitri showed him, now stretched and viciously clenched Kakyou's delicate wrist. Like a twig, with a sickening cracking sound, Kakyou's left wrist snapped.

The dreamgazer cried out in a voice so loud that even Hokuto, who knew him best, would be surprised to hear. It had been a long time since Kakyou felt such real, piercing and clear pain that wasn't distracted by better things to do like yell at your girlfriend not to get herself killed by the Sakurazukamori.

The horse was grabbed and calmed by Jacob who came running out of the nearby house.

Kakyou dug himself deeper into Dimirti's embrace seeking shelter from the pain. He held his wounded arm over his belly, his delicate face twisted in the amazing pain.

All he could do was whimper in response to the worried questions rained down on him by the people gathering around him.

What could make this pain go away! For god's sake he's been shot into worse conditions then this, how did he get himself crippled if not by things more painful then a silly broken wrist!

Kakyou fought to focus his mind on something more important now. At the time he was too much in need of saving Hokuto's life then to concentrate on his own damn body. And now he has a message to give off! He has something to focus on! The pain began subduing under Kakyou's powerful self control.

Finally, with his healthy hand he tugged at Dimitri's sleeve, looking up at the man and signaling him to ride onwards.

Dimitri looked back down at him angrily "Infirmary!" he said, thinking wherever it is that Kakyou wants to go must have been not the hospital and insisted on the younger man to go get himself treated first.

Kakyou thought of that for a moment. He hated anything that had an air of a hospital to it; he hated it ever since he fell from the sky in this world and found himself completely healthy. But on the other hand one of the people he needed to talk to was there; Yutu worked at the infirmary offices did he not?

And so, Kakyou gritted his teeth as the horse's bounces moved his broken wrist rhythmically.

* * *

Dimitri had to drag Kakyou to get himself treated first, the dreamgazer was so worried he tried running to the office immediately. Once in the infirmary and well bandaged Kakyou could find his listeners.

He spotted Seiichiro emerging from the main interviewing office and ran towards him. "Aoki – san, good day, could you tell me where Kigai-san is? I mean is he here?" life was so much simpler when you could and just show people what you're trying to say, talking grew to become so problematic.

"Yes he's right here, I'll call him, hang on." He turned towards the room "Kigai – san, Kakyou-san wants to talk to you"

A sing song "Cooooooming" was heard from deep inside the room.

Yutu, once he finally emerged, beamed a pleasant smile at Kakyou and at Seiichiro. "You know Seiichiro-san, you can call me by my private name, it's okay, we share the same bedroom after all" and with a wink he walked over to Kakyou, leaving Seiichiro to stare after him for a while.

Kakyou looked back towards the office and noted something that proofed his dream; the girls that worked with Yutu popped their heads after their missing coworker, their longing eyes lingering on the blond. The final and complete proof was the fact that even Seiichiro was staring after Yutu, a slight blush on his face.

"Kigai-san, I can't go anywhere because I broke my wrist just now, could you go call Alex, Kamui and Fuma? I have something extremely important to tell you all"

Yutu looked at Kakyou concerned for a moment. He had never personally met the dreamgazer, besides the time the Dragon dragged him to the lair and even then Kakyou was practically unconscious. He didn't get to meet with him for any kind of a conversation after they got here because Kakyou ran off to the woods pretty much right after they arrived. But something made Yutu sympathies with the fragile man, a kind of bond he liked to believe there still is amongst the Harbingers.

"Kamui and Fuma are here, I saw Alex get here with Kamui but….now that I think of it I saw him leave almost right after and then Fuma came….."

Kakyou's heart squeezed in his chest with fear; things started rolling faster then he thought.

Yutu's face suddenly gravened in a very uncharacteristic sadness and worry "You know Kakyou-san, when Alex left it….it made me feel bad, in a very distressing way….it was like my heart ached but not like from an emotional reason; from a physical one"

"Heartbreak, it affected you directly" Kakyou mumbled, his head bowed hoping Yutu wouldn't hear him and start pressing questions on him.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, just get Alex, quickly…..oh god this pain is killing me" he cradled his broken wrist again as Yutu said his goodbyes and ran off to find Death.

* * *

Fuma was cradling Kamui on his lap, his arms wrapped over the smaller boy, his eyes closed, treasuring this precious moment.

They had kissed for such a long time with almost no stop that Fuma thought someone might walk in and start making a fuss. He didn't mind, he wouldn't react or anything but the mood might be spoiled for Kamui.

Kamui himself started to forget about the earlier part of the day completely. His headache disappeared the moment he felt Fuma's lips on his; one sensation erasing another.

Fuma had laid himself on the infirmary bed with Kamui snuggled up to him until he was practically lying on top of Fuma. Holding him like a baby, like a doll, is how Fuma imagined would be their future now, nothing but happiness and love.

The one to walk into their room was Kakyou who cringed at the sight of them both but didn't leave the room. "So, indeed it had begun…" he mumbled and slumped down on a chair by the bed.

Fuma and Kamui stared puzzled at the intruder suddenly breaking their time together.

"Ano….Kakyou-san, what are you doing here?" Kamui tried to hide the irritation in his tone.

"What happened to your wrist?" Fuma tried to sound nice. He vaguely remembered the dreamgazer and the way the Dragon treated him. He always felt terribly uncomfortable near people who saw him and remembered the Dragon.

Kakyou sighed. "I broke my wrist rushing over here"

"Oh my!"

"What did you have to rush over here for?"

"I'll tell you once everyone else is here"

"There are more people coming!" Kamui sat up quickly, followed by a slightly blushing Fuma.

"Yes…." Kakyou tried to save his energies towards the long explanations so he tried to give the two boys the hint that their prodding was not welcomed.

Obviously it was not detected, he gave in. "Kigai-san and Alex are coming" he thought that might shut them up….one of them at least.

And it did. To the sound of the latter's name Fuma jumped as if bitten by something and placed Kamui neatly away from him on the bed.

Kamui glared back at him, sometimes Fuma could be a dork when he wasn't the Dragon.

Kakyou looked at them.

Fuma understood the glare and ruffled his lover's hair. When that didn't help he planted a gentle kiss on Kamui's forehead which made the boy beam again.

Kakyou sighed.

* * *

Yutu walked into the room beaming as usual, followed by a frozen Alex.

He wasn't really frozen, more like in a state of shock in which he didn't let any expression show on his face. With his bright white complexion and his chiseled features it made Alex look like a marble statue.

After Fuma fled from his own room once receiving the message about Kamui Alex found himself suddenly a lot like a real statue. His body refused to answer his commands; he stood there staring forward in complete silence.

There was silence around him and silence inside him. No thoughts, no wonders, nothing. Like the complete painless shock when receiving a major injury; at first your nerves are so filled with messages of pain to the brain that you don't feel anything, not until the shock is over.

For some time Alex stood still and silent until Yutu came to fetch him.

When the blond laid his hand on the strong wide shoulder it felt as if he was touching stone. He had to shake the man a little to gain his full attention. When the eyes finally turned to see him they were dim, like a gem covered with dust.

It was the same dusty – dim look when Alex walked into the room and chose a random wall to lean against as Kakyou asked them all to sit down.

Kamui and Fuma had their bed, Yutu politely chose the other chair in the room to sit on crossing, his legs elegantly.

Kakyou took a deep breath before he could spill what he was so determined to talk about.

"As you all know I was a dreamgazer in the world from which we came. I thought that after I got here this ability would whither and disappear but apparently I have still many more dreams to gaze at.

"I have been paid a visit by this dimension's destiny in my dreamscape.."

"What? You mean, it actually _spoke_ to you!" Alex had snapped out of his silence and now glared at Kakyou.

Keeping his inner peace marvelously, Kakyou didn't even look up to Alex. "She, or so it took a form of a she at first, told me she wishes to speak to me and reveal to me the future of this dimension or at least a portion of it.

"I'm sure it comes to you as less of a surprise as when I told you I was a dreamgazer when I'll tell you that in our home my dreamgazing abilities came to no use but hurting me. Indeed at the time you, or should I say the entity that possessed you, Fuma, had asked me to jam the flow of dreams to dreamgazer Hinoto. besides that I was to sit in my dreamscape and watch as the future I cannot help become real scene by aching scene" he took a long pause to sigh at painful memories of fallen angels in Shikifuku stained with blood under evil sakura trees.

Kamui, Fuma, Yutu and Alex stared at him in complete perfect listening silence, awaiting his next words.

"Because of that I have decided, as I woke from my dream today, that I will do all I could to tell of my dreams as fast as I could before whatever evil I see coming, happens. I swore I will never be that fragile, angst ridden, push over of a dreamgazer. I will be an oracle to the dreams I see and try as I hard as I can to call out of a danger might I see it…"

"Excuse me for interrupting but do you mind cutting to the chase and tell us what this bad omen is already" now Alex did receive a silencing glare from Kakyou. He received one from Kamui as well but either he didn't notice it or pretended not to notice it.

"In my dreamscape Destiny told me of her plans to keep a balance of some force she refused to explain me. She spoke of such a balance keeping in every dimension. She said that in our world the Battle of the Apocalypse was a way to keep such a balance. Which means that were mere little playthings in a great game some mighty force play with us.

"Worry not; she will not play such a game with us here. Instead, to keep this strange balance of powers, she will give you all a different destiny force to carry and manage. Alex you know this, you were the Death in your dimension.

"Now she told me she is making you all into these forces. From what I've seen it already had begun so I suppose she was just informing me but….I hope to be your Oracle rather then your useless dreamgazer I…..never mind"

He looked at them, from one face to the other with hope in his eyes.

"Kigai-san, you're Love she said. I….I don't really know what it means but….I just wanted to tell you…..what does it mean Alex?"

Alex was too engulfed in looking at Fuma and Kamui with fearful eyes then to pay attention. Kakyou had to repeat what he said to make the dazed eyes turn to him.

"Wha? Oh, what love is…..well…..in my dimension my brother, Love, was living around a huge house full of people. They were lovers, or people looking for love. Basically he was supposed to be a matchmaker, a solver of love problems and the likes. The way I saw it he was just running a constant orgy house but that's just my perception."

"Really! An orgy house!" Yutu chirped, turning to stare at Alex who glared back.

"Try not to sound too happy about it. He kept telling me it was a difficult thing to do but somehow I got the impression that my job was…epes (1) a bit harder…"

"Cool!"

Alex rolled his eyes and looked away. He wasn't pleased at all.

Kakyou thought it'd be good just to get it over with and run away as fast he could.

"Hey Kakyou-san, have you something else to tell me because Love or not, I have work to do" Kakyou shook his head and Yutu was off.

Finally the yumemie looked up at Kamui and Fuma whose eyes he could feel on him since the start of the explanations. "Kamui, Fuma, the Destiny Lady told me that you are Justice. She said because you're twin stars then you complete each other in this mission…." Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, noting how Alex started moving uncomfortably on his spot.

"So….what does that mean in other words?" Fuma turned his eyes to Alex who didn't return the contact, mostly just stared off on the other direction.

"Alex, could you tell us what we're supposed to do….please" Kamui's voice was soft. He realized what a blow this must be for the older man and tried not to upset him too much.

Alex looked at him, his eyes dull and tired "My brother used to travel around the world acting as a judge, spreading the use of a justice system around countries that still believed in blood revenge or simple hot headed logic. That's all I know he did"

"Your brother?"

Alex turned his eyes, now angry, to Fuma. "Yes, my brothers, each of use replaced the other once he became powerless and so we lived. First my brother Love was around the world from ancient times to around the beginning of Christianity. Then my brother Justice replaced him up until the middle of the 19th century, and then I came. Any other questions boys?" there was an amazing amount of bitterness and anger in the last sentence.

"Yes, Alex, what are we supposed to do then, how can we be like that…..what….what do we know of justice we never studied law or anything…."

"So did my brother, he had no clue as for being a lawyer or a judge in the way that we know of modern times. He told me that he could look into people's hearts and see if they're blemished with a crime or not, that's all I know.

"I don't know what he did to become this way like I had to die to become death, I don't know how he used to actually judge or anything…..I don't know why I'm still here, I shouldn't be even speaking to you nor helping you.……"

He turned around and was about to leave the room when he heard Kamui's voice calling him.

He turned around again, his eyes suddenly filled with hope. But then they lay on Fuma who was sitting so that he blocked half his view of Kamui. The older boy was staring right at him, in his eyes a clear 'I win, and you can't even get to him because destiny said so'.

The green eyes filled with pain, then with wounded anger again. His face became grave, almost threatening. "From now on Kamui, Fuma, don't ask anymore about anything of your destiny. I don't know anything about that do I? I'm merely the monstrous Death. Well, sweet justice twins, Death should stick to Death and Justice to Justice" with that he turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

Nataku, or shall we say Kazuki, was sitting on the floor of her room (which was now Karen and Yuzuriha's room because since Nataku isn't a sexless thing but a girl she should stay in the same room with girls like her) and cried her eyes out.

Karen, who was in the middle of a pathetic attempt at making dinner, picked up the noise and ran up to the second floor. She knelt near the crying bioroid and wrapped one arm around her shoulder. "What is it Kazuki-chan? Why are you crying?"

Karen hadn't noticed it, but her voice was thick with motherly sweetness. She did indeed feel some sort of maternal feelings towards Kazuki, since she never had the chance to have a child of her own.

In that sense she always could get her own child before; all she had to do was skip her pills for one month and choose a costumer of hers to do it with. But she had always been afraid that somehow, due to her warped childhood, she will destroy her own child might she have the chance to raise it from the very beginning.

That's why she was so suddenly motherly towards Kazuki; here was a child in an age old enough to be away from any such horrible influence.

The only thing Karen didn't understand is why Seiichiro didn't find Kazuki as a good enough venting of his paternal instincts. Perhaps he's still to sunk in the memory of his forever lost little girl to accept any other into his heart. Perhaps it was too painful for him to have an orphan little girl around him all the time.

Kazuki curled into the warm touch shivering with her sobs for a while. When she calmed down enough she raised up her head from Karen's bosom to hang big watery eyes at the older woman. "I….(hick)…..I….(sob)…I don't have anything to wear to the wedding!" came the wail finely.

"Oh but darling none of us have anything special to wear for the wedding, there aren't any shops here to go buy something"

That soothed the bioroid for a while as she contemplated on it. Then she started shaking again as tears grabbed her once more.

"Why are you still crying Kazuki-chan, what's the matter?" Karen ran her fingers gently through the white hair. She noted it had gotten a little longer, was she growing her hair to look more like a girl then a sexless thing?

"I don't have anything at all to wear….just these clothes but….but they're not….they're not…."

"Something a little girl would wear?" Karen completed the sentence "Do you want a dress?"

Two big watery bright blue eyes shot to Karen with a look so hopeful that even if Karen had ever any doubt she might not be able to give Kazuki what she just promised her then it had gone completely under 'unacceptable.

"I'll get you a dress, don't worry, I promise you'll have a dress to wear for the wedding"

Kazuki's eyes were about to completely engulf Karen with happiness "Really?"

"Really darling, I promise…." Before she could finish Karen had the air blown out of her, almost literally, as Kazuki threw her arms around her and squeezed tight. Kazuki forgot that she was in the body of a young man. Karen smiled to herself.

The promised she made was a difficult one to keep, where would she find dresses!

She was on a patrol again, this time with Ace, and looked very gloomy.

The patrol had been quite a joy; Ace was a good conversation if not a bit stammering and shy at first. Soon they broke the ice between them as they began talking about Alex.

Quickly, and without much effort, she managed to get everything Ace knew about Death, everything he thought about him and everything he felt towards him as well.

Ace told her about the first time Alex came to the dimension. Ace was chasing a bunch of monsters away from the main city on his scooter. He used to have a little scooter that hovered above the ground, quite quick and useful.

On that night he led the monsters to chase him to a cliff and when they fell off the cliff he was supposed to make a sharp turn and run off to safety. But he tripped and found himself descending into the black oblivion beneath him.

That's when Alex came down after him and grabbed him, flying upwards to safety once he had Ace in his arms.

Karen watched as glitters of love lit Ace's eyes as he spoke of how Alex then looked down at him and asked if he was alright, and of how the moon lit his face.

"But now he can't even look at me, he can't even talk to me….I burned any chance I ever had to have a relationship with him, ever…" Ace sighed deeply.

"Why? What have you done?"

"Nothing basically, but to show affection and try to initiate something, don't look at me like that I just told him I loved him and that I want us to be together"

"So what burned the chances?"

"Well…I….can't really say exactly why but…Alex can't have people coming on to him, it stresses him out"

"Why!"

"I really can't say, it's something very personal and very painful that happened to Alex in….well…..in that camp…there was someone….and now whenever anyone shows interest in him and tries to do something about it he thinks that someone is trying to hurt him….and I tried to tell him we should be together…."

There was a long silence as they both contemplated on the words Ace said.

"He got so stressed out…he pulled his sword on me, his eyes started glowing turquoise, I thought he was going to have another madness fit but…he just flipped into this extreme self defense situation, like I was a real threat, like I could kill him….."

More silence.

"And he's such a strong thing, he really is. I don't think he knew just how strong he is but back then….it seemed for a moment that he was desperate, like he was sure that he's so weak in front of whomever he saw there instead of me that only hand to hand combat would do…..I don't know….all I know is that I ruined it for good with me and him, and the damage can't be repaired" he sat down on a nearby bolder looking grim.

Karen sat by him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder "Can't you find someone else Ace? You're a good looking man, you're nice and kind, surely there are women, or men, out there begging for someone like you"

It made Ace laugh out loud. He looked at her with eyes filled with happiness "Really? You think so? I used to be such a vile person, a person everyone hated. They used to call me 'git', 'bonehead', 'smeghead' I was so despicable I disgust myself when I think about it now….."

"But you changed, didn't you?"

"I suppose so….my friends, from the dimension I originally came from got here once. They treated me like the old me, like I was that obnoxious git again. Alex stood up for me, told them I changed and what a wonderful brave person I am now, he…."

"Ace, enough, let's not talk about Alex now" Karen's mind was distracted. She noticed, on the porch of a nearby house sat a woman sowing something from a piece of fabric that rolled down from her lap to the floor.

Karen got up and walked to the woman. She bowed and greeted her.

The women eyed her suspiciously, and then she saw Ace and smiled at the both of them realizing that Karen was no danger.

"Excuse me miss, but may I ask where did you get that fabric from?" Karen beamed her kindest smile at the woman.

"What do you mean! I didn't steal it if that's what you're thinking!" she grabbed the fabric and whatever she was making of it and held it close to her heart.

Karen was amazed with the intensity of the reaction. She found this dimension was filled with hard living people, used to so many troubles in their lives that each had enough roughness in them to take down almost anything.

"I didn't mean that miss, forgive me please for making you suspect such a thing, I didn't mean to imply anything, please forgive me" Karen bowed down to the lady again, making the woman eye her strangely and turn a confused look to Ace who just smiled faintly.

"What I meant to say miss was 'where can I get a fabric like that as well?'"

"Ah, well I don't think you can find a fabric like that, there wasn't anything else like that there" she examined the fabric in her hand thoughtfully.

It was pale green which looked half warned out and used already,

Karen had no intentions of getting a fabric _just _like that, just a new unused fabric.

"Is there any fabric shop here?"

"Fabric _shop_!" the woman shrilled surprised and amused.

"Or a factory…." Karen started to feel like….well in Japanese they'd say 'baka gaijin' and she didn't like it one bit.

"No dearest there isn't such a thing in here, you're a newcomer aren't you….god knows why they let you in onto the Rescue Team already but….(she cowered under Ace's reprimanding glare) anyway, this fabric was used by someone else before me….you know….someone else wore it…"

"Someone else?"

"Yes…..I….well…" she lowered her eyes to the fabric, filling with guilt.

"What she's trying to say" Ace spoke for the women "is that she got it from the little warehouse by the cemetery"

"Cemetery?...you mean this used to be something someone wore?...was….was it in their will, like they had no one else to give it to?" Karen tried not to understand what she was beginning to understand.

"No Karen….this is something someone wore, when they died…..look it's the only way people can get 'new' things here, we don't get any other source of material, at all. The house you lived in and the furniture you use, they all used to belong to someone, someone who died to have these things abandoned like that for you to find. In here you have to concentrate on the living…"

"I know. I understand…thank you lady, thank you very much" she bowed again and began walking on their patrol's path.

When her shift ended she headed towards the cemetery, trying to erase the unhappy thoughts of Kazuki wearing some corpse's clothes for a special dress.

When she spotted the little presumable warehouse she walked straight towards it, avoiding the line of open and half dug graves. By some of them laid things that looked too much like dead bodies to let Karen do this without vomiting.

She looked around and saw two sitting figures in the distance. From the bright whiteness she recognized one as Alex. From the black blotches that were probably his raven wings she recognized the other as David. From the closeness besides them and Kamui's behavior the last few days she understood that the undertaker was comforting Alex in his broken heart.

She drew a deep sigh, accidentally drawing in the distinct scent of death and turned earth, and walked towards the warehouse.

The moment she placed her hand on the knob David was by her side, glaring at her forcefully. "What do you want from there?" he asked coldly, angrily.

Karen heard Alex saying something to David in their language and saw the undertaker's stance soften as the other man approached them. "I don't like people poking their heads in there. what should be the dead's is the dead's" he told her eventually.

Karen just stared at him. She thought back of Michelle, her old boss and what she told her of some things from where Alex and David came from. An undertaker, David was an undertaker….and he handled the dead's possessions…..she heard about these men, the men that handled the dead….the men that had a red plus sign on their uniform's shirts at the back, like David had on his own back…..

David could clearly read her mind, or sense that she saw right through him because he dug his eyes in the ground, kicking himself mentally.

Alex laid his hand on David's shoulder and gave him a comforting look then turned to Karen. "What do you want from there?"

"Kazuki needs a dress and…"

"Kazuki! Who's…"

"Nataku, he used to be a little girl called Kazuki so now the psychologist she's seeing helps her with…"

"Getting in touch with the child within him"

Despite the fact that he was laughing Karen could see that his eyes were still sad, it hurt her. She ignored the bad joke "She wants to start looking more like a girl and less like a sexless bioroid"

"That won't stop her from being just that…."

There was a silence and Karen bowed her head for a while. "All I know is that it'd make her happy to have a dress and have people addressing her as a girl. None of us have an extra dress or the fabric for one so we can't help. I heard there are old clothes here so I came to get something for Kazuki to wear, that's all" she straightened her gaze to David and, in a voice he noted was a bit offensive, said "May I come in and see what I can help myself to?"

David stared at her for a while, stared at Alex then shrugged and walked off to finish today's burials.

"Let me help you pick up stuff" Alex grabbed Karen by her arm and shoved her into the shed. He gave her a long reprimanding talk about David and her attitude towards him as they went through the clothes.

* * *

"Will it be ready for the wedding?"

"We're doing our best to finish this as quickly as we can Kazuki-chan"

"……But will it?"

"God she _is_ becoming like a little girl isn't she….an annoying one…."

"Alex…."

Kazuki sat on the little sofa opposite to the one Alex and Karen sat at in the living room of their home.

After finding no dresses that would suit Kazuki's body they've decided on taking several garments, taking them apart and making a new dress from them. Alex offered his help in sewing the dress as he too had some experience in it.

They were making a blue dress with little pink flowers at the top and a light green apron like decoration on the bottom. They had to consult with Kazuki over every different pattern and color of the dress. Luckily for them Kazuki didn't remember any dresses from her former life and so didn't have expectations too high to fill with such limitations.

"These little flowers are killing me, it's good I can't bleed because I pricked myself with this needle so many times I would be ruining this dress" Alex muttered as he pulled the needle out of under his nail.

"Come here Kazuki, put the skirt bit on so I can see if I need any changes made"

Kazuki got up from her sofa and skipped all the way to Karen. She delicately took the skirt from Karen's hands and gently put herself into it. Once on, Karen began turning her here and there to see where corrections need to be made.

Outside the building Seishiro, who had just returned from his work, and Subaru, who had walked him home after his patrol shift, stood and enjoyed a cigarette before entering the strictly no smoking house.

A little sign hung on the door read 'a strictly **_no smoking_** zone!' hung by Yuzuriha who also drew the little chibi angry face.

As each stubbed their cigarettes they noted Yutu and Seiichiro coming back from work and waited for the other two men.

"Hello! Subaru-san, how was your shift?"

The questions came from Seiichiro and Subaru, who was still a bit awkward as for the presence of any other people that aren't Kamui talking to him, stammered a bit before answering "G…good….I suppose, nothing bad happened…."

"That's good to hear, you two are looking wonderful, you really are" Yutu beamed at the two onmyoujis who stared back confused.

"You're wondering what I mean right? Well as I _am_ Love now I get this ability to see love beaming from people. It beams the strongest when the other person's love is around them so since you're both together you look brilliant! You're like two starts glittering together, how wonderful!" Yutu chirped, clapping his hands and opening the door to the house.

He left Subaru and Seishiro behind to stare after him even more bewildered.

As they entered, Karen and Alex raised their eyes to them and made their own greetings.

"Good evening boys! How was work today?" Karen smiled kindly.

"Oh look, it's the bishonen squad"

that last comment from Alex made Subaru and Seishiro smile, got Yutu to beam even more and hit Seiichiro straight into complete shock.

As the three other men walked each towards their own room they turned around as they noticed Seiichiro did not follow suit. The man stood there, completely stunned, and stared at Alex like a rabbit stares at the headlights of the car speeding towards it.

Yutu walked over to his coworker and waved his head before the bespectacled eyes. "Seiichiro-san…..anyone there?..."

"Bi….bish…..he said…..and me too…." Is all that came as a response.

Yutu turned a mock angry frown at Alex "Great, you got him into shock with that"

"Well I was actually referring more to the onmyoujis and you but he's not so bad either…."

"Don't keep talking like that to him, you'll get him catatonic. It'll be a shame for him to miss the wedding"

Karen stopped her wild giggling when she heard the wedding mentioned "Oh by the way, Yutu-san, I heard you're taking charge over the wedding, is it true?"

Yutu beamed a bright smile at her "Yes, as Love I'm in charge of performing such a ceremony where two lovers declare their never-ending love and devotion to each other in a bond. I'm like the priest there" he beamed more.

The people in the room noted that he was _actually_ beaming a little, which slightly unnerved them.

Kazuki ran up to Yutu hanging hopeful eyes on him "Will it be soon, the wedding?"

"Why do you ask little one?"

"Because I have to have my dress ready in time"

"Oh god damn it will you _stop_ yapping about having it done on time! Come here and try this skirt on…" Kazuki ran over to him obediently. As she was turned from side to side Alex was muttering under his breath "Really now, women, go figure! 'Hold everything, my dress isn't finished yet!' tssk, I'm glad I'm gay or I'd be stuck with these lot shit all my life"

Seiichiro snapped out of his shock "Now Alex-san don't talk like that around N…Kazuki, she's just a little girl!"

He earned a deadly icy glare from Alex.

* * *

"So….Na…Kazuki moved to Yuzuriha and Karen's room…. I'm only sharing this room with Kusanagi-san now…." Fuma was fumbling his sock, his eyes locked on it.

If he'd lift his gaze to Kamui then he'd be hit by that amazing beauty again, by the fact that this beauty and the boy behind it are now his and completely his. If he'd lift his gaze Kamui would see how shy he was, how his face was deep red.

Kamui could see it despite the fact that Fuma did his best to hide his awkwardness. It made him fill with such a happy feeling inside he wanted to jump on Fuma and hug him. Then another thought distracted him.

He was looking upwards as he lay on Fuma's bed.

So far he was looking at Kusanagi's bed, placed parallel to Fuma's with Kusanagi sleeping on it constantly reminding the two boys that they can't have a little reunion celebration just yet.

But now his gaze drifted upwards to the ceiling. He noted a hole in the planks of wood above him. He stood on the bed and did his best to look into the wall.

"What are you doing Kamui?"

"There's a whole in this roof….there isn't a room above us is there? It's just the slanted roof right?"

Fuma stood on the bed as well and joined Kamui in the observation. He was taller then Kamui so he could see cleared into the hole. "Yes….I think there's another room up there!"

"Hey Fuma….if there's another room up there and no one knows about it….and couples are allowed to have their own room…..and we're a couple…."

Fuma looked into Kamui's eyes, his face beaming with excitement "We have to find a way to get to that room!"

* * *

Arashi and Sorata were hanging the laundry to dry on the makeshift dryer outside. The warm breeze around them blew gently through the hung clothes and Arashi's long hair.

Sorata was holding Arashi close to him; they hung the laundry as their hands held together and worked.

"You don't have to do this Sorata, I know how to hang the laundry, and it's nothing like cutting onions"

"Ah, but I have to _make sure _that you know how to do it right"

"You just enjoy holding me like this, don't you?"

"Mmmmm" he turned her around in his arms a bit so that her face was near his, her lips by his "and what if I do"

They were inches from kissing, getting closer and closer….Sorata closed his eyes for the kiss…

"Arashi-san!"

Kamui's voice tore through the monk's serene mood. When he opened his eyes he found Arashi missing from between his arms, now located on the other side of the laundry's veil.

"What is it Kamui?"

Fuma, still a bit embarrassed about talking to any of the Seals, dared to say something "Kishuu-san have you seen a staircase to the floor above the second one?"

Sorata folded his arms on his chest, most unhappy about the breaking of his special little moment "Why do you ask?"

"Fuma has a hole in his room's ceiling and we thought we saw another room through it"

"Doesn't a hole in the ceiling means that the floor on the upper room isn't in a good enough shape to live in?"

"We're planning on taking that room so….if we come crashing down on you then you'll know if it's not good for use" Fuma was blushing a little when he said that.

"Fuma, over here!" Kamui stood under what was left of the staircase, waving madly like a little boy. It reminded Fuma of a time in their childhood when Kamui found a bird's nest and dragged him over there with sweet words and cute behavior.

A gap about a little over Kamui's head was torn at the end of the flight of stairs. The rest was in a good shape to use.

"Oh man, we're never going to get up there" Kamui was practically bouncing from one foot to the other with excitement and its despair. Just like when they were kids and he was too short to reach the nest.

Back then Fuma was already tall enough to he reached over and brought an egg back for Kamui to observe with him. He'll be damned if he'll miss the adorable joyous expression Kamui gave him back then.

"Ah, fear not Kamui" placing his hands on the first stair in the devastated flight, Fuma quickly climbed to the staircase and offered a hand for Kamui. Sure enough, the expression was there again, just like in the old days.

As soon as he placed his hand in Fuma's Kamui found himself pulled up onto the staircase and held firmly in the older boy's arms to keep him on that stair.

He smiled a little smile looking deeply into the light brown eyes "Oh Fuma, you're so strong and protective" he batted his eyelashes.

"Oh, am I?" now Fuma's lips were nearing Kamui, their faces inches from a kiss.

"Eh Kamui!" it was obvious, by the slight tone of unsure ness, that Sorata didn't know what he really wanted to say but merely spoke to interrupt the two.

"What is it Sorata?" if eyes could freeze, Kamui's glare would turn Sorata into a Koya icicle.

The fierce glare from Fuma reminded Sorata of the youth's pre-Dragon, overprotective days.

"Ano….good luck with the whole Justice thing!" he raised a thumb at the two and hurried to bury his head in the laundry business before the stunt backfires on him.

"Are they gone now babe?" he mumbled, nervously looking behind his shoulder.

"Yes, they're not looking at us anymore…."

"Phew, that was close"

"Sorata-san?"

"Yes my love?"

"Why did you interrupt them, I mean, it wasn't just because they interrupted us, is it?"

Sorata gave off a deep sigh and looked at Arashi with eyes that surprised her with their worry. "Well….it's just that…..you know, the whole Kamui not being with Alex and all….it….makes me feel like I'm split in half you know

"….Half of me wants to be on Kamui's side because I'm used to liking the kid but….it's just the whole plan that he made for us, Alex that is, and all the effort he put into us….

"You know in that elevator to the Dragon's lair, I saw him beaming with a goal….that force that fills you when you're doing something for your loved ones….I know that force because I felt it towards you….

"And now….I just don't know who I want to be more friends with, on who's side to be…."

Arashi stared at her lover for a while, at first with anger and then with worry. "Sorata-san, why do you think you should choose a side, this isn't battle…"

"Isn't it?…I don't know, my senses are telling me something else…."

* * *

When they opened the door to the abandoned room Kamui and Fuma found a cave of gathering dust, damp air and stuffed atmosphere.

The wave of air that gushed into the room as they opened it roused the piles of dust bits gathered with time until they twirled in the air in a little dance, seen only as they hit the beam of soft light cast by the open door.

The furnishings of the room, unlike the rest of them in the deserted and half looted house, was complete and covered in sheets to keep it from gathering dust on itself.

The air filled with dust and light dirt twirling in the air, the white fabrics on the furniture making them look like ghosts, Kamui and Fuma felt like they're stepping into one of Hinoto or Kakyou's dreams.

Kamui found himself grabbed and carried by Fuma who walked over the doorstep and put him back down to stand on his own.

"What was that for?"

Fuma looked a little bashful at first but then beamed a smile "I don't know…it just feels a little…special for me…you know…we finally have some privacy of our own here…"

Kamui stared at him for a while, completely misunderstanding what his twin star found so special. "Ano…" his eyes darted around the room as the reason slowly sank in sending him into a little panic "My, it's really stifling in here, I'll open the windows" he ran away from the look Fuma gave him and didn't even know why.

As he opened window by window, noting that Fuma was left exactly where he was and didn't even flinch a little, he realized what was wrong with himself.

It was that look in Fuma's eyes, the look of 'my love, we finally have a chance of fulfilling our love for each other'. But why would that look frighten him so? Didn't he want this? Didn't he run off to Fuma's arms from Alex's chase just for this?

Alex was the reason for this, his awful similarity to Fuma…it made Kamui fear Fuma even when there was no real reason for it….

He stared at the world outside the third window he opened, his mind heavy with thoughts.

But Fuma was Fuma; Fuma and not Alex, Fuma and not the Dragon, _his_ Fuma and no one else….

His thoughts were cut off as a white fabric swung and filled his view like a veil; each side of it was held by one of Fuma's hands.

"This is the duster that covered the bed. The bed is clean now and ready for use, Kamui"

He turned around to face Fuma. He found that beyond the veil's rim lay the spoken bed, forward from him and most obvious in it's presence.

He turned all the way around to Fuma, seeking his lips for an encouraging kiss. Instead he was gently pushed backwards, towards the bed. When he bumped into it he found himself gently pushed down and moved until he lay completely on it with Fuma on top.

Only then did he get that encouraging kiss, and ten fingers along with it starting to explore him.

He wrapped his arms around Fuma trying to relax.

'_This is special for Fuma….and he is Fuma….and so, this is special for me as well…..'_

_

* * *

_

Alex was in the onmyoujis' room, talking to the two of them without truly paying attention.

He had found their company to be quite soothing and most enjoyable.

At times he'd just sit near them, watching them when they didn't notice it. He found them amusing and awfully sweet together.

It wasn't their love that was amusing to him; it was when they attempted to ignore it.

"Good day Subaru-kun, what are you doing here?"

"I came to bring you this bento. I thought you might be hungry…"

"Oh, that's so kind Subaru-kun"

"Stop giving me these smirks, I know they're false"

"And what should I do instead?"

"Be yourself"

"Alright" Seishiro's face dropped any sort of emotion, gesture and expression they ever had. What left was a frozen mask onto which Subaru stared…..and stared….and stared….until he couldn't take it anymore

"Alright, alright….just don't smirk like that it makes me feel sick"

"My dear Subaru-kun's not feeling well?"

"And you can stop talking to me like a little boy Seishiro-san!"

"But you still behave like that teenager at times"

"Oh? How so?"

"You still use that honorific"

"You don't drop yours…."

Checkmate, Seishiro found himself without a witty answer to give off. Then he smirked again "And what if I'd kiss you right and now?"

They were in the middle of a large sheep's pen, the farmers owning the sheep were scattered all around them looking for sheep to bring to Seishiro's Foot and Mouth inspection.

Subaru hesitated for a moment then his eyes narrowed "Try me"

And he did, Seishiro narrowed the little distance between them in big predatory steps, swapped Subaru into his arms and gave him and long heart consuming kiss.

"Subaru-kun…?"

"Hmn?"

"You're blushing, that's cute Subaru-kun"

"Oh fuck off! I just came here to give you your stupid bento so you won't be hungry you little prick! I never should have bothered!"

"And you're still easy to fluster"

"Sakurazuka Seishiro, you're a downright bastard!"

Seishiro smirked and allowed Subaru to rid himself of his grip and walk away.

"I hope you choke on your lunch!"

"I love you too!"

Little scenes like that were lately the only lights in Alex's life.

He liked to consider the Onmyouji Project, as he called them, as the only proof he had for his ability to do something and get it right.

Right now he didn't even bother to listen to what they were saying and soon found himself out of the conversation, not that he cared. He just liked being around them, they beamed a kind of warmth to him which made him feel a little guilty for mooching on their happiness.

It wasn't just this that beamed at Alex from the two sides of Ying Yang magic. It was the fact that both were powerful Men of Death which made their presence soothing and pleasant. But Alex preferred not to think of it that way.

A screeching noise from above took away his concentration on anything. He zoomed on what was happening above him. He listened for a while then gave a deep depressed sigh.

"What is it Alex? What's wrong?" the famous 13th Sumeragi pain-detector "Are you alright? You look in pain" always right.

"Kamui and Fuma, they found a room above this floor….they found a bed in it…"

Both onmyoujis tried their best to be quiet and listen but they still couldn't hear a thing.

"I can't hear anything, how do you know what's going on?"

"I have a vampire's sense of sound I can hear stuff like that"

"That and other people's thoughts! Did I tell you about the time he outed me in front of Kamui and all the rest of the seals?" Subaru whipped his head and his attention back to his lover.

"Did he now!" the conversation was drifting away from Alex again, he let it go this time, leaving the two and the room at all after a few minutes.

He ran away as quickly as he could, spread his wings and flew to those cliffs he started to like a lot lately. He just couldn't stand the sound of that bed; the lover taken away from him celebrating with another…it hurt him like he was stabbed in the heart.

He couldn't forget the dream he had that promised Kamui to him, he couldn't forget the look Kamui gave him when they first met. He couldn't forget their first private talk, the first time Kamui showed him affection, their first kiss, their first night together.

He was an old man, battered from life's experience and battles. All he had in life now was his happiness.

And that happiness left him, for good, torn away by destiny.

He weaved his powers to created a little picture of Kamui before his eyes.

That face, those eyes, those lips. The features that made his heart skip a beat, made his breath hitch, his head spin.

He stared at the picture, so real and yet not real enough; it was not the boy himself.

Far for from his reach, no longer his, not with him, he is alone now….without Kamui.

He stared at the picture and slowly the past mixed its oozy sadness into the present's scorching misery. Slowly his love became an obsession forged into his steel-strong will.

A sad obsession, a painful obsession, a bitter sweet one that truly became a drug irremovable. Like the one Subaru carried for nine years.

* * *

_I've heard there was a secret chord  
that David played, and it pleased the Lord  
But you don't really care for music, do you?  
It goes like this  
The fourth, the fifth  
The minor fall, the major lift  
The baffled king composing Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah   
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah_

_Your faith was strong but you needed proof  
You saw her bathing on the roof  
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you  
She tied you to a kitchen chair  
She broke your throne, she cut your hair  
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah  
Hallelujah   
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah_

_Maybe I have been here before   
I know this room, I've walked this floor  
I used to live alone before I knew you  
I've seen your flag on the marble arch  
Love is not a victory march  
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah _

_Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah _

_There was a time you'd let me know  
What's real and going on below  
But now you never show it to me, do you?  
And remember when I moved in you  
The holy dark was moving too  
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah  
Hallelujah   
Hallelujah  
Hallelujah_

_Maybe there's a God above  
And all I ever learned from love  
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you  
And it's not a cry you can hear at night  
It's not somebody who's seen the light  
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah   
Hallelujah, Hallelujah  
Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah / Rufus Wainwright _

(1) epes 'somewhat' in Yiddish


	13. Kazuki's Dress

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you! Oh and the lyrics of the song are translated from Hebrew and belong to Yehudit Ravirtz.

Warning: character death. Don't blame me, blame the monster that killed him….hides under the desk

* * *

**Part 13 - Kazuki's Dress**

The wedding had been a wonderful event.

As Yutu took charge of the ceremony he had spread a wonderful comfortable atmosphere which soothed the participants so that nothing but joy could be felt around. The weather was warm and pleasant, the food was good if not a bit scarce and the daisy decorations were marvelous.

The happy couple roamed amongst the audience chatting and laughing merrily, adding to the slight cacophony in a gathering of a large crowd. All around them, whatever face they looked upon, the guests saw only smiling and happy faces. The joy was so thick in the air it was almost stifling, yet wonderfully refreshing in the usual stress and terror filled city.

Only one participant didn't feel that way. He felt like a hole is punched through his chest over and over again.

But no one was like him, all celebrated with the newly weds, so he moved to the shadows, away from the celebrators and the happiness that choked and sickened him in his dark state.

For the actual ceremony Yutu had the two weds swear their love to each other while holding hands looking deeply into each other's eyes.

The he called all lovers to gather around them. Couples rushed to the altar itself, they held hands in a circle around the newly weds creating a brilliant light from the altar. The stronger they loved each other the stronger the light that beamed from them under Yutu's newly gained powers.

In the darkness, in a corner shadowed so that no one can see him, Alex stood smoking a cigarette and glaring at the altar.

Kamui and Fuma held hands, looking so lovingly at each other. They were glowing with their love, just like everyone else.

Green eyes burned in the darkness, their edges starting to turn turquoise. Something was cooking in his mind.

* * *

Morning. A sleepy yet always energetic Yutu made his way to the infirmary offices with a sleepy, but used to nine to five jobs starting way earlier, Seiichiro.

Morning. And the north Noter base's first patrol rode through the streets of their section of the city. Ferret was on that patrol.

The moment she noticed her lover she jumped off of the moving cart and ran towards him.

Out of no where arms grabbed Yutu, bringing with them the whole weight of the light body connected to them. Love looked into the face that placed itself inches from his and kissed it's lips.

Seiichiro, who noticed that he wasn't accompanied as before looked back at the scene and sighed.

Why was it that didn't he like this young girl jumping Yutu all the time?

It wasn't the fact that often he was locked out of his own room because the couple needed privacy? No.

It wasn't the way the room smelt afterwards either.

It wasn't the fact that Yutu always went uber-genki after each meeting like that, may it be night or day, and would babble endlessly until Seiichiro begged for mercy (inwardly).

It wasn't the fact that Yutu, as young as he looked, was some good years older then this girl.

It wasn't the fact that both deserted their duties when around each other.

It wasn't even the fact that they reminded him of how he and his wife used to be when they were young lovers.

Then what was it then?

"I have to get to work" kiss "I really do" kiss "I'll see you later today" kiss

"Promise?" kiss, kiss, kiss, long passionate kiss

"After that kiss? Of course! I'll be running back for more!" charming smile. Another kiss.

Seiichiro could have thrown up his meal. He turned around, folding his arms on his chest and sighed.

"What are you moping about?" Yutu finally joined him.

They began moving towards the office again.

"Nothing"

"Ah but you were angry about something, what was it?"

"That is enough of that Kigai -san"

"Call me Yutu"

"I will think about it"

"Yutu-kun?"

"that is highly unlikely"

"Yutu-san!"

"We'll be late if you keep walking this slowly Kigai-san"

Yutu sighed, what an ice queen. He saw straight through Seiichiro's defensive behavior. After all he _was_ Love and he could see these things.

He smiled to himself thinking that if he ever breaks up with Ferret then he'll have someone to fall on to, maybe even literally.

"Well I'll still call you Seiichiro!"

"Aoki-san for you"

"Aww, what next? You'll insist on me calling you senpai!"

"Well I _am_ older and more experienced then you are…"

"Experienced in what departments?" hint hint.

Seiichiro turned his head away so Yutu won't see him blush. He hated the blond, hated him with all his might. He did!

* * *

Morning. Kamui and Fuma dressed, trying to stall things as much as they could; they both feared what the day will bring to them. They've never done anything like that before.

As Justice they had to bring up a court to deal with the criminals of this dimension. That led to several things in need of arranging.

There was a prison in this dimension but its definition was that it kept people who were too dangerous from running around society.

It was more of an asylum then a prison. That had to be changed, another mission for Fuma and Kamui.

But first they had to speak to Lion, the commander of all Noters. He would assist them with guards for the court, building the court, wardens in the prison and so on.

The boys never saw him before the wedding and even then they mostly shied away and tried to avoid their duty.

They exited the house with a deep feeling of awkwardness, dragging their feet and taking little breaks to look at things to stall their arrival.

Above the entrance to the big square headquarters hung a huge lantern. At the front of it was a metal plate shaped in the lion figure which appeared on most of the Noters' items. This lion was made of black iron, its side view mouth open in a constant roar.

A tall Noter opened the door they knocked on and smiled brightly at them.

He was dressed in a fashion Justice learnt which meant he was an officer: the half red and half blue shirt. The black pants, a white belt, one sleeve of their shirt white, same as the rest with only two differences: On the edge of the white sleeve was a half red half blue band and on his shirt's front was a golden metal pin in the shape of two rectangles with a branch of olive carved on each. This was the difference between the normal Noters and the officers or NCOs(1), these metal ranks on the front of their shirts.

"Hello Justice, welcome to our headquarters." He said in a cheerful voice sending warmth over the slightly difficult to analyze accent "I'm Owl, please, come on in. Lion will be with you in a moment, he is just in the middle of a field meeting" they were led inside the poorly furnished waiting room.

Fuma looked around, everyplace in this dimension seemed like a second hand shop, everything already used and thrown, then picked up again with small yet visible fixes and stitches.

Kamui was used to it, he knew this place too. He was here once, with Alex, but he wanted to think of this time as something new.

When he was here back then he only accompanied Alex and didn't actually speak to anyone.

Not that he could, Alex could speak the Noter's language leaving Kamui a tad oblivious to most of the conversation between Lion and him. What he did note was the slightly fathering look in Lion's face when speaking to Alex. It was after Alex had killed Mouse, one of Lion's officers, and still Lion was full of compassion towards the man.

A small group of Noters happly walked out of Lion's room chatting, putting their white helmets back on as they saw strangers in the room. They lingered on a bit to stare at the two boys, by now they could see them as Justice and not just a couple of strangers, it was a tad odd for them.

Owl went into the room and after a while came back to gesture for Kamui and Fuma to enter.

Behind a large desk with many scattered and half piled papers and several objects sat a middle aged man who looked at them with sharp all seeing, soul searching eyes. He placed his helmet back on his head, smiled at them and gestured for them to sit at the table.

Behind Lion stood the Iceman, looking half suspiciously at them. His eyes and features were so frozen, like he didn't let a single emotion out of him, like he was chiseled out of the icebergs Yuzuriha and Kusanagi found him between. He scanned the two boys with cold eyes and looked down at his commander again.

Kamui remembered Ice's devotion to Lion, how whenever the other man was in danger Ice was ready to sacrifice his own life.

He remembered Ice's story as Alex told it to him.

In his dimension Ice was once a northern god until the time monotheistic religions began wiping out paganism religions one after the other.

Defeated and aimless Ice traveled the world looking for a group to be part of, a place to belong to. He met a rabbi who was a good shoulder to cry on and an ear to pour unhappy emotions to.

Ever since then Ice, who was the kind of creature Alex was, followed these people generation by generation.

He remembered Ice was more powerful in a sense then Alex. In a fight they had once he received a blow from Alex's sword, which is strong enough to kill its carrier, but lived on.

Why Ice never thought of killing Alex, Kamui never knew. There was something that Alex's very presence caused in Ice, a guilt that stopped him whenever he wanted to act. It had something to do with Ice's powers unused in the time when Alex and his likings in Ice's dimension suffered in the camps.

"My, you look awfully young for this job, how old are you boys?" the soft fatherly tone coming from Lion melted something down in Kamui and Fuma. All of a sudden they found themselves comfortable and well listened to in the man's presence.

Fuma thought of his father….who is dead…of his family….but now he's far away from it, he's Justice now.

At least he'll get to work with father figures like Lion.

Justice lay out their plan, asking for any advice or help from Lion's little army.

The Noter lit a cigarette and offered one to the two boys before him "I know I'm not supposed to offer you these but you're big boys now as I see"

They both shook their heads.

"Smart boys" Iceman spoke for the first time since this meeting's beginning. He was looking at Lion like a chaperon looks at the girl who went too far on her date.

"Are you implying that I am not smart?" that was in amusement.

"No….it's just that you've finally recovered from your injury and you're back to habits that won't do your health any good" it was obvious that Lion had Iceman wrapped around his finger.

Lion was hurt during one of the dragon attacks in the Dragon Valley. He went there to see what help he and the little force he brought with him could bring to the Noters in the valley.

Kamui remembered Lion being in the infirmary just before he left back to his dimension. He was glad to see the man healthy again. He told Lion about it"

"Ah yes, that time….your Alex had helped us a lot there, he seems to have some sort of an understanding with the dragons somehow" Lion was missing what Fuma's presence with Kamui meant "How is he by the way? I haven't seen him in the wedding, but I then I did have to leave before the start of the ceremony, perhaps I missed him" _tactlessly_ missing the meaning.

Fuma felt like saying something but he realized he wasn't the one to speak now.

Kamui bent his head a little "We broke up" he straightened his gaze at Lion again.

The Noter never saw such intensity in the purple eyes. He always saw Kamui as a pretty boy who was next on Alex's aim and nothing more. He looked too young to have that 'I dare you to say something about that' look in his eyes.

Finally he shrugged the subject away "…..Now, about the court….".

his instincts said otherwise, they said something bad was bound to happen.

* * *

Kazuki was skip-hopping her way from the psychologist. She was taking a different path this time, just to make things interesting in her daily routine.

She enjoyed skipping with her new dress. The skirt would flare up wonderfully then gracefully fall back down. Kazuki found herself spinning on the spot a lot just to make the skirt into a complete circle around her. It was beautiful.

It was a mistake to take the different path that day, or at all. She was, unknowingly, walking by the houses where the people who wore the fabrics she now wore lived.

She passed by one house and the little flowers on her dress's shirt began glowing strangely.

She passed by another and the fabric of her skirt's apron began glowing the same.

She didn't notice either of the two effects.

Next she will pass by the house where her whole dress will be glowing.

She was still oblivious.

* * *

Kusanagi and Subaru were on patrol at the time. There was a huge awkward silence between them, not a word exchanged for the last five hours.

What could they talk about! They were more then worlds apart.

After a while they both drifted into day dreaming, seeing that the other's company won't provide their minds with anything to break the boredom with.

Subaru thought of last night and how he wrapped his arms sleepily around Seishiro in their shared afterglow. The older onmyouji was already asleep, his head resting at the crook of his neck as he lay on top of Subaru.

How just before he fell asleep he got a mental picture of him sleeping already and Hokuto pulling the blanket a little more over them to tuck them in better. She then smiled at them, said goodnight and faded away as she walked towards the door.

Subaru hoped it was like that, he knew not what Hokuto's true feeling towards this reunion were so he could only dream. Maybe Alex would know, after all he did know about her spell.

Seishiro won't tell him, he avoided the subject with amazing persistency.

Seishiro was actually terrified of losing Subaru if anything as touchy as Hokuto's death will arise. He swore not to initiate a conversation about it, at all costs.

Kusanagi was also thinking about the evening before that day.

He, the little miss and her vampire friend were playing in the back yard.

It started as a silly game; they covered his eyes with a cloth and asked him to spot where they were by their voices.

They ended up running all around him in the yard, shrilling and squealing with joy.

Once he had wondered towards a voice that sounded like his little miss's but ended up accidentally cupping one of Victoria's breasts (his arms were reaching forward to avoid banging into anything).

He removed the cloth quickly, remembering that surely Yuzuriha wasn't that big, and met a blood red educating stare.

It was laughed off as Kusanagi blushed and mumbled endless apologies.

Then he gave Yuzuriha a piggyback ride making it into a rodeo constantly 'trying' to shake her off and drop her backwards.

She was screaming and laughing and crying with happiness.

Kusanagi could see two figures glaring at them in the lower floor window.

It was Karen and Arashi who watched them.

At first Karen was glaring, unhappy with Kusanagi's behavior with Yuzuriha (not that he actually _did _anything wrong) and Arashi had to calm her down. Then Arashi was glaring at Victoria playing with Yuzuriha and Karen had to calm her down.

But Kusanagi didn't know that. All he knew is that he had a good time with his little miss yesterday.

* * *

Ferret and her two mates rode their patrol cart towards the corner Kazuki neared. They were chatting as usual, the base gossip, the news, the past, their country's politics and the likes.

They were in the middle of a hot political debate when they heard a low growl.

Kazuki arrived at the third and final house, she stopped there. Her body did not move another step though her steps weren't even on her mind at all.

Slowly she found that hopping, walking, swinging her arms, moving at all, was difficult. She was becoming numb. It wasn't really a feeling of numbness, it was like her soul was drifting higher and higher detaching itself from her body. She looked down at herself and saw the glowing dress.

She wanted to scream but not a sound came out of her mouth, she was too far from her body to operate it anymore.

Instead she saw her body glowing with an aura that made everything around it look like heat waves. Her body was twitching, clutching its fists and screaming, its face twitching with anger.

Shrew, Ferret, and Lizard heard the inhuman scream and gave off a warning signal.

Each Noter had a whistler which they blew each time they ran into danger to call on the medics in the infirmary who waited for such cases and for whoever was on the Rescue Team patrol.

Unluckily for them the whistler's shrill only drew the danger towards them.

The two girls and one boy saw a three headed monster from some sort of an aura with a body of a young man in a dress inside it. The body itself didn't appear to have any sort of reaction to the thing that glowed out of it.

The spirit monster charged at the three who opened fire towards the body inside the aura and failed to hit.

With immense power the monster tore a piece of stone from the nearby house and hauled it at the three in the cart.

Ferret received a direct hit to the head as she, after grabbing her companions and pushing them downwards, was the last to be still up. Her helmet, merely decorative, was no help for her.

As they walked the winding streets Subaru sensed the spirit's activity at it's beginning. He stopped on the spot, making Kusanagi look back at him.

"Is something the matter Sumeragi-san?"

"There's a spirit raging somewhere….over there!" he pointed towards the corner where Kazuki was quickly losing control over her body.

"Let's go!" Kusanagi took off followed by Subaru.

Kusanagi was a better athlete then the somewhat scrawny and hardly trained Subaru so when he ran past the corner to where a Noter with her two friends was blowing her whistler he was first to be exposed to the spirit monster that once was Kazuki.

Reaching into his white coat's inner pocket and drawing his ofuda Subaru also arrived at the scene, in time to watch the Noter he saw with Yutu a lot die.

Kusanagi was gathering energy around his fist and slammed it at the ground opening a great gap in the earth.

The monster was sent flying in the air and landed behind Kusanagi, her back to Subaru who began preparing his attack.

The monster grabbed a piece of metal fence and howled the sharpened object at Kusanagi who was preparing another blow.

As Kusanagi bent down to pound the ground once more the long shard pierced him from shoulder to lower back. He called out in pain and collapsed to the ground, his fist losing its power.

A few good blocks away from there Seishiro and Anthony, the other veterinarian, were helping a man and his wife catch their chickens for a little checkup.

The couple's little girl noted some of the chickens were limping, a thing caused by an infection in little wounds on their feet as Anthony diagnosed. Now they were gathering all the other chickens to see if any others needed treating.

A feeling Seishiro grew to know for almost ten years now hit the onmyouji once again. He rose to his feet dropping the chicken he was holding from his lap.

Without a though of what he was doing and why he was doing it he sped off towards where his Subaru-kun was fighting the spirit monster.

Subaru had objects powerfully hurled at him, from pieces of dirt to pieces of buildings or that fence like the one Kusanagi was hit by.

As he ran in a circle, avoiding the attacks he was placing five ofuda at crucial points until his trap was finished.

His target was already standing in the center of the pentacle, now roaring with frustration as the pray to its wrath was constantly avoiding its hits.

Subaru leaped to a balcony of the nearby building and began chanting to activate the trap.

Kazuki was too busy looking at the dead Noter and its two companions fussing around her, looking at Kusanagi slowly loosing blood and succumbing to the pain, then to look as the three angry spirits that possessed her body tore into little oblivious pieces of energy then completely disappear.

She also didn't see the hawk shaped shikigami that landed on Subaru's shoulder as he enhanced his trap to finish the spirits completely.

She only felt herself pulled back to her body until she found herself on the ground with a headache that felt like a tone of iron fell on her head.

Her eyes were closed, she didn't want to open them; she knew what she'll see.

"Subaru-kun!" the shikigami screeched and took off to sit at it's maker's shoulder. Seishiro ran with Subaru to Kusanagi's side.

"Shiyu-san! Are you still there?" two pairs of hands flipped the man to his back and supported him so his wounds won't lie on the ground.

The man they held was pale and already starting to become cold as the blood gushed out of his wounds. But he didn't show any of it, only little twitches of pain fluttered over his face from time to time.

"The….little miss…..would be sad…." He managed to cough up with some blood before he sank into a sleep he will never wake from.

"Shiyu-san! Shiyu-san!"

"It's no use Subaru-kun, he was hit too hard"

Realizing that, Subaru dashed off to the two remaining Noters, leaving Seishiro and his shikigami with Kusanagi's body.

Subaru arrived at the Noters along with the cart of medics who jumped off it and ran towards whoever was wounded.

But no one was wounded, only dead.

Subaru had a little scratch on his left arm where a piece of shrapnel hurt him in flight. He brushed off the medic who tried to care for the wound until Seishiro walked over to him and glared at him to just receive the treatment.

The other two Noters were in complete shock; one was still holding Ferret's hand mumbling things to her through her tears, the other slowly got to his feet to pass on the message of his friend's death to his superiors.

* * *

Kamui and Fuma were sipping a cup of strong black coffee with Lion and Iceman when a Noter barged into the office where they sat.

He was breathless, his uniforms splattered with blood, his face pale and his eyes bulging.

He half screamed a chain of words that made the two superior Noters in the office freeze on their acts.

Justice watched with some confusion as Lion slowly looked down at his desk and sideways, looking graver by the minute.

Iceman walked to the window in the office and turned his back to them as he looked out of it, hiding his face.

The messenger looked from one commander to the other, then to Kamui and Fuma. Tears began flooding his eyes flowing down his young face without his expression changing one bit.

All Kamui and Fuma could do was to stare back.

A powerful slam of Lion's fist on his table whipped Justice's attention back to the man. He got up, recomposed himself and slowly walked over to the crying messenger. He embraced the young man who broke into tears in his arms weeping and sobbing violently while talking again.

"I think you better leave now, I'll show you back to your house it's on the way to my base" Iceman gestured for Kamui and Fuma almost shoving them out of the room. His expression was as cold as ice, no emotions once or ever, not even in his deep voice, not even after all that.

"What happened?" Fuma wasn't answered, they were walking through the entrance room where the second Noter who was on the site was sat, given tea and comforted. She ignored everything despite the people fussing over her to cheer her up.

Only when they exited the building and began moving towards Kamui and Fuma's home did Iceman talk as he took big long steps, his fur coat majestically waving behind him.

"There was an incident involving one of your men. A young male-ish looking person that wears a dress?" he turned to them and waited for them to show any signs of recognition.

"Kazuki? Kazuki did something wrong?"

"Did it involve a ribbon like thing?"

"Stop it Fuma, she's stopped that Nataku things a long time ago"

"She, as I now know, didn't attack anything on her own free will. She was possessed by spirits from her clothes and these attacked our patrol. Our patrol gave off a warning signal which attracted the monster's attention to them. One of our soldiers, Ferret, was helping her comrades to duck down from the attacks and got hit by a rock thrown at her. She was dead on hit."

"I'm so sorry to hear that"

"Me too"

Iceman sniggered coldly "You could be a bit too young for this job, I think but….who am I to doubt destiny?" he raised his hands to the sky scornfully imitating a prayer gesture.

There was a long tense silence.

"It's the fifth time Avi lost one of his children" the Iceman finally spoke, mostly to himself.

"Avi?..." Fuma received a glare from the older man and winced a bit.

"Lion. Four times he lost his children here in this dimension, once he lost two on our own world and two more here. His soldiers are his children, as so he considers them and as so he worries for them. Now another one is gone…..I suppose you can't even say 'when will all this madness be over' _here_, can't you?" he didn't bother to turn around to look at Justice behind him.

He only turned to them when they arrived at their home. "You'll have to build your own court; you can't really expect our men to help you out"

"I believe Lion promised otherwise Iceman" Fuma was dropping his tone to the same commanding icy level Ice spoke in.

"Listen, kid"

"Kamui and Fuma for you" Kamui snapped "we _are_ Justice and you are one of our men. If Lion, who is your superior, ordered his children to help us then so they will. At least you can rest assured that such a job won't be as dangerous as…." He was stopped by Fuma's hand on his shoulder. He was running into painful subjects.

Iceman sized Kamui up silently with eyes that made Kamui feel like he's freezing. "You've grown quite a mouth on you, Kamui"

"I'm not Alex's little toy anymore" violet fire glaring at sapphire one.

"Humph we'll see" and with that the god walked away, not even bothering with a farewell.

* * *

"A spirit monster! I've never encountered anything like that"

"It happens quite a lot" Charlie sighed as he covered Kusanagi's body respectfully. You know her clothes, Kazuki that is, were made of fabrics taken from dead people's old clothing so…"

"Yes we knew that and it's not a new thing that angry spirits would posses any kind of object belonging to it and harm whoever now owns that object but…I never saw combined spirits…and such an intensity of anger…" Subaru looked at the inanimate body under the sheet.

"Hey, what happened? Was that Kusanagi you just covered there! Charlie-chan?" Yutu emerged from his office.

Charlie nodded at him

"Oh my" he held his hand to his chest "this explains the pains I've been having in my chest"

"Maybe you're just having some problem…." Charlie tried to near the blond.

"No, I know when something…..when my power is weakened…..but" he brightened up, beaming at Seishiro and Subaru standing by the stretcher "as long as I have you two around I can survive, I'll just feed off from what you have between you and I'll survive" he laughed.

The onmyoujis merely stared at him with pain (well Subaru was staring in pain, Seishiro just stared)

"What? What's wrong?"

Behind Yutu the stretcher with Ferret's body was brought in.

Yutu clutched at his chest, suddenly caving into pain and folding down.

He took some deep breaths. Trying to break through the searing sensation a nurse ran to his side to ask him what's wrong. He didn't answer her; he straightened up, his face almost gray, and looked at the onmyoujis.

"What happened?" there was nothing of the happy-go-lucky, always smiling, always merry Yutu in the man before them now.

"Kigai-san…." Is all Subaru managed to mutter.

"Yutu…..I'm sorry" Charlie switched to Japanese "but Ferret was also killed by what attacked Kusanagi. My condolences" he looked like he did it too many times to make this time special or any different.

Yutu turned to look at the second stretcher. He walked to the dead girl, tactfully covered already. He placed his hand where Ferret's hand was, never taking his eyes off of the body. He muttered something silently and placed a kiss on the covered hand.

Then he turned around and walked back to his office, his head bowed a little.

Noting his coworker was back Seiichiro raised his eyes from the piles of paper he was working on to Yutu.

"Kiga…." The pain soaked look turned to him silenced him.

Yet Yutu didn't cry, didn't speak, he didn't even correct Seiichiro as he always did.

He simply smiled, a painful smile, but he smiled, his pretty eyes glittering a bit with some light as they always did.

Seiichiro found himself a bit dumbfounded at that. He heard of what happened from the Noter that worked with them, Yutu was in the bathroom at the moment. He wanted to say something but he just couldn't. Something in him was happy that he managed to make whatever it was that hurt Yutu disappear enough to get that trademark smile back on his face.

Yutu walked over to Seiichiro, still smiling painfully but honestly and softly held his coworker's face in his hand.

Behind glass lenses Seiichiro's eyes widened in shock a bit. Under the lenses' frame a slight blush rose. Seiichiro couldn't speak again for another good hour or so. Let alone concentrate on his work despite the fact that Yutu himself could long ago.

* * *

It was an unusually disgusting weather the next day as Ferret and Kusanagi's funerals were held.

The Noters quietly attended a small intimate funeral for Ferret with a little speech from Lion and Ferret's commander, Iceman. Yutu was the only non-Noter participant allowed in.

A heavy, dirty shower poured down on them from the impending clouds above.

At Kusanagi's funeral the rain stopped but the thick clouds lingered on to allow Victoria to attend the daytime ceremony.

The young vampire, wearing a thick cape, held Yuzuriha's hand as it trembled violently.

The girl was holding back her sobs, biting her lower lip, but her tears and her painful expression was enough to give off her emotions.

Subaru half hugged her, tears in his eyes for her pain.

Kamui was standing near her, Fuma at his toe slightly awkward.

Arashi stood a little away from them, clutching her shirt at her chest.

Sorata was hugging her; he was the one standing closer to Yuzuriha talking words of comfort to her from time to time.

Seiichiro was fumbling at his tie constantly eaten from the inside at the thought of his own daughter mourning for the loss of her father, and how she too might look like this, maybe even right now.

Karen stood nearer to the grave. She finished saying her prayer, with many words of apology to Kusanagi for ever mistrusting him. When she finished she didn't walk over to Yuzuriha, she merely stood a little away from there running her hands slowly but frantically through her hair.

A bigger distance from the scene stood Seishiro and Alex. They were silent as they watched the funeral.

"Do you get something of off these things?"

"Hmmm?" Alex wasn't really listening; he was exchanging looks with David who was just straightening Kusanagi's tombstone as it edged sideways in the mud.

"Do you get something from these things?" Seishiro's tone was merely a wondering one. Nothing from the emotional scene before them soaked into him.

"What do you mean?"

"Yutu felt something when Kusanagi died along with his love to Yuzuriha and when Ferret died along with her love to him, so I wondered…."

"I'm too distracted by this whole place right now, it's reeking with death"

Silence. Subaru was exchanging looks with Seishiro just to check that he's still there.

"How does it feel? To die"

"I never died, never _really_ died"

"But you did, somehow…you said…"

"….I experienced a human death as a part of becoming Death but I'm still very alive if that's what you mean"

"And how did that feel?"

"Suddenly the assassin wonders how death feels like?"

"Don't change the subject"

Alex sighed, it was a memory from a time he didn't like to dig in "I was numbing to the point of thought oblivion then I was covered by light. Suddenly I was alive again but not in a human way. But I'm still, definitely alive Seishiro"

More silence.

"No one I ever knew died like that, out of the blue you know. I killed my own mother….I had no feelings for her, not at that moment. Hokuto asked me to kill her so I merely did as I was told but….just like that….without preparations…."

"You'll find that such sudden deaths are quite common here"

"I got that notion by now, thank you"

Silence. Subaru hung a pair of pain filled emerald eyes at Seishiro, tears dripping randomly down his cheeks drop by drop.

"He's so kind, Subaru-kun is, sometimes I wonder how come he doesn't explode from all the pain he soaks up from other people"

"You gave him enough pain that crumbled him for a while there, remember?"

Seishiro ignored him, sunk in his thoughts "When I met him I suddenly saw a person like nothing I ever met. My mother taught me that everybody deserves to die for some reason. Everybody hurt somebody during their life whether they mean it or not.

"Here came a person that didn't, that _avoided_ causing anybody pain with even the cost of his own life. The more I knew him the more I was astounded by him. I suppose that if I had made anybody else my prey then they'd die on the spot, but Subaru was so different he…I couldn't just kill him like that, not something that broke every theory I ever grew up on.

"When the bet ended I knew I lost but I didn't really want to do anything about it. When Hokuto came to me and told me of her wish I was yelling at myself 'NO! DON'T DO IT!' but I realized that there was a method to her madness…"

"That's nonsense, if she didn't go off to get herself killed then at some point she'd manage to snap Subaru out of his blankness and you two would manage to get your act together. If her death wouldn't be between you two then things would have looked completely different"

"Do you know that for sure? Have you seen a manga or anime like that in one of the other dimensions you've traveled?" there was some emotion there in Seishiro's voice, finally, after he droned monotonously so far.

"No, it's a theory of mine. She was a brave girl but sometimes bravery doesn't account for any intelligence"

"You're blunt. Better not speak like that near Subaru-kun. It's already a touchy subject between us. We never talk about it, it's like a conversational minefield; we know never to tread there, me at least"

"Keep it that way" was that a command?

Silence.

"So if you knew you lost why didn't you do anything, before Hokuto came to you, or after, or at all? Why didn't you tell him he won straight away?"

Silence.

"Because…..because….I couldn't give up everything I had so far….Subaru was something big in my life but he wasn't everything. If I'd admit my losing I'd be giving up everything my mother ever taught me. She died by my hands, died so I can become the next Sakurazukamori. From the moment I was born she gave all her time and efforts to educate me, even if it was on how to be an assassin I. just give that up….I don't know why…."

"Like occupied territory. Whenever the country that conquered the land wants to give it back to the people it belongs to they remember all the men who died to conquer this land and flinch back from peace. They think of blood spilled for aggressive violence as blood spilled for protective violence and praise the dead little men instead of denouncing the bigger men who sent these pawns to war. It's a stubborn, stupid and harmful way of thinking and the longer you keep thinking it the more it hurts not to think it. It's also very human, it's vary rare that someone is enlightened and smart enough to see what's really good for them"

"I know that. Now I think about it almost every night…._every night_ Alex. I lie in bed and think about the past kicking myself mentally for all the mistakes I've done. I know things are better then I ever dreamt of now but I know there is still damage. I keep wondering if Subaru-kun still feels hateful towards me on that part like he did back then….."

"You've changed; the tree that held your emotions in a spell is not here anymore"

"I hate it, I know I shouldn't but I hate it. It makes me so much more different then what I used to be, I can hardly recognize myself anymore"

"You're taking it too hard, you haven't changed that much. Don't be bothered by the fact that you're becoming more human. It's only good for your Subaru and the people around you"

"I don't give a damn about the people around me! They could all be dead as much as I would care"

"Then you and Subaru would drive each other mad"

"Really?"

Alex sniggered "Yes, I love watching you guys, you're the best entertainment there is around here! But you're good, you're my little project….the only thing I ever managed to pull out right in this place…." He sighed.

Silence.

"But I'm doing stupid things. When this whole mess happened I just ran to where Subaru-kun was. I wasn't thinking clearly. I could have sent my shikigami to look after Subaru-kun and help him. Instead I just ran and only as I went along I thought of using it……"

"He did remarkably without you, you know"

"Yes, amazingly well, that thing was like nothing he ever encountered. He had grown strong. I'm proud of him"

"He's your lover not your child Seishiro, you should stop looking at him as if he's a little nine year old boy"

"……But he was really cute that way"

"The last man who found kids that age cute got killed by a spirit monster Seishiro"

They broke into choked gigles, luckily unheard by the rest of the funeral participants.

* * *

Karen leaned against the door frame to Yuzuriha's room.

Subaru, Kamui and Victoria were still sitting with the weeping girl. Victoria's red eyes were dim and constantly in and out of focus as she fought her natural instincts to sleep in the daytime.

Karen couldn't stop the flood of thoughts gushing in her mind; they were slowly driving her mad.

After all, she was the one who got the 'recycled' fabric for Kazuki's dress, it's her fault that all of this happened. Now Yuzuriha and Yutu had their dearest special people dead because of her laziness in finding some solution to Kazuki's problem.

Karen couldn't stand it anymore, she ran off from the house.

She ran towards the main rescue team's house.

"My roommate back in my spaceship had a guitar. He was a _lousy_ player" Ace received no answer from his roommate as he sat with a guitar, strumming it softly from time to time.

All Spike did was groan from time to time, his cigarette hanging loosely from his lips as he lay sprawled on the bed as if poured there.

"He liked this singer, Rasta Billy Skunk, my god! Talk about bad music. That guy, if he'd play his records you'd have to spend the next few months in hospital! I tell you, that record had a health warning on it!"

Spike managed to muster enough energy to smile a little, the idea amused him a bit.

When Karen walked into their room they both raised surprised eyes that turned into worried ones as they saw her.

Her hair was a mess, her face was gray with worry, swollen dark skin under her eyes showed that she hadn't slept that night, that she was crying.

During their various patrols Karen had gotten quite friendly with both Ace and Spike. Sometimes when she was in a patrol with one the other would come along, just for the conversation and company.

She came to them now because her friends at her house made her feel guilty, they were too close to the subject to make her comfortable and she needed a listening ear.

"What's wrong Karen?"

"It's that guy who died from you guys, isn't it?"

"It's my entire fault!" she wailed. Breaking into tears again, she landed on the bed by Ace. She buried her face in her hands crying out all her maddening thoughts and self blaming.

Spike sat down on her other side, lighting a cigarette for her and offering it as a thing to focus her mind on from the crying. Ace brought her tissues to wipe her nose with and opened a window to let the smoke out.

After some crying and relaxing (Spike had to smoke the cigarette himself before it burnt his fingers) she finally wiped her face and looked up at her friends.

"I did it, I'm the one who killed the Noter and Shiyu-san…it's all my fault" her eyes began tearing again. She bowed her head, shaking with silent sobs.

"Why? Because you're the one who used dead people's clothes!" Ace's voice could sometime rise to almost feminine levels when he was surprised by something.

"Look, Karen" Spike grabbed his jacket which, only now she noticed it, was slightly mismatched in color to his blue pants "this jacket belongs to some gentleman who isn't with us anymore. I had it for months now, and nothing happened"

"That's right, these things happen, they don't happen a lot but they happen. That dress was merely a coincidence, a sad one, that's all"

"But it was so strong I heard, abnormal. Like nothing before" she was still sobbing a little.

"Yes well, I heard it was because it was made of three ghosts, the dress was made from three different clothes so…"

Karen looked at the floor, mindlessly taking drafts from her new cigarette "Kazuki wanted something with a pattern….now I don't know if she'll ever wear that dress anymore….I think Subaru said it'll never happen again, something about a possessed suit he once dealt with….but Yuzuriha-chan….poor Yuzuriha-chan…" she began crying again when Spike laid a hand on her back.

"Listen, Karen….if there's one thing everybody who knows me know it's that I hate two things: women and animals. Some women though are different; they're….not like all the other women….they're….not victims to all sorts of feminine nonsense like others. You're one of those women, there are only two like that that I know of and one of them is you. In other words, you're not a bad woman at all"

It was a rare compliment.

Karen looked at Spike with thankful watery eyes. "Thank you….and for the cigarette" she managed a faint sad laughter.

* * *

The next place Karen was headed for was the infirmary. She wanted to pick up Kazuki.

The bioroid was in slight shock, breaking out of it in constant fits of alarmed and hysterical crying.

Her psychologist was at her side around the clock to see she's not doing anything drastic.

When Karen walked into the psychologist's room she saw the man sitting by Kazuki on the sofa he had there, looking very tired.

Kazuki was sitting besides him, slumped like a doll someone threw away. Karen noted some tares in her dress which she still didn't take off. Apparently she didn't undress yet but tore at the garment in her anger.

Now Kazuki was just numb and sad.

Karen saw the bioroid's eyes and immediately thought of Kamui after Kotori's death. It might not end up being exactly it but she had to do something to silence her fears.

She sat down by Kazuki, holding her hand. When she received no response but a faint "mm", Karen took the bioroid in her arms doing as best as she could to sit the body of a young man on her lap like a little child.

She spoke softly to Kazuki's ear. "Sweetie, do you want me to sing you a song? I heard it from my kindergarten teacher, a very nice woman. Listen, Kazuki.

"_The prettiest girl in kindergarten_

_She has the prettiest eyes in kindergarten _

_And the prettiest braid in kindergarten _

_And the prettiest mouth in kindergarten_

"_And the more that you look at her_

_The more you realize there's no doubt_

_That she is the prettiest, prettiest girl in kindergarten_

"_When she smiles, I smile too_

_And when she's sad I can't understand_

_How can you be sad? _

_When you're the prettiest girl in kindergarten_"

Karen sang the verses over and over again, softly and calmly until she could feel the body in her arms soften from its stiff condition. Until Kazuki hung her tearful eyes at Karen and beamed a sad smile at the older woman.

"There, now I can smile too, because the prettiest girl smiled at me" Karen beamed too, running her fingers through Kazuki's hair. "My, and your hair grew so long, soon you'll be able to have braids in your hair"

Kazuki only smiled faintly and snuggled up closer to Karen, slowly falling asleep in the embrace.

Karen allowed herself to finally close her eyes as well and let sleep take over her.

The psychologist sighed and got up, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Yuzuriha's first patrol since Kusanagi's death. After walking silently for a few hours she sudden stopped.

Two figures stopped with her. One was Victoria and the other was Inuki.

The spirit dog's revival was the result of a little of Yutu's help to try and find a comfort in the love within her heart. Now she had a little spirit puppy that trotted merrily by at her feet on little stumpy pup legs.

"What's wrong Yuzu? Did Inuki find something?" Victoria couldn't see Inuki. It's just not the sort of thing a vampire could see, not her type anyway.

Lestate could see Inuki, he could see ghosts too. He said Inuki looked like a little wolf and that he hopes it won't grow to be a wolf.

Yuzuriha was too numb to answer that.

She was floating on a different cloud on the days after Kusanagi's death. She was silent, always a bit stooped and slouchy with whatever she did. Her eyes were distant and unfocused, dimmed and tearful most of the time. She heard but didn't really reply or understand what's spoken to her. Her movements were slow and her speaking, if it came at all, was hushed and monotonous. She was distracted easily by her thoughts often freezing in the middle of whatever it is she was doing to do. She became careless and clumsy, dropping things and banging into furniture.

Inuki was some comfort to her, the little spirit puppy was bringing joy to her. But she was so sad that even that happiness drowned into her depression.

"I don't want to die Bicky-chan" she said.

For the first time Victoria saw Yuzuriha's eyes focused and clear. They scared her with their clarity and graveness. Her voice was sharp and her words came fast without small musing breaks between them like they were of late.

Victoria couldn't answer that, what would a vampire say to a mortal about such a thing? The only thing she could come up with was what her father used to tell her whenever she thought of death

"But Yuzu" she plastered a smile on her face "you're so young, death is so far away from you. You have a lot of time to live out, don't get your mind into such things _already_" she laughed a small nervous laughter.

Yuzuriha stared at her for a moment, during which Victoria kicked herself mentally for saying a stupid thing like that. In here dangers like what killed Kusanagi could jump at you and you wouldn't even know what hit you.

"I want you to turn me into a vampire, then I wouldn't die" it's as if Yuzuriha didn't hear her words at all.

Could she really do it! Her master asked her for her permission to do that it, and Yuzuriha wanted it. She didn't quite remember everything from that time in clarity; it was all a mess in her head. But….was she _allowed_?

Even if she was, even if she really knew how, Victoria wouldn't do such a thing just on request.

Her friends' eyes burned holes of guilt in her; she had to give some answer.

"Say, why don't we go ask Alex if we could do that? Just to get a final permission okay Yuzu?"

Yuzuriha merely nodded faintly.

They headed towards the Rescue team's main house.

Alex was sitting on his bed, smoking silently. His window was closed and the curtains drawn.

Cigarette smoke rose and curled near the ceiling like a fog, little clouds in it were in constant movement as each exhaling added to it's thickness.

He was just about to go to the Cliffside to meditate a little on the general condition of things but for now he'll finish his cigarette.

A depression that started when Kamui told him he wanted Fuma was sitting down on him like a fog thicker then anything. It began burning things within him, blinding him and numbing him with pain and rage.

When Victoria came in to his room with Yuzuriha and Inuki she saw a numb cold look in his eyes that matched Yuzuriha's grieving state.

He slowly raised a pair of dim green eyes to them "What do you want?" he asked flatly, without interest or care.

Yuzuriha boldly stepped forward "I want to become a vampire, whether by Bicky-chan, by you or by anybody, I don't care"

Alex looked at her for some time, sizing her up calmly as if she was an opponent "And why do you want to do such a thing to yourself?"

"I don't want to die" her voice wavered slightly.

"And you think you'll be invincible as a vampire?"

"Yes, I understood it is so"

"You only become truly immortal after you gain certain strength and age. Before that you're relatively vulnerable and even when you're strongest you're still vulnerable to some things"

"I understood you made Bicky-chan stronger then she was when she came here; surely you can make me the same"

"Is power all you want?" he exhaled a cloud of smoke towards her. The white cloud crushed on her, breaking into a thin layer of white air.

She stiffened her body, clenching her fists "No." her voice was harsh "I don't want to die"

"There were a couple of vampires here once. I took real good care of them. But a big fire happened here during the daytime when they were sleeping, that took them down. _They_ died"

"And where were you?"

"I was searching for our mutual friend Kamui" his eyes hardened, it seems he was about to dismiss her or start a loud argument. She was touching sensitive nerves that no one in her position should.

Silence.

Victoria darted her eyes worriedly from Alex to Yuzuriha.

Alex rubbed his chin and stubbed his cigarette in an ashtray. He opened the windows and the curtains to let the fresh night air clear all the stifling smoke from his room.

On the floor by the bed he sat on was a rectangle that was less dusty and dirty then the rest of the room, it was where Kamui's coffin used to be once.

"You want to be a vampire and be with Victoria right? As a friend?"

Yuzuriha nodded, darting a look at Victoria.

The young vampire noted her eyes were brightened, perhaps with the light of hope.

"And what about a boyfriend? Won't you want one some day?"

Yuzuriha fought back her tears.

"Are you going to cry about him now?" Alex's voice wasn't caring, it was hard and cold as steel "He's dead, move on" his words were so crude and so cruel, but they were truth.

"That is my business" her voice wavered again but only slightly enough to be hidden by her powerful words.

"It won't be your business when you will find a boyfriend Yuzuriha. He'll wither and die while you'll stay forever young"

"Then I'll turn him into a vampire as well"

"And what if you'll have a fight and break up? Then you'll run off to find another boyfriend? Soon you'll fill this whole place with vampires"

Yuzuriha bowed her head a little, fighting for self control "Can't you just do it?" she muttered with a tear soaked voice.

They fell on deaf ears "What about Arashi, the rest of your friends? They'll wither and die just like Kusanagi died and you'll be left alone, watching as generation after generation lives their life and die. Life will flow by you like a river and you'll stand at it's shore, never feeling the water again"

Yuzuriha looked away. She scooped Inuki in for a tight hug.

Victoria bowed her head after, seeing that darting begging looks at Alex didn't work.

Alex sized Yuzuriha again, lit another cigarette and leaned back against the wall of his room. The night sky was dark and heavy in the window above his head.

"You're still a child Yuzuriha. Even if you had all the good arguments for me to turn you into a vampire then I still wouldn't. Let's start with the fact that your body is still not fully developed yet. You'll be stuck in the body of a fourteen year old girl and even if you'll behave as maturely as you'll mentally be people will always look at you as a little girl.

"Let's see, Victoria, you're what? Nineteen? (Victoria nodded) don't you want to see the world the way she does? As a grown up? Wait until you'll be her age and then we'll see. You'll have time to measure your friendships and the bond with Victoria, even see what you think about other boys. Then we'll talk, is that a deal?"

Yuzuriha nodded, hanging her hopeful eyes at Alex and even smiled a little "All right, it's a deal!" her voice regained its cheerful bubbly essence again.

The girls walked out of the house to resume their patrol.

"So, you feel better now Yuzu? Where's Inuki now by the way?"

Yuzuriha giggled a little "Yes, I feel a lot better now, and he's at my feet….aw, he just stumbled over something, he's so sweet!"

"Ano, Bicky-chan?"

"Yes?"

"There's just one more stop I want to have before we get back to the proper patrol course, okay?"

"Sure"

They stopped at the cemetery. Yuzuriha placed some daisies on Kusanagi's grave, speaking a few words Victoria couldn't hear.

She lifted something from the ground to the tombstone, introducing Inuki to Kusanagi.

Then she rose back to her feet and smiled brightly yet somewhat sadly at Victoria.

The two carried on with their patrol.

* * *

"Oooooooooh"

"What is it Seishiro-san?"

"Another hard day at work Sakurazuka-san?"

Seishiro glared at Sorata who quickly withdrew to the kitchen with a mental tail between his legs.

Sure, the monk put the social bonding of all the house's residents as his main goal but sometimes he did tactical mistakes he could realize (most of the time he babble stupid things and didn't even know they're stupid)

"Our annoying assistant is sick! I hope he dies. If not I'll kill him myself, tree or no tree!"

Subaru sat Seishiro on a sofa in the living room, following their little routine.

Seishiro would come back from work and moan about it to Subaru.

Subaru would take his jacket, hang it by the door and sit him down on the sofa. Until dinner came, or after if Seishiro was late, Subaru would rub Seishiro's feet, or shoulders or arms or whatever according to that day's cramps.

"Ano…..umm…." Kazuki was mulling the apron of her dress nervously, standing by Seishiro.

The older onmyouji looked up at her questioningly.

"I was just thinking….umm….if you needed an assistant because yours is sick….so I thought I might be able to do that, for the mean time until he'll be better again….."

If Karen wouldn't be on patrol she would either tare Kazuki from the idea or threat Seishiro not to accept the offer.

But she wasn't there.

Seishiro looked at Kazuki for a while, wondering if the bioroid is in her right mind.

Then shrugged "All right, and you can stay after he heals too as much as I care. A _corpse_ would be a better use then him!"

He turned to Subaru "Did I tell you what he did last time? He stared at himself in this mirror he found for about an _hour_, I know that because we timed this procedure we were doing while he was at it. And in the end of it you know what he said? He turned to us and said 'yes, as I thought, I am amazingly beautiful (2)' can you believe that!"

Subaru chuckled.

Kazuki allowed herself to chuckle as well. She now had a use that was more then to get possessed by vengeful spirits. Her mind was at ease and so she could lighten up and be happy again.

(tbc)

* * *

(1) Non Commanding Officer.

(2) I don't really remember _exactly_ what Hotohori said but it was something of the sort wasn't it?


	14. Children Growing and a Bad Omen

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Warning:** hints of yaoi. Don't like, don't read, don't sue!

* * *

**Part 14 – Children Growing and A Bad Omen**

The final visit Kamui and Fuma had to pay was to the dimension's prison house.

It was a lone building on a hill almost parallel to the infirmary. It was the infirmary's twin building in every bit of it's designing, once they were a set of five other buildings on the hills around the city but time destroyed the other three.

Behind the prison was a small and well kept vegetable garden where the inmates would attempt to do minor agricultural works while getting some fresh air out of their cells.

Inside, where the large hospitalization and treatment halls were in the infirmary, walls that looked like they were made of green fire separated between one cell to the other. They reminded Kamui of kekkais.

The place was run by a group of Noters who were doing the same job in their own dimension. They were commanded and supervised by a woman called Gala.

Kamui heard of her, a creature like Alex, Jacob, David and Iceman. She came here in a storm of rebellion yet calmed down and was even allowed to run a job such as this.

She was behind the reception desk when Kamui and Fuma walked in.

At first they were sure there was some sort of a jailbreak.

A pale woman scantly clad by torn bits of various black fabrics glared at them. Her hair was a mess sticking upwards and sideways of her skull with the exception of a little ponytail in the very center of her head looking more like an antenna then a piece of hair. Her makeup was gothic and heavy, her eyes were jet black. In a way this Gala reminded Kamui of Alex, something about the look borderline cruelty and somewhat patronizing amusement in their eyes.

Gala was holding a makeshift knife to the throat of one of the Noters, holding him in a very professional restraining grip. The Noter didn't seem to be at all frightened or alarmed, not even when Justice walked in.

They stared at what was going on behind the reception desk, what was going on behind the reception desk stared back.

They stood like that for a while as Fuma noted that whomever prisoner was there also stared at the reception desk.

"Ano…" he mumbled and a pale thin hand snapped away from the grip on the Noter to gesture them to stop or wait, they couldn't make out.

A moment later and a herd of other Noters burst in through some passage not Fuma, Kamui or any watching prisoner could have seen.

They ran towards the reception desk wearing helmets, brandishing clubs and holding shields in front of them. All this equipment was made from the same green fire that made the cell walls.

They grabbed Gala, professionally separating her from the Noter who turned back and smiled proudly at the shocked and shaken Justice.

His fellows dragged the woman who was kicking and screaming like a demented person into one of the cells, throwing her through the green fire wall into the empty cell. One Noter held up his hand to the wall thus sealing it.

Once in the cell Gala straightened herself after landing most unceremoniously on her rear end. She got up and walked straight through the wall clapping her hands and smiling brightly. "Very good boys, very good! This drill was one of the best we had ever, good work. We had a little intrusion but that wasn't your fault"

she turned her eyes to Justice. Her boys followed her eyes. "How may we help you Justice?" she smiled again, her eyes wicked and malicious.

Fuma and Kamui finished their visit to the prison with a feeling of great responsibility on their hands. The last time Fuma felt so obliged to so many things was when he received an amazing amount of homework to do.

The prison didn't really function as prison but as something between a proper correction facility and a loony bin. It was agreed with Gala that all demented inmates ("those who were _really_ demented" as Gala added merrily) were to be moved to another facility.

It's not that they were kept as criminals in the prison, they were treated very well with daily visits by the infirmary's psychologist and limitless visits from their familiars, but they were kept along with real criminals and that was bad enough. Let alone the fact that the prison was now needed as a proper and serious facility where whatever criminal will be sent after sentenced to do his time.

Another agreement was that the first thing Justice would do will be to give the present criminals re-trialed properly.

The Noters in the prison house seemed to be almost a completely different kind of people then the rest of the Noters in the city. Instead of silent secrecy and obedience only to their commanders wherever they may be, these young men were a merry, open laidback type.

There was something weary in them, always complaining about something but with a bit of a smile along with it.

They invited Kamui and Fuma to a cup of coffee during which they spilled almost every story, joke and complaint into their ears.

Their uniforms were different then the usual Noters'. Their shirts were completely black with a white collar and the distinct white left sleeve. One leg of their pants was blue and the other red, above was the white belt. Near the sleeve, under the shoulder rank holding slip was a green fabric braided band.

They didn't keep to their outfit's strict proper appearance as the rest of the Noters did. Theirs was a little mucky here, a little tattered there, their shirt not tucked into their pants, their pants not tucked into their shoes and so on.

Gala didn't seem to mind, she walked straight into the buzzing dining room and sat amongst her boys, on the lap of one of them. She seemed to be completely natural with them, as she sat on one man she leaned her back against another (who turned his back to her to better support her), lay her one leg on another and the other leg on another. Those she laid her legs on took off her high heeled black boots and rubbed her feet "Oh, you're daaaaaarlings" she purred at them with her heavy British accent.

After their visit Fuma and Kamui had a long debate over whether the Noters were giving Gala more then just foot rubs and of how far they went with her.

But there was a certain air in the prison, as if they were being treated with half mockery and half respect. To their faces they were most respected and honored. But whenever a Noter walked by another, past a corner or by a table, eyes were shooting from Justice to their fellow Noters' and whispers in their language meant that they were sharing some secret or judgment over the two.

"Let's not go there a lot Kamui…"

"Yes, let's not…."

They walked back to the building site of their court. In order to make it a perfect Hall of Justice they were to take part of the actual building of the court.

Kamui didn't mind, he saw it as some sort of exercise now that his powers were weakening. Besides, whenever Fuma worked hard enough and it was hot enough the older boy would take his shirt off and that's something Kamui just couldn't complain about.

* * *

Yuzuriha was walking slowly back to her home from the main Rescue Team house. It was the very early hours of the morning when the air was clear and cool. All around her nature was waking up as the sun began shining heat on it through the thin clouds hanging between heaven and earth.

She planned to go to sleep immediately without any delay. She was already picturing herself snuggled up tightly in bed. She stayed with Victoria as much as the latter could push her instincts to sleep when the sun was up. Then Yuzuriha, exhausted from the patrol and the chatting, began dragging herself back home.

As she opened the door to her house she was surprised to see Karen in her robe (another dead man's outfit, this time it was cleared by Subaru before use) in the kitchen, clutching a cup of tea. She was looking intently out of the kitchen window at a part of the back yard and looking very alert at that.

"Karen-san? Why are you up so early? Sorata-kun and Subaru-san are on patrol, why are you up as well? Even Yutu-san and Aoki-san are still asleep"

Karen shot her eyes to Yuzuriha and stormed over to the girl. She grabbed her by the shoulders and glared down at her "Where did you come from?"

Yuzurha's mind froze for a while with fear. Even Inuki was puzzled at this strange behavior. "Th….the…main…Rescue….Bicky-ch…"

Karen let go of her. She bit her knuckles and looked away from the frightened girl. "So you couldn't have seen who's in the backyard….." she mumbled to herself "But I know she's there, I have to tell her what's going on…." She whipped her face back to look at Yuzuriha. There was something almost frightening in the way she looked powerfully at her.

She grabbed the young girl by the arm and dragged her out to the back yard.

In the little toilet shade Arashi knelt, throwing up violently. When she finished she flushed the toilet, got up slowly while wiping her mouth, dragged herself to the little well that stood in the yard and washed her face and mouth.

When she turned around to head back to bed she saw a determined Karen and a much weary yet just as much curious Yuzuriha. Inuki raced to the toilet to drink the fresh water.

Arashi stared at her friends for a while, wobbling a bit as she walked towards them "Good morning…..What?"

Karen's eyes were soft as she neared Arashi and tangled her arm in hers. "This has been happening to you a lot lately, hasn't it Arashi-san?"

Arashi looked up at Karen confused and still a bit sleepy.

Yuzuriha walked to Karen's side looking at Arashi as if she had purple spots on her face.

"You mean me being sick? Yes, every morning lately….I think there's something wrong with the way we store our meat here, I always had a very sensitive stomach"

Karen was dumbfounded. Arashi was being honestly concerned about that, not realizing a thing of what it really meant.

"Arashi-san…….you've been raised in a temple most of your life, haven't you?"

"Yes…I was their hidden shrine maiden….why?"

"And they never told you the facts of life, they never bothered with that did they…?" she was talking to herself now.

Karen would never admit it but somewhere deep within her she was always jealous of all those 'pampered shrine brat Seals' as she called them. Even Seiichiro was raise in his clan where he was introduced and trained with his powers.

She and Kamui were the only ones who had to discover and nurture their powers completely on their own while living their lives on the streets. In a way she valued Kamui for that, besides the little grudge she felt for him lately.

"Karen-san? What are you talking about?" Yuzuriha ripped the woman out of her thoughts.

She turned to Arashi again "Arashi-san, when was the last time you had your period?"

Arashi's face was frozen as usual at first, she looked at Karen as if to say 'what's that got to do with anything!' then after a while her face paled and her eyes widened in shock.

She stopped walking and just stood, staring at Karen in complete shock.

Karen smiled at her happily, Yuzuriha began to vibrate the way she did before she'd burst into a seizure of jumping up and down in happiness.

"Why are you so happy!" Arashi suddenly burst her voice in panic "don't you understand what it means! It can't be! I can't be! I won't be!" she screamed and ran off to her room. She came down fully dressed and stormed out of the house.

Sorata vaguely woke up from his lover's quick dressing "Hey why are you putting your clothes back on babe?" he received a deadly glare and a pillow to the head on a level of violence such as he hadn't experienced from her in a long time.

* * *

A nurse almost threw the tray of bandages and medications as Arashi violently stormed into the infirmary.

She ran up to Charlie who was after a night full of watching over a patient only to have it end up moved to David's care by the early morning hours.

"Charlie-sensei" only a person from one group of people could address him this way and Yutu was the only one he could stand from all of them. Maybe Karen too but that's it, the rest were too much of a headache.

He turned around and smiled wearily at the long haired woman "Yes Arashi?" at least he could remember her name.

"I want to sign up for an abortion"

"An abortion"

"Yes"

"I'm sorry but it's impossible"

"….. Why!"

"Because we don't do abortions in here"

"What! What sort of an infirmary is this!"

That was the last straw for Charlie, he let his bad mood out as much as he could "Listen to me now little girl, this isn't a normal hospital like in your home dimension; we don't even have all the medications that we should have, hygiene is as high as we can afford it. We can't do everything here, only as much as we could. Believe me this takes a greater toll then the fruit of your fooling around not stopped!"

Arashi's poker face tainted with desperation "But you have operation tools here don't you?"

Charlie cooled off a little. She wasn't trying to piss him off; she was just a little girl who got up the duff by mistake. She and her boyfriend, as he remembered from his wedding, were a couple of kids and nothing more. She didn't understand the medical facts he thought were basic and obvious.

He took a deep breath and held her shoulders gently "Listen, Arashi, the equipment we have here isn't fit to do this sort of delicate work; it's too crude. If we do anything wrong it might cause huge un-repairable damage. Do you want to lose the ability to have children at all? Or lose your life?"

Her eyes filled with tears "But I….not now…..I don't want to have a baby….not yet….I" she burst into tears. Charlie held her softly, using this chance to close his eyes for the first time after a long night.

Then soft hands lay on her shoulders and she turned around to a man who once fought her boyfriend as part of some long ago battle.

Yutu looked down at her and softly said "What's wrong Arashi-san?" he placed his palm on her belly "This baby will be very lucky because he was made in love and born into love"

It made her forget everything that she ever thought of ridding herself from this baby.

* * *

But the thoughts returned as the day ticked by, as she went to noon patrol. She walked silently with her head almost feverish with thoughts. Her patrol partner didn't help either.

It seems someone was drunk, high or simple plain stupid when he paired Arashi and Alex together.

When she returned from history's most tense and silent patrol ever, the dinner table was all set, people already sitting to it.

She walked over to the empty chair saved to her by Sorata and flopped to it tiredly. She was trying not to glare at Yuzuriha.

She didn't know why she began to take out all her pent up discomfort with Alex at the girl, maybe because of the vampire friend she had made.

The dinner went on smoothly with hardly any talking, arguing or anything at all.

Until Sorata began talking that is.

"Ne, Kamui, what were you doing last night eh? I thought the ceiling was going to collapse on our heads" he finished that little piece of information with a heartily laughter.

Arashi felt the blood freeze in her veins.

Fuma and Kamui merely looked at Sorata innocently as the rest stared from them to Sorata with eyes half embarrassed and half curios.

"We were moving furniture trying to rearrange the living space a bit" Fuma beamed a smile at everyone, trying to make the slightly blushing Kamui a bit less nervous.

"Yes, I don't know who designed these rooms before we came here but they clash with almost every rule of Fang shui" Seiichiro was stared at for a while "my wife is an interior designer" he said it a bit nervously glancing sideways to Yutu from time to time, not knowing why he was doing that.

"I don't know about Fang shui or anything like that, all I know is that there was a huge spider's nest just above our bed and I didn't feel like waking up with spider babies all over me one night" Kamui grunted poking at his dish.

"A ha ha! And there I was sure you're doing something wild ha ha ha!" Sorata placed his hand on the back of his neck awkwardly. "We can never know with you two"

Sorata just didn't seem to stop, Arashi wanted to clamp her hand on his mouth but she felt heavy….all of her felt heavy….she was heavy with an extra weight to her body….

"Now you two" the father of her future child motioned towards Subaru, who was running a hushed little conversation with his lover during most of the meal, "sure are noisy ha ha ha"

Seishiro hadn't seen Subaru blush this much since he was sixteen when he had just tried his first 'do you find me sexy' line. He felt no need to glare at Sorata, he saw how Arashi was slowly reaching a level where she'll be doing something worse.

"And the girls giggling, sometimes I can't sleep a wink with all your gossips and laughter, I never knew girls were like…"

"**_Sorata!_**"

There was a silence in the room and everyone stared at Arashi who had just produced the most animalistic angry growl they've ever heard the usually cold and calculative woman emit.

She was glaring at him but her eyes were filling with tears. She wanted to be angry with him but she couldn't and she was hiding something that was hurting her, eating her from the inside.

Sorata stared back at her, what was wrong with her? He started it, but what _was_ it? Sorata began feeling like a little punished child, hurt by the punishment and filled with shame for his deed.

"You're so childish" she finaly said after keeping her inner fire from bursting out, recomposing herself as much as she could. She looked like she was keeping something big from bursting out with all her might and self control. "How can you raise a child if you're a child yourself?" then she burst into a fit of crying, covering her face with her hands "How can I?" she whimpered and stormed away, off to her room.

There was another silence as everybody analyzed what Arashi just said.

"Why is she crying?" Kazuki whispered tugging at Karen's sleeve. The older woman merely placed her arm across the bioroid's shoulders.

"I…..she was saying….?" Sorata was frozen the way he was before Arashi shot what she had to the air. His arm was just reaching out to hug her, now it hung lonely and redundant.

Seiichiro beamed a huge fatherly smile at Sorata "She meant to say that you're going to have a baby, you're going to be a father Sorata-kun" he smiled on despite the huge pain in his chest.

The Koya monk slowly turned his face to him, his eyes empty with the shock. "Eeeh!" is all he managed to mutter.

Seiichiro slowly rose to his feet, cleared his plate to the sink and walked just as slowly to his room. He felt numb all the way, even when he closed the door behind him and flopped to his bed where he could sit and cry as much as he wanted to.

Only a few minutes later, as he heard feet shuffling in the hallway and on the floors below and above him could he unwind a bit and start crying.

Seiichiro never remembered himself crying so much, not even when he heard Daisuke died. But of course, he had his wife and his daughter by him back then; he had a shoulder to cry on and an ear to spill his problems to. Now he was thrown into a completely new place with new problems and no family. These people, even the Seals, were close to him but not that close. All he wanted was closure and comfort.

He wasn't used to the rugged love-less life, to angst and sadness. He was raised in a warm happy family, he had two parents whom non of which exploded to give birth to a sword or died in a fire. He was not found in the dirty streets wondering if he should or shouldn't eat garbage in order to live on. He never had an invisible friend that made him a mockery amongst his fellow classmen. He was never so sensitive and kind hearted that every little bit of sadness pierced him like a bullet……he had a happy ordinary life….. nothing could have prepared him to this.

Warm hands embraced him from behind and despite the fact that Seiichiro new exactly who it was he didn't object or pulled away. They were so warm and soft, these love filled arms that Seiichiro could have curled into the wonderful warmth between them and sleep it all off.

Love turned him around in his arms and laid his head at his lap, running his soothing fingers through his hair until the man stopped crying and fell asleep.

* * *

After every dinner Karen, Subaru and Seishiro each make a cup of coffee then went up to the balcony of the second floor to have a cigarette.

Many times they just stood there and smoked, and only at times when there was a heated debate during dinner would they speak amongst each other, but most of the time they smoked in silence. After that they'd split and spend the evening separately as if they never knew each other and never shared those moments. There was a gap between Karen and the onmyoujis, even between the two Seals of the three. There was still a little gap between the onmyoujis themselves.

This evening Seishiro leaned backwards on the stone banister enough to look through the kitchen window and watch Sorata slowly washing the dishes.

The Kansai monk was doing everything very mechanically and with as less attention to it as possible; he was having too much to think of at the moment to focus on something as small as washing the dishes.

"Poor child" Karen and Subaru turned their eyes to him, surprised with him for starting a conversation.

"With these mixed genes? It'll be a hyper genki ice queen with an endless appetite"

Now they glared at him but he didn't mind, he could be cruel as much as he wanted.

Karen tried to hide a smile after she understood that joke fully; Subaru didn't bother with his smile.

They smoked the rest of their cigarettes in peace.

* * *

Sorata finally mustered the courage to enter his room.

He was sure that the moment he'll walk in a shoe or a pillow will fly at his direction.

But instead his loved one sat on their bed with her back towards the door. By the vibrations running through her from time to time he could tell that she was crying quite powerfully.

There was a jumble of words and sentences he wanted to say to her, there was so much he felt, so much he wanted to express….he had to put some order into it to make some sense out of himself.

He walked over and sat behind her in the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, placing his palms on her tummy. He leaned his head on her shoulder and whispered in her ear "I know I'm tactless and silly and foolish and a blabbermouth and a horrible noise maker at time and that I'm mostly food obsessed but…..I will protect you and this baby with my life…..

"I know you don't need protection as much as you need a good father to your child but…..I wish I could carry our baby with you for these nine months because…..we both made it together and we'll raise it together and….I'll do all my best to give our child all the best there is, I promise….and I love you"

Arashi managed to twist her neck enough to stare as much as she could into the eyes of her lover. Her eyes were still tearful but now they filled with hope.

"We'll raise this baby together" he whispered softly, planting his lips on hers softly "I love you"

"I love you too"

* * *

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere I aaaaaaaaaaaaam! Sorry I had to keep you waiting but you wouldn't believe what happened!" Yuzuriha finished running up to Victoria who was making a little crown of daisies, sitting in Venus's field.

Inuki ran off to madly roll in the daisies. For some reason he was mad about the smell of them. Whenever they'd near the field he'd run up to it and have a good 'going mad' session like a cat in a catnip bush.

"Arashi-san is pregnant! She's going to have a baby with Sorata-san! Can you believe it! I'm so happy for them!"

Victoria tried to focus her mind on all the data and the questions she wanted to ask Yuzuriha but she was too busy wondering about something she noted her friend was doing a lot lately.

When Yuzuriha would run she'd wince a little bit and then cross her hands on her chest. She now did the same thing as she was jumped up and down with excitement. She noted once, when they were around a man who asked for their help on a route, that when she was hopping up and down the man looked at her and she immediately did that protective movement and blushed deeply.

"Yuzu….."

"Yes?" the young girl looked puzzled at the suddenly serious vampire.

Inuki gave a good heartily sneeze as too many pollens gotten into his nose.

"Bless you Inuki!" she turned to shrill at her inugami, forgetting what Victoria tried to start.

"Yuzu……"

"Eh? Oh, sorry, I forgot you started talking to me, what's the matter?"

"Sit down next to me"

She did as she was ordered starting to feel a bit awkward about Victoria's mood. She wasn't going to ask her about being a vampire again would she? It's been almost three months since that time and Victoria was still feeling a bit awkward about some of it.

"Yuzu….do you have a bra?"

Yuzuriha stared at her friend for a while. Maybe it was her poor English, maybe it was the way Victoria pronounced whatever word it was in her common British accent that made Yuzuriha not understand the question.

"A brazier…a bra….a…oh god…" Victoria gave up. She unbuttoned her bright blue Hellsing uniform shirt enough to reveal Yuzuriha what she was talking about.

"Aaaah……ano……" Yuzuriha turned into a lovely shade of red.

Victoria could see her face clearly despite the somewhat darkness around them and she could see the blood itself rushing towards her face.

The girl was moving quite uncomfortably on her spot doing all her might to make the earth swallow her on the spot. "No….I don't have one….."

"I can see that….you need one you know, and not just so you could run around without pain…."

"But how could I get one? I'm not getting one from someone dead, oh no!"

Victoria lay back in the field trying to figure out a way to get her mind into forming a plan to help her friend.

* * *

And so a small net of manipulation and convincing wove itself.

Karen agreed to help with sewing the bra once the materials were there. All Yuzuriha had to do was to ask her.

Then there were the actual materials to get.

Victoria nagged Alex day and night to persuade the already unwilling David to allow them both and Yuzuriha to enter the storage shack and pick materials. That took more time and nagging then Victoria could have imagined.

Then there was dealing with Yuzuriha's embarrassment of asking Subaru to ward the material to prevent any angry spirits from possessing Yuzuriha.

That was particularly difficult to Yuzuriha, despite the fact that she was usually quite comfortable with the onmyouji, she still regarded him as male.

"Sub!" Death came through the window, walking through the house might lead to meeting Kamui and that was too painful for him.

"Hello Alex! What's this?" Subaru pointed at the little bag of materials Alex was holding.

Death did not look pleased with anything at all. "That's Yuzuriha's future bra, she wants these things warded so Karen and I could make her a bra and she's too embarrassed to ask you personally"

"Really? Poor you, you look like you couldn't be bothered"

"I'm blessing every moment in which I decided I want to stick to men and not that stupid, idiotic, irrational, annoying, spastic, stupid, stupid, **stupid** gender!"

Subaru wrapped an arm around Alex's broad shoulders "You poor thing….by the way…couldn't you do it?"

"It's an excuse to see you"

Subaru batted his eyelashes playfully, blushing a bit and leaning on Alex "Seishiro-san might find out" he let out a small giggle.

"Get off! You think I'd actually come in between you two!"

"I don't know, you're not something I can call predictable"

"I'm glad you classify me under 'something' and not 'someone'"

Subaru just giggled. He took the materials and began chanting.

Seishiro entered the room and sat on the bed by Alex "Hello hello, long time no see. What brings you here?"

"I brought Subaru some materials to make himself a little garment"

"And what garment might it be that has so little material on it? Is it something naughty? Is it my birthday present?" there was a playful mischievous look in Seishiro's eyes. He was ruining Subaru's concentration.

"Shhh, you're disturbing him"

"Couldn't you do it?"

"As I said to your dear sweet lover, it's an excuse to come and see you"

"Me?" it was amazing how those two could behave exactly the same way sometimes.

"The _both_ of you, you arrogant bastard"

"Ah yes"

Subaru finished his exorcism and began examining the materials themselves.

Seishiro noted the metal wiring "Ano….Subaru-kun, why do you need a bra for?"

"He's going to have a sex change Sei dear"

"Is he?"

"Yes, wouldn't you like him better with breasts?"

"If I'd want him to have breasts I'd make the bet with Hokuto….."

Silence.

Subaru stared at Seishiro.

Seishiro stared at Subaru.

Alex wondered how high a voltage the tension in the air was.

"Say!" he desperately hurried to change the subject "how do you know how a bra looks like Sei dear?"

They ignored him and turned to look away from each other.

Alex kicked himself mentally despite the fact that it was basically Seishiro's tactical mistake.

"I'll go get these things to Karen……you guys run along now…."

They were still ignoring him as he got up from the bed. Now they were prepared to have a brawl.

"Oh my…." He hurried to walk out of the room. He'd keep an ear to their talking to keep them from doing something stupid like having a _really_ bad argument.

* * *

Yuzuriha was crossing her hands on her chest again looking like something between fear and reprimanding at Alex who walked in with his own little sewing kit. Karen insisted on him joining them because she wasn't that good a seamstress as he was.

Kazuki, being one of the girl's room inhabitants sat on the floor watching the three at their work.

Yuzuriha unwound a bit enough to allow measurements taken without a shirt after the reprimanding icy glares from Alex.

Karen, used to nudity in an all-girls space had some difficulty with understanding Yuzuriha's awkwardness. But she couldn't let the poor girl stress herself too much, could she? She was forgetting that there were those in this house who could barge in without knocking (Sorata) or just enter knowing they can (Arashi). And if there might be someone in the hall during that entry they might see something they shouldn't.

"Kazuki-chan, would you stand outside the door and make sure no one's coming in dear?"

"Why?"

"Because we're doing something very private here dear"

"Oh…..okay…. "She got to her feet, ready and willing to fill any demand. "Who should I keep out?"

She was always eager to please. Seishiro and Anthony found her most efficient and helpful in her job. She seemed to have no end to her energies as she ran with them from one patient to the other doing all her best to help them as much as she could.

If she'd have nothing to do she'd just watch everything they'd do without complaints or useless questions.

She also seemed to want to learn this profession. Anthony promised her that when she'll know enough they'll start letting her be a vet with them.

"Keep boys out of the room" Yuzuriha looked quit pale and panicking.

"But Alex is a boy" she glared at him, pointing at him childishly.

Alex smirked "I'm gay, I count as a woman"

"Oh….alright" Kazuki turned around and walked out of the room.

She placed herself directly before the door crossing her arms on her chest trying to look tough, scrutinizing whomever it is that passed by her in the hall.

Seiichiro and Yutu ran up the stairs towards her. There was a pile of papers they were working on late the night before which they forgot to bring along that morning so now they rushed to get it back before the documental mess will devour their office and their day.

Kazuki placed herself in the middle of the hallway with her ands on her hips putting the most dangerous frown she could on. "_You can't come into that room!_" she pointed at the door by her left glaring at the two men before her.

"Ano….Kazuki-chan….." she reminded them of Nataku in his bad moods again.

"I said you can't come in so **don't you dare!**"

'Or she'll do what!' Yutu was wondering

"Kazuki-chan we need to get to our room, it's something about where we work. we promise we won't come into the room"

"Humph!" Kazuki returned to her position by the door following the half panicking adults with her glare.

"That was actually scary, wasn't it Yut….." Seiichiro clamped his hand on his mouth as the bright green eyes of Love turned to him softly.

Yutu noted something most delightful.

Next came Seishiro.

He wanted to do something special with/for Subaru since last night's incident so he took a day off from work to figure it out and work on it.

He noted Kazuki near the door. She was looking at him funny.

"Kazuki-san, Anthony needs…."

He didn't get to finish the sentence before he was grabbed and hurled into the room.

Yuzuriha emitted one of the longest and high pitched screams she ever did as she grabbed the nearest piece of cloth and covered herself as Seishiro came flying into the room.

A pale strong arm reached out and grabbed him before the Sakurazukaromi could crush most unceremoniously on the floor. Seishiro found himself gathered and placed on Alex's lap. Death smirked up at him maliciously. Seishiro smirked back just as maliciously.

"What are you doing here!" came a question on two voices, both charged with anger. Karen and Yuzuriha glared at Seishiro.

He looked across his shoulder (Alex spun him to sit with his back to Yuzuriha) and glared back "That thing! (He pointed angrily towards the door and Kazuki behind it) that mad…..little…..it! It threw me in here, grabbed me and threw me here!"

"Oh my" Karen sighed "next time you feel like joking about your sexuality, Alex, do it with someone with a little more knowledge of life!"

"Don't blame it on me!"

"Humph"

Seishiro got up and straightened his suit "Tssk, women, eh Alex?"

"Who needs them?"

"Oh be quiet the both of you and please Sakurazuka-san, get out of here"

"And be nice to Subaru!"

"Shut up!"

* * *

Kakyou stretched his long slim limbs in the delightful sunlight. He dropped his arms to his sides and let the breeze and the light take him. The nature around him was so magical he could have lived out here all the time without the need of the little wooden house.

"Kakyou" came the low manly voice of Dimitri from behind him.

Kakyou opened his eyes and smiled brightly. They were having a picnic and swimming in the big lake at the edge of the forest.

Kakyou's life never looked so bright and wonderful, he was never as happy as he was in here.

He was growing stronger slowly but determinedly, regaining his health from its fragile condition. He had company and good company at that. He had a life without demands and restraints, without pain and horror, without flying feathers and slowly turning wheels of time…..

It's true that they didn't speak much if at all and the only words Dimitri ever shared with Kakyou was 'yume?' whenever Kakyou had a premonition dream that required a visit to the city. But they were happy like that and they didn't really need the communication of words, they got along just fine without it.

The only dreams Kakyou had were about the court. Since Kamui and Fuma had absolutely no idea about anything like a court's structure or functioning Kakyou received a small dream of a trial happening which helped him explain to Justice what they need doing.

And that was the only dream he had so far….nothing else seemed to bother them lately.

Nothing but the mixed up dream of Kusanagi's death: he saw a three headed monster attack a dragon. And that was it, nothing more nothing less.

Kakyou had almost zero chances in understanding and interpreting that dream despite the fact that he did all his best to understand it.

When he heard about what happened he slowly began realizing what was given to him and sank into a deep dark depression. Once again he was the useless yumemie who sat, watched and did nothing to help.

He traveled to apologize deeply to Yuzuriha who merely stared at him blankly.

On his way back he was crying his eyes out wishing he'd have Dimitri's comforting arms around him to sooth his pain.

But time passed by and when Yuzuriha got over her grief she came to tell him that it wasn't his fault and that he shouldn't feel guilty at all because she's not accusing him of anything.

He relaxed a little bit and sank into a wonderful little routine in days that rolled from spring to summer in the world where Kakyou began to change into someone happier.

He was looking at the water now, his tummy stuffed with the food he prepared by _himself_, another new ability he gained, a one he was especially proud of. He felt a gentle tap on the shoulder and turned around.

Dimitri was holding two bunches of wild flowers in his hands and neared them to Kakyou's face.

The yumemie stared at Dimitri in shock and blushed deeply.

Dimitri made a gesture of smelling the flowers and handed them for Kakyou to do the same.

He smelt one kind and made a pleased 'mmm' then smelled the other and sneezed powerfully.

Dimitri chucked the sneeze causing flowers and rested the approved ones on their picnic blanket. He ran off into the forest again before Kakyou could even bother with wondering of an explanation.

He returned with two other bunches of flowers like that a couple of more times until there was a neat little heap of good smelling wild flowers at Kakyou's feet. Then Dimitri added yet another component, some sort of a strong smelling root to the heap and went off to the shore side.

He gathered the components in a shallow bowl-like rock by the shore side and began grounding all the plants together with a rock. He added water from the lake and another type of leafs and ground them all until they became a strange green colored paste. Then he beckoned Kakyou over with eyes twinkling in expectation.

Kakyou got up and knelt by the rock bowl. The moment he sat down Dimitri reached behind Kakyou's back and untied the long braid his hair was tied in and gently grabbed a strand of hair. He wetted the strand with some water then dipped it in the paste, gently rubbing it in.

A smile spread on Kakyou's face. He did start feeling a bit uneasy with water as the only way to wash his hair.

Kakyou sat in the water washing his hair now, rubbing the squishy paste into it and smoothing out any knots, humming to himself peacfully.

Only half way through the process did he notice that Dimitri was leaning against the edge of the lake.

The man was watching him with dreamy eyes, a soft smile on his lips.

Kakyou looked back at his hair trying to get his mind back to gear. It was difficult because Dimitri was looking at him this way and Kakyou knew for sure that Dimitri swam without his clothes on. His mind wondered for a while until he realized just exactly where it was wondering to and a huge blush spread across his face.

Once the paste was washed out of his hair and the strands were dried Kakyou smoothed them a little more with his fingers clearing out any other pesky knots that escaped his reach. He was sitting on the picnic blanket leaning against a tree.

Dimitri was nibbling on desert.

He had a very slow way of eating, Dimitri, he'd eat a little, ponder something, then eat again, then ponder a bit more, smoke his pipe a bit, then ate a little more. Sometimes, when there really was nothing to do, Kakyou noted that lunch stretched out into dinner and even a midnight snack.

Now Dimitri snapped out of whatever thoughts swam through his head this time and sat down by Kakyou wrapping one arm around the fragile shoulders.

He took a thick strand of hairs in his hand and examined it. He ran his crude thumb across the silky smooth hairs making a delighted sound. He neared it to his nose and inhaled the gentle fragrance of the wild flowers that clung to Kakyou's hairs and now hovered around him like a halo.

All the while Kakyou was watching the closeness between their faces, a slight blush spreading across his face.

When Dimitri finished his appreciation he turned his eyes to look into Kakyou's.

Now they were really close and Kakyou was breathless. Luckily for him Dimitri closed the distance between their lips before Kakyou could faint or shy away.

Some time afterwards Kakyou was lying in the shade wrapped in Dimitri's arms. He was softly falling asleep in that wonderful warm loving comfort and his afterglow.

He had a dream. It was so blurred and un-understandable. All he saw was symbols and things his mind interpreted to him as a part of the dream.

He saw a barren land, a scaffold and a man led to it by Justice. Everything was such a blur that he could hardly recognize why this symbol or another meant that it was Justice leading the man to his death.

Before the execution could start, Death leaped onto the scaffold, releasing the condemned man from danger then brandishing his sword at Justice.

Then something huge swept over Kakyou's dreamscape, like the shockwave he saw in films of an atom bomb exploding.

A message rang through his mind "War".

Between Justice and Death.

* * *

A.N: buha ha ha ha! Cliffhanger of doom! Don't worry it'll all be alright! I have a headache…..a big one…..a huge one….. 


	15. Seishiro

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

Anyways, on with the story….WARNING: cliffhanger of doom! Or so I think it is…..

* * *

**Part 15 – Seishiro**

"What do you see Kazuki"

"The cow's udders?"

"What about them? You remember the farmer said that her calf is getting strangely thin and weak"

"She's not letting him eat!"

"That's right but why?"

Kazuki couldn't answer that question.

She and Anthony knelt by a large brown cow with big white spots on her. In the corner of the barn said calf was bottle fed by Seishiro into a better condition.

Kazuki thought of a mother not wanting her child to eat. She remembered how when they arrived, the poor starved calf wobbled towards them then collapsed.

She wasn't frightened by it anymore because she knew that she was there to help the ones who will help him.

"Fear, panic and distress when seeing a wounded animal or human" as Anthony explained her once "are the result only of the knowledge that you cannot help the wounded creature before you. Once you know that you are there to help that creature and that you _can _help then there is no reason to freeze in fear or fall into the useless and time consuming emotional storm most people experience"

A little mess began in the barn as a small dog tried to cheerfully enter the barn. The cows made a horrible racket over not allowing the dog entry. In order to keep the feeding calf from panicking and running away Seishiro had to get up and shoo the dog away, he returned swearing under his breath.

But Kazuki didn't notice all of that; she was too busy thinking about the poor calf whose cruel mother won't let him feed off of her. Tears wallowed up in her eyes.

A gentle hand shook her shoulder "Kazuki, pay attention"

"But…why is she not letting him feed? He's her own calf….why does she hate him?" she began shaking with sobs, covering her face with her hands.

The hand shook her shoulder again, a little more powerfully now "Kazuki, pay attention please" Anthony wasn't a father figure, so was Seishiro, but she felt more kindness from both of them then from anybody else….besides Karen.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and stared at the udders….she saw nothing but cow's udders…..then she noticed their tips were red while the rest of the sack was pale pink….."They're….red…."

"And red means…." Antony's voice softened a bit after it grew harsh to snap Kazuki out of her emotions

"Red means they're infected"

"That's right"

"The dog's trying to get back in, oh screw this" Seishiro placed the now slightly more refreshed calf on a soft pile of hay and placed anti-animal wards on the entrance to the barn.

By the time he was finished the calf found himself in enough strength to get up and start wobbling around towards the farmer's wife who stood aside and patiently watched all this time. When Seishiro discovered this had one of those unexpected true emotional expressions of complete surprise.

"Anthony, the dog is scaring the cows, but why? He's small?" Kazuki wasn't paying any attention to the udders anymore.

The little canine was whining and whimpering miserably, constantly running into the spirit wall Seishiro's wards created

"He just wants a little milk that's all" the farmer's wife was stroking the revived calf.

All three veterinarian eyes turned to her.

"He tries to suckle from the cows?" Seishiro crouched by Kazuki turning the udders' tips towards the light.

"'Ai but they don't let him, they run away and he keeps nippin' at them"

"He's biting them…." Kazuki stared wide eyes at tiny puncture wounds on the cow's udders around which the infection was the worst. "And it hurt her to feed her baby…." She turned towards the dog frowning "Bad dog! You nearly got her baby dead from starvation!"

"You're very observant Kazuki, that's very good" Anthony received a huge beaming smile from Kazuki. He returned it with his own proud smile.

Seishiro merely looked at her for a brief second before getting a lotion from his bag and smearing some on the udders. Despite the semi-ignoring behavior Kazuki knew he was impressed too.

Later on that day they were called to mend a sheep that stumbled on a small hole in the ground and broke her leg quite badly.

"Seishiro, go get us some gauze from the infirmary"

"We ran out of it already?"

"Yes and this sheep needs bandaging"

"I'll go with you!" Kazuki leaped to her feet and skip-hopped by Seishiro who already started leaving towards the infirmary.

Seishiro on his behalf didn't mind her company at all, in fact he enjoyed it. There weren't many who were willing to talk to him. Out of fear or out of resentment, they mostly ignored him or avoided any contact with him.

He could count on one hand the amount of people who spoke to him out of actually wanting to and not out of necessity.

The only time anyone other then Subaru spoke to him in his home were Yutu and Karen who complimented his cooking when it was his turn to make dinner once.

It was a funny story really. When he came back home he found the rest of the residents besides Kamui and Fuma (out on court duty) and Subaru (out on patrol) huddling together whispering about something. Aoki seemed determined about something, darting his eyes at Seishiro as he walked past them towards his room.

After about half an hour Sorata came over to Seishiro's room and asked/told him that it was his turn to make dinner. He noted the monk was slowly shifting his weight from one foot to the other and generally moving about uneasily. Seishiro merely said okay and calmly asked where the ingredients and meats are.

Sorata was so surprised to hear no arguments back that he was muttering the answer. As Seishiro went out of his room to go to the pantry Sorata stared at him as if he suddenly grew antennas from his head. Seishiro loved winding them up like that.

And he worked hard on that stupid dinner! He worked his fingers off (almost literally when using a cheese grater) on making that dinner!.

They all tasted it, wanted to say something good, then looked at him and decided not to bother. Bastards! All of them! He didn't know why he got so upset by it in the first place; he shouldn't give a damn.

* * *

Seiichiro wasn't paying much attention to things that late morning; he was too busy feeling terribly sleepy. When he got himself his third paper cut he grunted several not-really-curses under his breath and went to get himself bandaged.

some of his other pals were standing around in the infirmary's main entrance halls; Karen and Spike just got to their patrol's bit where they visit the infirmary for updates, Fuma had his twisted ankle bandaged (he stumbled on his judge robe and fell flat out on his face but it's the ankle that really got him upset) then Seishiro and Kazuki just arrived to get their gauze.

"Hello hello, what this then?" the purple haired nurse scowled at Seiichiro.

He bowed his head a little "I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing…." He mumbled apologetically "I apologies for taking up your precious time"

"Damn right it's precious, there are twenty three half burnt patience here just waiting for the nursing, caring hands of a woman and you're bothering me with paper cuts!"

"Who will those poor patience will get the nursing caring hand of a _woman_ from? Certainly not from you…."

The nurse shot a death glare at Seishiro, then at Spike who couldn't help himself from roaring up in laughter. Even Karen sniggered a bit.

"I'm sorry, I'll just bandage myself" Seiichiro was so tired he couldn't see straight and stumbled right into the cabinet he aimed at instead of walking to it's side.

"Oh, Aoki-san, watch your step, that's how I ended up with this" Fuma held out his bandaged foot.

Now it was Seishiro's turn to snigger scornfully.

Fuma returned a glare at him and lingered his eyes there, completely brushed off by the older man who left shortly afterwards.

"Why are you so clumsy today Aoki-san? Didn't you get enough sleep?"

Karen turned to the coffee corner "I'll make you a cup of tea, how about it?"

"I already drank three today, it's not good for me, thank you very much for offering" he mumbled back fighting with the simple band-aid.

"It was the fire in the common barn wasn't it? Your coworker was called over to help wasn't he?" Spike gestured for Karen to make him a cup as well.

David walked in silently and made himself a cup of coffee. He and Karen exchanged little glares from time to time as they operated around each other the little corner.

"Why couldn't the people on the patrol at the time do it? Why did it have to be Yu…Kigai-san of all people?" Seiichiro gave up on the bandaging and allowed the nurse to do it while he collapsed on a nearby chair.

"Because one of them was a vampire, vampires should stay away from fire, they're sensitive to it. The other was a little girl and Yutu is a water master, use your head to think which one of them will be of a better use…" David answered, not even looking up to see the surprised faces at how much he just spoke in one go "Fire is the only thing that can kill vampires"

"Isn't daylight also dangerous to them?" the nurse was more occupied with stalling the shirtless David in the infirmary then interested in the subject itself.

"No, not our vampires anyways, not around Alex" David still didn't look up at her. he began stirring the liquid in his cup when he noticed a loaf of bread on the table. For a moment his eyes darted from left to right then he snatched it quickly shoving it into his dirty pant's pocket.

"Why is Alex connected to it?"

"Because his presence makes all his creatures more powerful then they usually are so the vampires can survive a good sun grilling without dying" and with that he left through the back door as quickly as possible.

"He stole your bread" Karen glared at the empty plate.

"It's alright, he always does that and it's one of many loafs we have, it's nothing" the nurse waved it off.

"So" she turned to Seiichiro with a malicious grin on her face and a light worrisome glint in her eyes "when Yutu returned from the fire site he woke you up when he snuggled back up to you in bed"

"Yes…." Obviously Seiichiro was so tired he didn't notice what he was saying.

The silence that followed made him look up the looks of people around him made him realize what he revealed. His hands began shaking and his face paled "I….umm….I have work to do I…." And with that he shot back into his office stumbling straight into a couple of more chairs and tables on the way.

Karen stared forward shocked slightly saddened.

Spike shrugged and sipped at his coffee puling on Karen's sleeve to get her to smoke a cigarette with their coffee outside the infirmary.

The nurse sniggered evilly.

Fuma still stared at the space that used to inhibit Seishiro.

* * *

Fuma sneaked little stares at Seishiro during dinner and Kamui took note of that, he began staring at Seishiro as well.

Spoken Seishiro was, like the others, sunk in the story Yutu told about the fire last night, a story he shared with Yuzuriha who was also at the site during the fire.

Yutu spent the rest of the day sleeping and only woke up to make dinner and revise today's office progress with Seiichiro.

They weren't revising all the time. When Seiichiro woke him up Yutu stretched out fully in bed beaming a wonderful smile at the man towering above him as he sat on the edge of the bed. When he finished he pulled the by now blushing man down on him and gave him a long passionate kiss.

"Ano….Yutu-s….umm…" Seiichiro closed his eyes to focus himself, not that it helped because the moment he closed them he began feeling dizzy and sleepy. "I….well…..they know…by now…I'm sure…"

"About what?" Yutu managed to get Seiichiro to lie down next to him on the bed, taking off his jacket and loosening his tie.

"You know….us…."

"How would they know" Yutu's voice was calm and soft showing no signs of the worry and slight panic in his lover's voice.

"Well….I sort of….stammered it out today….I'm sorry" he closed his eyes again after they were almost tearful.

"What are you worried about Seiichi? What if they'd know? So what? And why should you care what others think! Are you happy?"

Seiichiro opened his eyes and looked deeply into the bright green eyes below him "Yes"

"Then that's it and nothing else should matter"

Seiichiro smiled and embraced Yutu.

"And Bicky-chan! This little bit of burnt wood flew on the wind at her and she got burnt a little bit! It's dangerous!" Yuzuriha's shrill cut through Kamui and Fuma's thoughts, bringing them back to the subject at hand for a moment before they sank into staring at Seishiro again.

"So, what if she'd burn a little bit" Arashi was poking almost violently at the noodles in her bowl.

Yuzuriha just scowled at her and turned to complete another part of Yutu's story of the fire that he forgot to mention.

* * *

After dinner, on their way up to their room Fuma and Kamui stared at Seishiro as his and Karen's cigarettes were lit by Subaru who then lit his own.

Once they were in their room they sat on their bed facing one another.

There was a silence as both brows frowned in deep disturbing thoughts.

"Seishiro….." Fuma finally spoke "he has so many crimes on him….so much blood on his hand"

"He was an assassin" Kamui was thinking about other aspects of it. Something was tugging at his awareness.

"We can't just let him walk; it's a crime towards anybody he ever killed"

"He's very special to Subaru and Subaru is a good friend of mine. I know we've been a little apart lately but that's merely because I was mostly in the court and he was too busy with the patrols and all….but still…." Kamui didn't want to say the real reason that was the source of his inhibitions.

"Kamui, you're Justice, you can't ignore crimes like that just because his boyfriend is your friend. And if you ask me, with the whole killing Subaru's sister and all, it's better for Subaru to be without that murderer" Fuma looked away disgusted at the thought.

"Whether Subaru should or shouldn't be with Seishiro is not our business, that's Yutu's….it's just that….." Kamui raised his eyes to Fuma, uncertainty in his violet orbs "Seishiro is a Man of Death and we might hit a nerve there if we try to touch him"

Fuma looked into Kamui's eyes for a while. Chills ran up and down his spine whenever he heard Alex's name. The older man scared him enough to get that Pavlov reaction from him.

But he was determined of his rightness. "Look Kamui, we can't just ignore everyone just because Alex has a say in it. Every murderer is a Man of Death if that's the rule, so what? We'll leave every petty murderer un-trialed like that?"

"No…." Kamui looked away worried "I suppose you're right…." He raised his eyes to Fuma's again, now filled with love. He crawled over to Fuma and curled in his lap hugging him.

A decision was made and sealed.

* * *

"Feel it"

….."It's hot"

"Which means…."

"That it's infected!"

Seishiro nodded. He and Kazuki were now crouching at the feet of a horse in Jacob and Venus's horse shed. Anthony was doing his best to keep Jacob from hovering offer the two and the beast while avoiding staring at Venus too much.

"Now smell it"

"_Smell_ it!"

Seishiro nodded again.

Kazuki crouched deeper and smelled the wounded leg near the hoof where a cruel looking gash was open in the flesh.

"It smells like mud…"

Seishiro bent down and took a sniff as well "That's right, if it'd stink what would that mean?"

Kazuki rolled her eyes trying to think hard and recall her latest lessons "That it developed gangrene?"

"That's right!" he had to speak up this time because that lesson she learnt a long time ago and he didn't expect her to remember it at all. But she was a bright kid and she was very good at this.

"Gangrene!" Jacob shot over to the horse's side, crouching by them looking very worried.

Anthony rushed over to the man trying to keep him from getting in Seishiro's way "Err….eh…Jacob, my, this horse's shoes were really well made did you do it yourself?"

Jacob got distracted enough by his pride "Yes, I could do it since I was ten! My father had a large horse breeding farm…..until they took it away and…"

Venus wrapped an arm around her husband's waist and smiled at him.

"Well you've done a brilliant job here, how do you get those hoofs oiled in this world is still a puzzle to me" Anthony shot his eyes from Jacob to the grateful Seishiro.

"Ah! It's an herbal mix I use with the things I grow in my garden!"

"Oh!"

"Yes, I happened to stumble across these herbs that I knew from my home one day and I thought 'I have a horse and now I….'"

The conversation was cut when five Noters walked into the shed knocking on the door strictly beforehand.

All eyes turned to them puzzled and surprised.

"Are you Sakurazuka Seishiro?" Iceman, the officer amongst them, looked up from a note in his hand to Seishiro.

Seishiro's face grew darker and more serious but never showed a glint of what was really going on inside. "Yes" he said calmly.

Kazuki shot her eyes from Seishiro to the Noters, so did the rest of the people in the shed.

"Please come with us, you're under arrest for the charge of mass murder"

"Mass murder!" Anthony nearly dropped the tube of herbal horse shoe ointment in his hand.

The Noters said nothing, they only stared at Seishiro.

Seishiro assessed them then looked away. He packed up his bag, handed it over to Kazuki asking her quietly to bring it to his room.

He then got up, still very calmly, and dusted off his jacked and pants. He straightened his tie and brushed off a few bits of dry mud that clung to his pants from the shed's floor.

Then he turned and walked to the Noters with his head held slightly high. "Well, do I just go with you or do you have to put handcuffs on me?" his tone was surprisingly calm and neutral.

For a moment the Noters stared at him slightly puzzled. It was regulations to lead someone in handcuffs if they're arrested but surely if he was taking it so lightly and calmly there's no need for any further inconveniences.

"N…no, that won't be necessary as long as you'll cooperate"

"Alright, let's go then" he began exiting the shed, still absolutely calm and collected.

Jacob glared after them, especially at Iceman. The two exchanged glances. Jacob spat something at Iceman in a language they both knew, making the other man who was just exiting himself turn around.

Iceman shot a short slightly guilty stare at Jacob then finally turned to leave.

* * *

Subaru stirred his cup of tea smiling to himself. He leaned back on a pillow he positioned against the headboard of his bed and rested his feet against the two pillows he laid at foot's reach.

He closed his eyes and let the slight fatigue from his patrol wash over him. It was his turn to cook dinner tonight and he had to have a little rest for his nerves before he'd attempt anything like _that_.

Subaru was never the chef amongst the two of the Sumeragi twins. What he lacked in cooking skills Hokuto or Seishiro in his time made up for. After Hokuto died and he was all alone he didn't eat much and even that was little Japanese versions of TV meals. Now he had to cook something good for all of them…..

His only comfort was the fact that when it was Kusanagi's or Karen's turns and the food was worse then awful people didn't say anything so not to embarrass them and even accepted seconds.

He closed his eyes, setting himself a defined time to sleep in his little biological clock, when Kazuki walked in looking a bit startled, carrying Seishiro's bag.

Subaru stared at her puzzled. This is a strange way for Seishiro to send some message to him; usually he'd use his Shikigami.

She stared at Subaru, looked down at the bag in her hand, then walked over to Subaru's side of the bed and held the bag out to him.

"What's this?" he asked, noting traces of worry on Kazuki's face.

"Sakurazuka -san's bag, he told me to put it in his room when they took him….." she was really looking worried now.

Subaru started feeling shock dripping down his spine like ice water, slowly taking over his brain as well. He took a deep breath feeling his self control collapse. "Who took him?" his voice began cracking.

Kazuki blushed a little, her eyes filling with tears for what her words started in Subaru "N…Noters….they arrested him on the charge of mass murder…."

Subaru was shaking and sweating, his mind numb and his limbs turning into frozen cold stones he found hard to move. He was gritting his teeth, his eyes burning in his pale face.

Kazuki cowered under the glare as if she was the one to blame.

"They….wouldn't dare…..wouldn't dare" Subaru stammered before he shot off of his bed and out of the room.

He left Kazuki shivering with worry and fear behind him. She burst into tears when she heard the front door of the house slammed shut.

* * *

Lestate leaned against the wall in his room singing softly. He was watching the last of the soft dark red glimmers of sun fall through the cracks of the shutters in his room. He sat in his heavily velvet decorated room, it was by far the prettiest and most well designed room probably in all that dimension, everyone agreed about that.

He was singing an old French song his maid once used to sing while rocking her baby to sleep. He wasn't rocking a baby to sleep; he was trying to sooth partially wrecked nerves.

He looked at Alex laid across the large bed tapping nervously with his finger on the patch of rich dark indigo velvet under his palm. Alex wasn't completely calm nor was he relaxed, but Lestate could see on him that he managed to ease out a lot of the tension in him.

Suddenly the green eyes turned to him, seeing right through him as always "Why are you singing to me?" he asked softly.

Lestate smiled a charming fanged smile "Should I stop?"

"No, I'm just wondering why you're signing"

Lestate smiled again leaning his head against the wall again looking at the beautiful rich dark blue of the night sky "They said that King David used to play a harp to King Saul to calm his nerves"

Alex smiled for the first time in a long while "They say that this King David also had an affair with Saul's son Jonathan during that time…."

Lestate smiled back and returned to his singing. He was happy to see Alex closing his eyes again and relaxing a little bit more. Though he will never be able to say it to the man, Death was very precious to him.

The relaxation was for a little bit indeed because a moment later Alex shot his eyes open again and looked at the door "I'm here Subaru" he whispered into thin air.

A few moments later Subaru came barging into the room looking quite sick and worried. He panted and shook for a while trying to speak while glaring at Alex with a miserable look in his eyes, he was almost crazed in panic.

"Subaru calm down" Alex placed his hand on the onmyouji' shoulder trying to get him to sit down but Subaru was stiff like a doll.

He tried to speak, wringing his fingers while wildly swinging his arms around "They….they….they…they….Sei…S...took…..they…..mass…..mass….they……" the more Subaru stammered was the more he dug himself into panic and alarm.

Alex and Lestate scanned him worriedly.

"**Subaru!**" Alex finely spoke in a commanding tone.

Subaru straightened and stiffened, his eyes glowed in turquoise. His body limped, seizing all actions he did before.

"Calm down, breath normally, sit down"

Subaru obeyed all these orders wordlessly.

"Now tell me what happened"

Subaru answered mechanically, his tone flat and emotionless as if he was a machine "Noters arrested Seishiro on the charges of mass murder. I went to the court and they told me his trial will be held tomorrow and that I cannot see not him or Justice"

"Very well, now snap out of it"

Subaru's eyes returned to normal, his pose slacked a bit. His breathing started pacing again and the shivering returned. He looked up at Alex and his eyes filled with tears.

In minutes he was wrapped in Alex's arms who caressed his hair softly.

"They….didn't even let me see him…they didn't even let me talk to Kamui, the Noters in the entrance to the court….." Subaru whimpered into Alex's shoulder.

"Shhh"

Lestate began humming softly again. Now he had two extremely tense people in the room.

"Why?...what are they trying to do…?" Subaru was shaking violently with his sobs.

"We'll see what they're going to do with him and then we'll talk to them alright?" Alex drew Subaru away from him, gently cupping the wet face's chin.

"But Alex….he _is _a mass murderer…what else can you deem a mass murderer to but life sentence or…..or death……**_oh Alex!_**" Subaru crushed into Alex's arms again clutching painfully at the muscles his fingers grabbed.

Death brushed off the pain, looking forward beyond the room itself "Seishiro is a Man of Death and no one but me is allowed to do anything as vast as death sentence to him" then his eyes focused again "besides, the trial is tomorrow, we'll cross that bridge when we get there"

Subaru only cried and whimpered onwards in his arms.

* * *

Still ringing in her mind was today's infirmary meeting. Karen just didn't know what to do with herself and the information she gathered today.

Seiichiro is having a relationship with Yutu……a few thoughts came up in Karen's mind.

First was the immediate reaction of 'Oh, good for him'.

Like all the rest of the house inhabitants, Karen also noted the most welcomed change in Yutu. For people other then the already destiny beaten Dragons the change in Yutu under the title of 'role in destiny' would seem bizarre, but not to them.

Sometimes it seemed Yutu was behaving quite impolite, staring at people when they're trying to have some privacy for a conversation or anything else. it's not like Yutu would stick his nose through your door when you're busy with your beloved one but when Yutu was suddenly staring at the ceiling or a wall with a stupid smile and either Sorata and Arashi or Seishiro and Subaru would be missing it was quite obvious what was happening there.

Yutu was suddenly a very pleasant person to be around and even the tensest, shy, quiet and stoic member of the house would find himself engaged in a flowing conversation with him just because it was easy and most welcomed.

So Karen was glad for Seiichiro finding himself love with such a wonderful person.

The second feeling she came up with was slight disappointment.

It was only three months since they came here and Seiichiro lost his family….three months is such a short time to overcome such a tragedy…..

She always held up such pride in Seiichiro for having such a good moral person in the same group as her and now he was….well….still a good person but she would have expected more of him.

The last and most bitter feeling was her jealousy.

Yes Karen took a shine for Seiichiro back then, even thought of him as a bit of a crush but now……he was with someone else……

And a man at that, a man!

Karen, being the soupland hostess that she was back then, was pretty used to having all men instantly take her as a sexual creature was suddenly faced with someone who not only looked past her but looked _way _past her.

So far she thought that maybe Seiichiro didn't find her type as the attractive woman but she never imagined Seiichiro might find a _man _as that more attractive person…..

Drifting along on her thoughts Karen cut herself with the knife she was holding in her hand while supposedly cutting tomatoes.

Yuzuriha, who was giving her a quick lesson in cooking, gave a small shriek and hurried to cover her wound with a small piece of cloth. As she treated the older woman Yuzuriha noticed Karen didn't even pay attention to her own pain. Something must have been on her mind.

"Karen-san? Is everything alright?" Yuzuriha liked Karen more and more everyday.

Since Kusanagi wasn't around anymore and Karen had no reason to ever frown towards him Yuzuriha found the older woman more and more the mother she never had. She admired how, without any demand and while completely forgetting the whole old battle of the apocalypse events, Karen gave all the love and attention Kazuki ever needed.

Seeing her so distracted, and obviously sad, was not something Yuzuriha liked.

What could be worrying her? Was it their food ration for the week running a little low?

The Lost Dimension wasn't a place for vegetables to grow; grassland for grazing was also pretty scarce. Luckily they were mostly Rescue Team members which meant that this house got their shares of food from a collection the farmers gave them as thanks for their protection.

Yutu and Seiichiro tried to eat most of their meals in the infirmary as workers there so at least two meals a day were spared from the house's food amounts.

Seishiro and Kazuki, as vet and vet assistants were paid in food for their every service.

Kamui and Fuma ate the food the Noters ate, which two more meals off of the rations.

And still food wasn't something very common in the city and in the house. Yuzuriha found it sometimes hard to think of, starvation, maybe Karen was troubled too.

Karen kicked her mind into reality and stared at the young girl holding her wounded hand "Eh?...oh…..Yuzuriha-chan…..what is it?"

Yuzuriha frowned "You seem a bit out of it, is everything alright?"

She was sincerely worried that young she really speak to her? Well who else can she talk to!

Arashi? Too busy with her boyfriend and their action's results. Subaru?….perhaps, she'll talk to him later, she's been getting more familiar with him lately since he's such a nice person…when he's not around Sakurazuka-san…..who really isn't all that bad….but still….

Maybe she can talk to Yuzuriha, the girl is old enough to understand what she's talking about, isn't she?.

"Well….you see, today, in the infirmary…." She was disturbed by the front door opening.

All eyes turned to the door to see who arrived, no one was supposed to in this hour; Yutu and Seiichiro were the next to return from work but they still had two hours before they usually finish their job. No one from their house was on patrol now….

Alex walked in with a sleeping Subaru in his arms. By the way Subaru's forehead wrinkled in his sleep and the deep worried frozen expression on Alex's face they understood something was wrong.

Karen, Yuzuriha, Sorata and Arashi who were sitting and chatting in the living room, all jumped towards the men with worried faces.

"What's wrong?"

"What happened?"

"Is Subaru-san alright?"

Alex shushed them gesturing they might disturb Subaru, during that he climbed the stairs to Subaru's room.

Once the onmyouji was in his bed Alex tucked him in and turned to speak to his friends.

"He fainted. He had a nervous breakdown and he fainted. He's sleeping now, please let him at it as long as possible, he's in no condition for…well, consciousness in general really"

"What happened?" Arashi subconsciously placed her arm over her belly, she never felt safe around Alex, ever.

"Kamui and Fuma decided to bring Seishiro to trial for all his work back in his dimension. They sent Noters to bring him from his work and when Subaru heard of that he started freaking out.

"Listen, when he wakes up give him these pills" Alex handed Karen three little blue pills "one each time and not more then one and a half or they'll kill him"

"What are they?" her face was grey with worry.

"Sedatives, he needs them badly, he's in panic. Don't let him get out of bed. Don't let him start to panic again! Change the subject, talk to him about _anything_ but Seishiro if it's in even possible but _please_, make sure he's alright, please. I have to go see Seishiro and I won't be here for a while so I have no one but you guys to trust with this" he looked as worried as Subaru's sleeping face.

Sorata saw that worried expression on Alex as he saw before their attack on the DoE lair.

"Yuzuriha, I'll replace you on today's patrol so you'll be able to be around him during the night if he starts to freak out again. He needs his friends now most of all, you guys are all he has without Seishiro"

Yuzuriha nodded silently taking worried peeks at Subaru behind Alex's shoulder.

Alex sighed deeply, checked with Subaru again and then left looking lost in thoughts.

Four Seals followed him with their stare.

They shut the door behind them and sat by Subaru's bed. Yuzuriha went down to finish dinner.

"What do you think they're doing, Kamui and Fuma?" Sorata raised his eyes to Karen from Subaru's sleeping face, he was whispering so not to disturb the onmyouji.

"What should have been done in our world in the first place" Arashi spat back coldly.

"Yes but this is their friend and no one but Subaru should pass judgment on Seishiro, no one else knows enough about him to know if he's guilty or not"

"Of course he's guilty! He probably killed hundreds of people!"

"It was his duty and it was a part of protecting Japan spiritually Arashi-san." Karen was sudden speaking very seriously, enhancing the age difference between the two women "All of us have a duty like that or another, his happened to be killing people"

"Let's hope Kamui and Fuma know that when they trial him" now Sorata looked _really_ worried.

"…..You know Sorata-san, I don't think they would have trialed him in the first place if they really acknowledged that as a factor in Seishiro's record…." Now Karen started reflecting Sorata's worried expression.

There was a small pause as the three thought up the consequences.

"With all due respect for justice…." It was Arashi this time, and she was surprised with her own words "doing such a thing to their best friend and comrade…..if it wasn't for Subaru-san's actions Kamui would have never left his own heart after Fuma became the Dragon…."

Silence.

"With all the people Seishiro killed, what do you think they can give him? Life sentence? Death sentence….both will drive Subaru insane…." Karen brushed some hairs from Subaru's forehead noting he had a slight fever.

"Life in prison could be somehow overcome I'm sure….but if they'll kill Seishiro…." Sorata stopped in the middle of his sentence, too frightened to continue.

* * *

Alex flew to the prison house, landing at the entrance. He walked past the front desk not bothering with answering the welcoming question from the Noter who sat there.

Saving the trouble for her Noters, Gala stepped forward from her office and walked over to Alex. "What do you want?" her voice was neutral though she knew it wasn't just any something Alex came here for.

Prisons, she knew, wasn't the favorite hanging out spot for Alex so there must have been a pretty good reason for him to be here.

"Seishiro, where's his cell, I need to talk to him" just as neutrally though Alex expected that Kamui and Fuma ordered him to be kept away from Seishiro under all circumstances.

"You can't go see him now, he just arrived and in such cases no one is allowed to visit the prisoner, not so soon anyway. You'll be able to see him tomorrow morning"

"That's not good enough, the trial is tomorrow and I need to talk to him right now"

"I'm sorry I can't do that, regulations" she crossed her arms on her chest, taking a little step backwards with her right leg preparing for whatever it is to come by entering a little half battle position.

Alex stared at her for a while, the stare turning into a glare, then to a patronizing stinging glare "Tssk, Gala, such moral behavior from someone who once attacked us all and ran to the north pole with you know who trying to start a massacre-based revolution…."

Emotions swapped across Gala's pale face, she ground her teeth swearing soundlessly.

After a few moments of tense silence between the two she finally let out a small incoherent swear and showed Alex the way to Seishiro's cell.

Alex merely glared onwards at her and left silently.

* * *

Seishiro was fumbling with some random tattered magazine he found in his cell. He couldn't make out the language it was written in but he didn't really bother to read it either nor did he really pay attention to its content. Thoughts zoomed through his mind in hyper speed.

When Alex walked in he got to his feet, taking an involuntary step towards his Death.

"Sit down Seishiro"

Seishiro sat down, looked down as well trying to calm his nerves and put an order into the flood of questions he wanted to ask Alex. "Subaru-kun isn't well, is he?" he finally asked, surprised to find himself choking on his words with worry and love.

Alex sat down on the chair opposite to where Seishiro sat on his cot. "He had a nervous breakdown" he told Seishiro of everything that Subaru did and said while he was gone.

Seishiro looked down again after hanging a hungry for information eye in Alex. He was about to cry but he held himself firmly in check.

"Seishiro….don't worry about it. I have Subaru covered; his friends will look after him when I'm not around until the trial tomorrow. You just say all the facts in the trial and if those two are anything of good Justice this will end quickly and easily without anyone getting hurt"

There was a silence, Seishiro still kept his eyes on the floor, Alex scanned Seishiro for a new perspective of the man; Seishiro the emotion filled.

"He doesn't deserve it…." Seishiro's voice came out crooked and low "The whole stress of it…" now it was soaked with choked tears "He doesn't deserve me…he's too good…I've done him enough damage in our life together…." A single tear fell on the cold floor from a single functioning eye.

"Don't be silly, he's the only thing you have and you're the only thing he has. You complete each other. The only one who should say if you're a murderer or not is Subaru and he forgave you, didn't he?"

Seishiro finally raised his face with a little smile to Death. "Alex, take care of him for me"

Alex could only stare at the onmyouji and nod a little bit to assure him.

* * *

After a series of nightmares about lost ceremonial bead necklaces and huge, looming sakura trees in bloom, Subaru shook himself from sleep.

He noted he had a fever and felt very weak. He was not alone in his room, Sorata, Arashi, and Yuzuriha sat on chairs they brought from the other rooms. Karen sat on the bed with her back to him. Outside his door he could hear the muffled talking of voices he recognized as Yutu and Seiichiro.

Alex must have brought him here when he fainted after crying so much. Now he was sick, sick with worry…..about Seishiro ….

"**_SEISHIRO – SAN!_**" Subaru jerked up to sit on the bed and started squirming out of it, quickly grabbed by his nearby friends.

Downstairs, where they sat at the living room table to look at some documents towards several of tomorrow's trials, Kamui and Fuma heard the scream. They both found it quite disturbing but tried to get their minds back on the task before them.

Kamui tried as hard as he could to brush away the memory of himself inside his heart talking to Subaru who suffered and bled to get him out of there.

Upstairs Sorata and Karen fought their best, each holding one of Subaru's arms, to get the onmyouji to stay in bed instead of sprinting out of it as they suspected he might try.

They've never seen him like this; the usual stoic and silent Subaru now looked so panicked and frantic that he was on a verge of insanity.

His eyes were dilated, darting frantically around the room. His hands shook violently while the rest of his body shook a little less. He had a fever and a thin sheet of sweat covered his face as he struggled against his comrades. "Let me go! **Let me go! _Seishiro-san_**, they took him away you don't understand let me go! **_Seishiro-san!_**"

"Please Subaru AAA!" Sorata let go of the arm he was holding after the onmyouji managed to draw an ofuda with it and cut his face a little on his right cheek. He leaped backwards from the bed leaving only Karen with the struggle. He hissed silently, letting Arashi check the wound.

"Pleased Subaru-san relax, please" Yuzuriha grabbed the loose hand that started squirming in the air madly. She released the ofuda from the death grip it was held in and caressed the gentle palm holding it. She had tears in her eyes as she looked deeply into Subaru's half crazed ones.

For a moment Subaru seemed to relax and lean backwards. Karen even left his other arm alone, placing it by his side. She dug into her dress's pocket and pulled out one of Spike's cigarettes "You want one?" she offered it to Subaru, lighting it already.

There was a small reprimanding shriek from Yuzuriha but she was quickly silenced by Sorata laying a calming hand on her shoulder. Subaru needed this.

For a few moments Subaru was completely silent and still, smoking his cigarette and even managing to calm his wild shaking so that he can smoke it properly. He stared off into space, his mind obviously feverishly working out something about what is happening to him. His other hand that wasn't holding the cigarette was still shaking.

Yuzuriha walked to the window and opened it to let in some fresh air and let the stifling smoke out. She stayed there as close to the clear air as possible.

"Where's Alex?" his voice was still shaking the sentence was broken here and there by tears welling up choking Subaru.

"He went to talk to Sakurazuka-san. Don't worry Subaru-san" Sorata sat down on the bed by Subaru "you're amongst your friends now"

For a second Subaru's eyes started jutting from one place to another as his thoughts reached high speed again. "My friends…." He mumbled angrily.

The next moment he was on his feet, out of the bed and storming downstairs. The Seals in the room and the two men outside the door didn't get the chance to stop him.

Subaru shot down the stairs, about to go out to the yard, to the ruined staircase and on to the rooftop when he noticed Kamui and Fuma sitting in the living room.

He ran up to them placing himself powerfully in front of them "**_HOW DARE YOU!_**" he screamed in their faces.

Justice raised alarmed faces at the onmyouji before them.

That wasn't enough for him, he walked to Kamui's side and grabbed the younger teen by his shirt collar, lifting him face to face and a little above the floor. "**_HOW DARE YOU KAMUI! AFTER ALL I'VE DONE FOR YOU!_**" he screamed right into Kamui's face.

All Kamui could do was stare frightened at Subaru, he never saw him like this and he never expected such a reaction from him.

"Please calm down Sumeragi-san it's…." Fuma stood up about to release Kamui from the grip when a pair of fiery green eyes met his.

"**_And you!_**" Subaru spat at Fuma "_how dare you put someone on trial for murder when you have blood on you own hands! And your sister's too!_"

Fuma froze on his spot, lowered his eyes and sat down again. For a moment there Kamui kicked his boyfriend mentally for being such a pushover.

His mind was taken off of it when the arms that held him in the air started shaking violently.

The Seals from his room now ran down the stairs and ran up to Subaru. Seiichiro grabbed him from behind while Karen and Sorata slowly loosened his grip on Kamui's collar finger by finger, each a struggle in itself.

Finally they managed to pry Subaru a little away from Kamui.

The boy stumbled a few steps away frightened.

Subaru kept struggling with his capturers, still glaring madly at Kamui and Fuma in turns. He was huffing and puffing, fighting his fever and his already faint condition.

"Subaru-san you have to understand…." Yutu tried reasoning over a deaf man.

In the whole mess no one noticed the front door opening and Alex coming in.

"Calm down Subaru" the calm voice ordered him strictly.

Subaru stiffened in the arms of the Seals holding him. His eyes were glowing turquoise, his expression blank. He stopped struggling and suddenly limped completely, falling towards the ground. If it wasn't for the three holding him he'd drop to the floor like a cast away doll.

Kamui looked at the total control Alex had on Subaru even in his state and found it a bit alarming.

"I thought I told you to make sure he doesn't leave his bed" Alex glared at Sorata and Karen in turns. He loosened their grips on Subaru and took the onmyouji in his arms again.

Sorata and Karen mouthed a little bit.

"I thought I told you to give him the sedatives if he starts freaking out" he was reprimanding them harshly now.

They bowed in unison and apologized.

Alex mumbled something that sounded like "Damn stupid Japanese manners…"

Kamui watched from the side, amazed at the great care for Subaru from Alex's behalf and at the man's complete ignoring of his presence.

"Give me a glass of water" Alex aimed that order at Yuzuriha who was the only one who wasn't doing anything or looking guilty enough. She ran off and came back with a glass of water looking apologetically at Alex as he took the glass from her.

He placed Subaru back on his feet and placed the glass in his hand. "Take this pill Subaru" he handed him one of the pills from Karen's hand.

Without a word or even an expression of disagreement, Subaru did as he was told. He seemed in a trance, completely cut off of reality, as if hypnotized.

"Good, now go up to your bed and don't wake up until I'll wake you"

Subaru did as he as told, walking normally if not a bit mechanically.

Alex sent a small glare at Kamui and Fuma, finally paying them some attention. "I hope you know what you're doing" he said coldly, not referring specifically to any of them.

Without waiting for an answer he walked to the kitchen and prepared a plate full of food for Subaru then walked up to the onmyouji' room to feed him.

* * *

Later that evening Victoria came to visit Yuzuriha. She said Alex dismissed her from the patrol so that she could stay with her friend for a little while.

She joined the house inhabitants in the living room where they sat to brood silently after Kamui and Fuma left for their room.

"I hope they won't do anything drastic to Sakurazuka-san, it'll disturb me a lot. Those two are a very good couple, there's no reason to stop it like _that_" Yutu only noticed the glares sent at him after he finished his sentence. He brushed most of them off, taking only Seiichiro's in.

"The thing you should all really worry about is Alex and nothing else" Victoria suddenly spoke up after huddling with Yuzuriha on the two seats sofa relatively away from the rest of the group.

"Why?" Arashi sent a little dismissing glare at the vampire as she said that. She was feeling safe sitting between Sorata's legs with his arms wrapped around her crossing on her belly.

Victoria straightened her red gaze directly at the young woman "Because he is very caring towards his creatures and he will do all that he can to protect them, to keep them happy and safe. When we're talking about Alex's abilities 'all he can do' is a lot and most dangerous, especially towards anyone who seeks to hurt his creatures. Alex cares for his creatures more then he cares for himself" she let her gaze pass between every pair of eyes that looked at her.

A heavy silence lay on the room afterwards.

* * *

Seishiro watched the sun rise through the little window in his cell. He didn't mind the screen of green fire obscuring and altering the colors of the event before him that much, his thoughts were somewhere else.

When the Noters from the court came to take him he was after shaving carefully, brushing his teeth, combing his hair and smoothing his suit to a perfect condition. He will not appear before those two brats and anyone watching the trial as a caught – in – the –act criminal shocked and ruffled by his imprisoning, he will be dignified.

With his head high he walked calmly by the Noters, who cuffed him this time.

When he walked into the hall to the stand where the defendants stood he took a little while to scan the hall before him quickly before turning his attention to Justice.

Before him stood the podium, containing Justice's desk and a small seat for the registrar. Kamui and Fuma sat there, wearing their black cloaks looking directly at him. It was a battle between a set of frozen neutral stares behind which powerful emotional storms roared.

To both his sides were rows on rows of seats for those who wished to see the trial. Today the hall was mostly empty besides his familiars inhabiting the front rows in the seats to his left.

He saw the Seals and Harbingers moving a bit uncomfortably after waiting so long for his trial to start amongst the others that day.

Subaru was sitting between Alex and Yutu; both held him in check shooting their eyes to him from time to time to check on him physically.

Subaru looked awful, Seishiro lingered his eyes on his lover, his emotions rising to a new peak. He was pale and shaking, looking sick and worried. There were bags under his eyes, reddened by tears.

Alex sat by Subaru sending reassuring stares at Seishiro, he nodded a little towards him thanking him and acknowledging the reassuring look.

His handcuffs were removed so that he will not be brought to judgment in handcuffs. On both his sides four Noters stood, two on each side, in case he might try something funny. There was no need for them; Seishiro intended to go through this trial smoothly without any arguments.

He only wished to finish this as quickly as possible so that Subaru won't suffer too much stress; it already looked like it was killing him.

The trials Justice held were made rather shortly since Justice needed no lawyers to convince them of the defendant's innocence or guilt. They need only to look at him and see if he is a criminal or not.

"Sakurazuka Seishiro, is that your name?" Fuma was usually the one to make the formal announcements.

"Yes"

Kamui now spoke, trying to contain his glaring "You are hereby accused of mass murder which you committed during the seventeen years (1) you acted as Sakurazukamori. What do you say of your charges?".

In his mind's eye, he still saw Seishiro on a rock in a maboroshi, smirking at him trying to hold on to Kotori as she hung from his hand and claiming that if he keeps protecting her he will be open to any attacks he'll send towards him.

Seishiro was taken by surprise by that knowledge. No one, he thought, knew such specific and exact details about him "I admit them. They were a part of my duty as Sakurazukamori"

Subaru was grabbed again from both sides as he jerked to try and stand up. He was starting to shake again, gritting his teeth. He seemed as if his eyes were going to pop out of his head.

Since this morning Subaru was in and out of affect of the sedatives he was given. He was either too fuzzy or sad to say anything or try anything stupid, or too completely consumed by his depression. Only as they neared the court did he start shaking and becoming restless again.

Now he was whimpering, begging Seishiro to say something in his defense. The two men at his sides and his friends sitting on the row behind him tried soothing him and shushing him.

The Noters who sat on the bench with them hushed them politely at first then a little more stubbornly.

"Do you admit to the murder of your own mother in order to inherit the position of the Sakurazukamori?"

'This isn't a simple trial' was the thought that ran through both Alex and Seishiro's minds. Both realized that Justice was trying to either justify their actions to their audience or make a big show of strength out of it.

"It was under her command. She told me I will become Sakurazukamori like that from the beginning of my training. Killing the Sakurazukamori is the only way to receive upon you the duty, even if you are an ordinary citizen and no way near the Japanese Onmyouji clans."

There was a little silence as Justice exchanged a few words between them.

Subaru calmed down a little in his seat. So far Seishiro was giving good answers to the questions given to him, answers that will clearly and logically clean him of all charges.

"In what age did you start training?" Fuma frowned a little, leaning forward on the desk. He weaved his fingers together and leaned his head on them under his upper lip.

Kamui sat rigidly and stared at Seishiro coldly.

"Since I was five years old (2)"

Alex gritted his teeth "Why isn't he telling them about the spell they put on him to keep him emotions locked in the Sakura so he'll never be able to feel guilt? Why isn't he telling them what a Sakurazukamori is there for? Why isn't he defending himself!" he quickly kicked himself mentally for saying that out where Subaru could hear him.

"So since you were five years old you were taught how to kill innocent people?" Kamui spat out coldly "Were you also trained to track down other onmyoujis and make bets with them to play with their emotions?" the venom was oozing from his voice.

Seishiro didn't react one bit. He was keeping his calm appearance so not to satisfy the bloodthirsty younger judge.

"That is mine to decide….." Subaru managed to mutter loud enough to be heard. He was grabbed a little harsher on both sides.

The Noter on their row crouched over by them talking to Alex who was obviously the one responsible "If he keeps it up we'll have to get him out of court" he hissed.

He received a glare from Alex and a crazier stare from Subaru who quickly held himself in check.

Seishiro remained silent passing the message through his silence.

"Did you find it absolutely necessary to kill the spoken onmyoujis sister who came to you to offer herself. She wasn't your victim yet you still killed her when you could have dismissed her and carry out the bet as it was agreed"

"They're trying to pose him as a monster; they're not giving him a real trial. They're making a show out of this!" Alex was hissing, making the people around him grumble and whisper loudly.

Subaru remained calm, he had his inner truth about those events, his truth was the ultimate one when it came to what happened there. There's nothing anybody can say about whether Seishiro is guilty or not but Subaru himself. With that calmness he brushed off what Justice was trying to raise in him.

"Answer the question please" Fuma leaned back on his seat after another long silence from Seishiro.

"I believe that was not as much as a question as it was an accusation, and since I've already admitted all my charges, which include Hokuto-chan's death, I thought it isn't necessary to answer it" Seishiro tried hard not to snigger.

They were trying to humiliate him but he had a few things to say himself.

Justice didn't answer, merely consulted a little between themselves with Kamui obviously having the lead of the discussion.

Finally they stopped and returned their attention to the defendant before them.

"Sakurazuka Seishiro, you are hereby found guilty on all charges held against you"

Alex and Yutu felt the muscles under their grip reaching a new level of tension and strengthened their grip. Yutu's hands started to ach but he dismissed it under the circumstances.

"Do you have anything to say before we give you your verdict?"

"No"

"Very well. We sentence you to death…"

A wave a gasps and woe calls swapped through the hall. Subaru shot to his feet nearly taking Yutu and Alex with him. "**_WHAT!_**" he nearly flung himself over the bar separating the audience from the court itself with the swing of his movements. He was grabbed more violently now by more then the two men.

Kamui, who was the one reading out the verdicts merely glanced shortly, dismissively, at Subaru and the glaring Alex. He went on, his tone rising to override the noise in the hall. "The execution will be held tomorrow morning. The trial is over"

Fuma took the little hammer on their desk and gave a little bang with it, rising from his seat with Kamui "Court is closed for lunch break" he placed his hand on Kamui back pushing him lightly through the doorway leading away from the mess in the court.

Seishiro hung loving sorry eyes at his lover in the short time he had before the Noters gently pushed him towards his own booth's exit.

His lover was in panic screaming his lungs out "**_YOU CAN'T DO THIS! SEISHIRO-SAAAAAAN!_**" he was silenced quickly by Alex taking his control away from him again and sending him into a thoughtless trance.

"Take him to his bed and wait for me to get there before you do anything" Alex ordered Yutu and Sorata who now grabbed Subaru.

"Are you going to talk to them about it?" Sorata let go of Subaru's arm, which he powerfully held to as he noted the onmyouji wasn't fighting anymore.

Alex drew a deep breath through his teeth "Yes, and they better listen"

This time no one, not even Arashi tried to say anything against or in doubt of it. They were all too shocked to see the mock trial before them and poor Subaru's reactions to it.

* * *

Alex waited until the trials were over and Justice will exit through the back door in the hall. He sat on a rock sunk in thoughts.

He sat in his armor and his wings out, that's the outfit he found himself in a lot lately, even off of patrol. Only when he was in his room did he remove them. The least he did was to unfold his wings and place his long black cape instead. But not now, this was important.

Justice walked out of the door, immediately noticing Alex on the rock.

"Ah, Death, there was something we did want to talk to you about" Fuma walked a few steps towards Alex, talking like it was nothing special.

Kamui almost reached out to stop him, he was amazed at how much Fuma can be brave when you don't need it.

"No shit" Alex finally raised his eyes to glare at Fuma. He stood up walking a little between the two of them.

Noting that Alex was getting a little nearer Kamui then he was, Fuma walked to stand a little behind Kamui.

"We think you might be able to help us with the execution, you know, with you being Death and him being a Man of Death and all"

If he wasn't busy glaring back at Alex Kamui would have found a nice wall to bang his head against.

Alex merely smiled a little, still glaring at Fuma who by now started to lose his confidence.

"Damn right he is a Man of Death. And as such _no one_ but me is entitled to deal with him in any way, certainly not sentence his death"

"We are Justice" now Kamui was talking, his tone venomous again "and he is a criminal, no one but us should give him any sentence at all. He was proved guilty in a court of Justice"

"You call that a trial!" Alex took a little unintentional step forward, his hand instinctively jerking towards his sword "You humiliated him, you didn't even give him a proper standard trial, you didn't even listen to all he had to say, didn't hear all the fact! His emotions were bound to the Sakura so that he won't feel guilty when he's…."

"There's no need to state any facts Alex!" Kamui almost shouted as he cut Alex's speech to an end "We are Justice and we know all the evidence and facts when we merely _look_ at the defendant. That man is guilty, face it! He's guilty and he _will_ be executed tomorrow!"

There was an almost explosive tension between the two forces of destiny as Alex fought to calm himself from charging at them right there and then.

Instead he took another deep breath to calm himself.

"Justice" he finally said, sounding very formal "I'm warning you once and I won't repeat myself. Seishiro is a Man of Death; he is under my jurisdiction and my jurisdiction alone!

"If you will try to execute this to the end you will start a war between Death and Justice. You are hereby warned" and with that he turned and left, his now appearing cape waving behind him dramatically.

He left Kamui and Fuma behind, holding hands in the nearing evening's growing chill.

* * *

(1) from other fics I learnt that Seishiro became a Sakurazukamori around the age of sixteen and since in TB he was 25 which was in 1991 and 1999 is eight years later I calculated it as 17 years of yummy souls for tree-san.

(2) I think I read that too in some other fic, correct me if I'm wrong.


	16. War

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of Clamp's brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Attention: **all throughout this chapter, whenever you panic and go "what the hell is she doing!" just take a deep breath, count to 10 and start chanting "it's all going to be alright in the end" until you're calm again. Believe me I'm not going to do something too radical with this story, promise.

* * *

**Part 16 – War**

Seishiro watched the sunrise through his cell's window.

This time he felt sorry for the fact that his last sunrise will not be fully enjoyed.

He remembered times in this dimension when he and Subaru stayed up all night to watch the sunrise together.

The colors the rising ball of fire and light sprayed across the sky are indeed a breathtaking show. After sunrise the usual layer of clouds dim the light so these amazing minutes are all the dwellers of the dimension have of their new world's sun.

Seishiro still couldn't decide if he wants Subaru to be there in the last minutes of his life or not

If he is then he'll be able to say a proper last goodbye.

But on the other end he'll also see him die and surely that would rip his heart and mind apart.

If he isn't then the sight of whatever execution he'll have will be spared of him.

But on the other end, since Subaru was not in any condition to do anything after the trial he was also in no condition to visit him last night. The regret over avoiding his execution because of such a selfish reason will eat Subaru forever.

Seishiro lit a cigarette from a new pack, chucking the cardboard rectangle on the little desk in his cell. It swiveled a little, hitting two of the three empty cigarette packets he smoked during the night.

His lungs were heavy and aching and his throat felt like sandpaper but these were his last cigarettes.

Finally he sat on his cot near his table and its ashtray.

He began feeling blank and numb. He had to feel like that, he had nothing else to feel left in him.

During the night a rainbow of emotions swapped through him as if using his last hours of living to experience what 34 years of Sakurazukamori didn't allow him.

Sadness dominated most of it. At first he was surprised at how much of that sadness he felt towards Subaru. Then he realized just how much he loved Subaru and it stopped surprising him.

There was fear, even panic, but it was short and it happened in the height of the night when the mind is naturally drawn to the demented and desperate thoughts. It was over as soon as the sky began brightening.

One thing remained fixed in Seishiro's mind; a conversation he had with Alex earlier that night.

Alex sneaked into the jailhouse and lingered with Seishiro for several hours. Most of the time Seishiro avoided any prodding into his own feeling by the other man, instead he chose to interrogated Death about Subaru's condition.

"He's fallen into a silent depression. He's crying a lot but only around me, he won't let anyone else see him cry.

"When his friends are around he's quiet and suspicious, never lets out a single word about himself or about anything.

"His friends are most motivating, they're very helpful….as much as they can with the little help he lets them give and little help they _can _give but…."

"I don't care about his friends….I care about Subaru-kun…..he'll be broken…he'll be torn in half and lost" Seishiro allowed himself to let his emotions show on his face, frowning and winching as the picture of his lover in torment passed before his eyes.

His palm clutched at the poor sheet of his cot mattress. "Alex, please….stay by his side, help him…."

Alex glared at Seishiro for a moment completely enraged. Then he relaxed and laughed a bit "Is that what you meant when you said 'take care of him'? You want me to succeed you!"

Seishiro shot a glance at Death and gave a cunning little smile "He's not as shy and timid as you think he is, he's quit feisty in bed. I'm sure you'll find him amusing…."

"What makes you think I'll need to replace you? What makes you think I'm going to let you die?" Alex was angry again. He got up from his chair and sat on the bed by Seishiro, staring powerfully into his seeing eye.

"I won't let this pass Seishiro. Don't worry, it's going to be all right, I promise" he placed his palm over Seishiro's, the one that clutched nervously at the sheet.

Seishiro stared into those deep green eyes in silence.

Hours after that Seishiro thought of the time he kidnapped Alex, thinking him to be a lot weaker then he really is. He wondered over something.

* * *

The reason why Alex laughed a little when Seishiro thought he's going to die was because earlier that evening he had a similar discussion with Subaru.

Late into the night, after Sorata and Karen retired to sleep and Yuzuriha went to her patrol, Subaru began opening up a bit.

He cried for a whole hour and a half, just weeping without even saying anything. He half sat and half lay on the bed, held in Alex's arms.

It wasn't the panicked crying of earlier that day; it was a desperate weeping that came out of the general idea of 'it's all lost, there's nothing we could do'. Then came the 'what am I going to do!' crying.

"Alex…." Subaru raised a pair of swollen bloodshot eyes at Death "What am I going to do….without him?" he whimpered, breaking into another sobbing fit.

Alex frowned at him and cupped his chin to bring his eyes back to him "What makes you think I'll let him die? I won't let this pass Subaru. Don't worry, it's going to be all right, I promise"

Subaru stared at Alex with a small glint of hope in his eyes slowly becoming a real fire as much as it could in his poor state.

Subaru has seen Alex acting under a goal, and he knew Alex kept a promise.

Despite that, on the following morning when Subaru got up from a long refreshing sleep Alex forced on him he felt numb. As numb as Seishiro, then he began panicking again.

* * *

At 4AM in the morning Dimitri and Kakyou were torn from their slumber by a loud muddy thud coming from outside their cottage.

Their one and only sheep had collapsed and was now lying miserably on her side in her pen's ground of hey and dirt.

It was Kakyou's only companion besides Dimitri, that sheep, and he loved her like a pet. He saw her lying on the ground like that and rushed to her with a cry of worry and pain.

Dimitri went out and bought her as a lamb. She was to be fed into a good healthy state when she'll be killed, sliced up and eaten as a meal for him and Kakyou.

But when he showed Kakyou the she lamb the yumemie ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her lovingly. He wouldn't budge from her side in her months of childhood, spending a lot of his days with her. Half his stamina now is the result of him trying to be able to pick her up.

When Dimitri hinted she'll be their dinner one day Kakyou made such a horrified face that the older man had nothing to do but to cancel the idea and rely on game meat as before.

When the sheep was old enough they took her to another farmer who kept stags so she'll get pregnant and bare a little lamb for them.

She was pregnant now and probably half of Kakyou's alarmed babbling was about that, Dimitri could only guess.

He walked to the little bird cage they received from the veterinarians and took the message dove from there.

A few weeks ago Kazuki came over with this birdcage explaining to Kakyou and Dimitri (reading out from a note Anthony gave her with the explanation in Russian) about the dove. If they'll have an emergency they'll release the dove and it'll fly to Anthony and they'll come over without the need to bring the animal to the vets.

Dimitri handed Kakyou a note to write Kazuki about the problem. When the note was ready Dimitri attached it to the dove's leg then released her to her way.

As he wrote, Kakyou wiped the tears from his eyes while taking short worried glances at Meeeh, the sheep.

After about two hours a perky Kazuki and a ruffled, sleepy Anthony arrived at Meeeh's side.

While Anthony grabbed Dimitri for a chat over what happened to Meeeh, Kazuki grabbed Kakyou for a small gossip chat.

"Oh, Arashi-san's pregnant! Well that's nice. I hope they'll have a safe delivery….say, where's Seishiro-san? Didn't bother to get himself out of bed?"

Suddenly Kazuki looked sad and frightened "No….he's in jail…."

"Jail! Whatever for?"

"He's going to die tomo….no, today, Kamui and Fuma put him to trial over mass murder for all the people he killed as a Sakurazukamori and they sentenced him to death…."

She didn't want one of her more valuable friends to die though she was innocent and oblivious enough to see Justice's acts as true.

"Humph, serves him right if you ask me" Kakyou looked away frowning. He cuddled a hen he placed on his lap as he sat on a barrel by Meeeh's pen.

Though he found a new lover and seemingly moved on in life, Kakyou still remembered, with a great amount of pain, the scene he saw in his dream and in real life: Hokuto's chest cold-bloodedly pierced by Seishiro's hand.

Then it hit him like a bolt of lightning: Seishiro is a Man of Death about to be executed by Justice! His dream! And War!

He shot off of the barrel making the hen flap her wings madly, cackling in the silly way only chickens can.

Kakyou rudely shoved at Kazuki as he ran directly towards Dimitri but he didn't care; his mind was buzzing with so many thoughts that he couldn't care for the little physical details.

He tugged at Dimitri's sleeve frantically, hanging desperate eyes at him.

"Yume?" the larger man asked him, his lover's worried expression reflected on his face.

Kakyou nodded and ran off, not waiting for anything more.

He dashed to the large horse, helped with the saddling by Dimitri, and climbed on it slightly shaking. As soon as he was safely on the saddle he made the clicking noise that meant 'run like mad', making the horse shoot off.

Kakyou never rode alone, not in this speed anyway, and now he found himself almost swapped off the saddle by the sheer speed. He found strength in him to hold the harness and cling as much as he can to the horse to make them both aerodynamic.

One thought repeated in his mind on and on and on: 'I will stop this! I will change destiny! I will not be the useless dreamgazer who can only watch and do nothing while horrors occur! I will be different! I will stop this! I must!'

* * *

Arriving at the Seals and Harbinger's big house Kakyou rode his horse to the back yard and under the ruined staircase. From his seat on the horse he easily stepped to the first remaining stair and rushed up to the door.

It was the early hours of the morning as Kamui and Fuma just woke up. When Kakyou stormed into the room Fuma had to rush and cover himself with the blanket as he prepared to get out of bed.

"Kakyou….." Kamui, standing by the washing basin, stared surprised at the yumemie.

Kamui had a lurching feeling in his stomach all along since the verdict yesterday.

Half of him wanted to kill Seishiro while the other half, the animal instinct of smelling out danger and warning the rest about upcoming troubles, kept nagging at him to stop the execution immediately.

But Kamui was a young man full of the sense of Justice and so he ignored such basic things as animal instincts, preferring the voice of logic.

When he saw the worried yumemie on their doorstep those instincts turned to the logical half as to say 'see, I told you so!'.

"What is it Kakyou?" Fuma slipped his pants on as Kakyou turned his back to allow him more privacy.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you in such an early hour of the morning but…..I do apologies, it's all my mistake, I had that dream a long time ago but I brushed it off because it meant so little sense and was so fuzzy and confused and…."

"What dream?" Kamui now gestured for Kakyou to turn his back as he changed from his nightgown to his clothes (the good old Clamp campus uniforms, only now he didn't bother with the tie anymore).

Kakyou felt a little wave of relief. They seemed to want to listen to him so surely they'll cancel the execution. He will become the good efficient oracle he wanted to be.

"In my dream I saw a man about to be executed by you, Justice. Then Death came along and protected the man before he was hanged and then….and then a war started between Justice and Death…."

A bell rang in Kamui's mind; Alex said if they'll try to execute Seishiro they'll start a war……this is what Kakyou's talking about…..

The bell rang in Fuma's mind as well, sending the same old shivers down his spine like the ones he'd get whenever Death's name was mentioned.

So he looked at Kamui who froze as he buttoned up his white shirt.

Then he changed his mind from canceling it all over again.

Kamui had this strange look in his eyes, not only fear but recognition, calculation. Fuma saw that look in his eyes when they first spoke of judging Seishiro. The look was there because Kamui knew Alex, knew him well.

Fuma wasn't oblivious to the two's past together and how deep their relationship ran at the time. And it chilled him, _disgusted_ him to think that once Kamui was one of Death's creatures.

That's when emotions ran into the picture once again, just like they did when Kamui remembered Seishiro threatening to hurt him because he's holding Kotori and can't defend himself properly.

Fuma was jealous of the time Alex had Kamui and of the way it meant they will always have something between them which only they know of.

Fuma hated it more then anything. He wanted Kamui all to himself, which was completely natural and understandable.

But just like the love to Kamui made Alex blind to anything but his goal as he traveled world after world in search of his lover, so did that love blind Fuma now.

It blinded him with anger and pride. Pride is never an emotion to have when considering human life.

Fuma had Kamui now; he won the boy by love and not by violence. Alex didn't have Kamui and so he didn't have the right to occupy Kamui's thoughts so much, not now, not ever!

"So you had a dream about it, big deal, it's a dream to frighten us and nothing more." Fuma got up from the bed after sitting on it musing for a while. He began putting his shirt on "The dream is merely a warning of what fait plans for us"

He tapped Kamui lightly on the shoulder to snap him out of his freeze and help him with the little hooks of his school uniform shirt. This was always a work too delicate for his slightly big and rough fingers to handle. Once Kotori used to do it for him while babbling about this or that or simply staying quiet and kind as she was.

Now as Kamui did the same with fingers as thin and delicate as even Kotori would wish she had.

Fuma looked down at what was his and spoke on, inspired by beauty. "Kakyou-san, I stood aside while fait had its way with the ones most precious to me"

He cupped Kamui's chin shifting the mauve eyes from the hooks to his eyes. There was a hazy surprised look in them like only Kamui could produce when looking at his loved one.

"And I won't stand aside now, I will fight destiny and get what's right"

Kamui's eyes glazed over with love and Fuma felt himself suddenly like those strong macho male figures he saw on TV who give out a long 'we'll win' speech and impress the lovely looking girl by them into complete admiration.

Kakyou turned around, frantically trying to make himself heard, he felt like he was talking to a brick wall, "But Fuma, I think destiny might be different in this world I think…."

"Weren't you the one who told the Dragon that 'the future has yet to be determined' and believed it while all around you believed that the future is sealed in stone and cannot be changed? "

That stopped Kakyou dead on his tracks, he didn't see this coming. He just stood there with his mouth slightly open as if about to speak, his pose as if he's about to take another step but stopped in the middle.

Justice stared at him like that for a while before they realized they don't want to keep their morning organizing with the Yumemie frozen like that in their room.

"Kakyou-san" Kamui's voice and eyes were soft, pitying, as he placed a hand on Kakyou's frail shoulder "you told us your dream and we listened, you've done your job now let us do ours" and with that he gently pushed Kakyou out of the door before closing it after him.

* * *

For a while Kakyou stood there thinking about things.

He was tired, after all, he didn't sleep fully this night and he did go to sleep late (Dimitri didn't help with that at all). Trying to stay on the horse while it rushed madly forward also took a little bit off of his physical strength.

Then it flashed him again, the sight of the huge explosion-like effect the war was represented by. Lady Destiny knew what she was doing when she showed a Japanese man something that looked exactly like an atomic explosion.

She did mean it; she wanted him to stop it at all costs.

As it flashed before his eyes again, and his guilt over not telling about the dream to whom he should have until the very last moment, made Kakyou start moving again despite his exhaustion.

An idea flashed in his mind; if he can't talk to one side he'll talk to another.

But how can he find Alex in time? The only answer was through his Creatures of Death who can sense where Alex was.

The onmyoujis were not anything to speak of since they were in no condition to be talked to or make a coherent answer by what he heard from Kazuki.

And so, when he knew where he was heading, Kakyou sped down the staircase and onto his horse again, riding madly towards the main Rescue Team's house.

* * *

Tara is a witch and a part of the Rescue Team. It is nothing people that aren't on the night patrol would notice, but at nighttime she's there working along with Blue Fairy. She levitates herself into the deep blue night sky and emits a light to add to the moon's shining, helping those who are lost or newcomers find their way home.

But that's on nights when the moon is not full enough to light the town below properly. Last night the moon was full and huge and so this morning she was in the house's kitchen cooking a pie from leftovers of their rations.

Kakyou burst through the door. He managed to grab the doorknob before he might crush down to the floor.

The witch walked over to him and aided in supporting him back to stand up straight. "Are you alright?" she stared up to him through his long hairs falling over his face.

"Yes, yes I'm fine….Alex's vampires, where are they?"

The witch frowned a bit "They're asleep now, it's daytime…"

"I must find him quickly and they're the only ones who can sense him and can talk to me….where are they? Please"

Now she could see, as he raised his face, his desperate and determined eyes "They're over there madam" she pointed towards a room with it's door closed.

"Thank you" he huddled away from her aid and walked into the room. He was in too much of a rush to correct Tara for her mistake.

The air in the room was stuffy and slightly hot as the new day's fresh sun beat down at the floor through cracks in the closed shutters on the window. The heavy fabrics on the walls did not help the heat in the room at all.

In the room stood a large double bed matching in decoration to the tapestries around it. Against the other wall of the room stood a simple single bed with simple white sheets, the pillow was missing and so was the blanket.

Kakyou couldn't make out where the lid of the coffin was in the large bed and he wasn't strong enough to lift or move the whole bed and so he turned to the simple wooden one to his left.

The mattress itself lay on a layer of wood that was obviously larger then the bed itself so that it could be moved and opened.

Kakyou lifted the lid to discover the vampire who was Yuzuriha's friend, curled up on a pillow and covered with a blanket like she in a normal bed rather then a coffin.

Victoria twitched her face in her sleep; the heat the sunlight's rays in the air bothered her. She opened her eyes.

There wasn't a single sign of recognition in her eyes or of self awareness; she looked like something taken completely by instinct while the mind itself was shut down.

She sent her hand quicker then Kakyou could prepare himself, and grabbed him by the neck, starting to strangle the dreamgazer.

His life flashed before his eyes. They were so empty and meaningless when he overlooked the painful memories that, for a moment, Kakyou thought of not fighting the hand that slowly closed down on his pipelines.

His vision started blurring, the edges blackening as if slowly burnt.

Just before he sank into oblivious dizziness he heard a hoarse commanding voice from the doorway. Then the hand which held him in such an iron grip let go of him. Kakyou's body crushed on the floor with a light thud as only such a frail body can produce.

"Never try to open a vampire's coffin when they're asleep, are you trying to kill yourself or what?"

It was Alex, he found him and he must talk to him!...but he couldn't, the air that suddenly flood freely into his lungs have yet to reach his brain and the adrenalin rush made Kakyou suddenly crippled again. He lay there on the floor, reaching out faintly towards the doorway where Alex stood.

"A…..Dea…..I…..have to talk to you" he finally managed to mutter after many attempts

"Not now Kakyou, there are more important things for me to do now, I'll talk to you later"

"No….." a small whimper is all Kakyou could manage; he was too tired and too weary. He watched as his last chance to be useful turned around and walked out of the house.

All Kakyou could do was to drag himself to sit on the floor, leaning on the wall where the shut window cast tiger like golden stripes on the floor over his exhausted, useless legs.

* * *

The execution site finally selected, after several harsh words exchanged between Justice and David (with the undertaker threatening Justice might they choose to turn his graveyard into an execution site), was behind the court itself, on a patch of land which was exactly in the middle between the prison house and the court.

Seishiro was brought there on foot, surrounded by court Noters with their rifles ready to fire.

As he walked, Seishiro looked up to the bright morning sky and his surrounding. After all, these are his last moments of life and he better use them to the fullest.

Kamui and Fuma also arrived at the spot by foot, after going through the court to meet up with the Noters who would act as the execution's shooting squad.

After a short briefing from Iceman, Justice, the execution team and several other heavily armed Noters walked out towards the execution site.

Subaru, picked up from his home by Alex and escorted by the remaining Seals and Harbingers, got there by foot.

The closer he got to the place the more Subaru felt numb and cold. The moment he saw the little group already gathered at the spot his heart began to race and the thoughts began zooming madly through his mind again.

This time Alex didn't hold his arm to restrict him, he was confident of what Subaru might do if Justice will not listen to his advice and warning. He was confident of his own reaction might Justice try to pull this off fully.

* * *

The moment the Seals and Harbingers arrived there the execution's team turned their eyes to the little delegation. The tension in the air rose to new and extreme levels.

Fuma scanned over the faces of those who came to watch "Ah, we've been waiting for you" he tried to smile but found it inappropriate….luckily for him.

"That's ever so kind of you" the smile Yutu sent with his words was not his usual, it was bitter and scornful.

Kamui turned to Fuma and whispered to him "Let's get this started, the more we linger is the harder they'll try to stop us"

Fuma nodded and gestured for Iceman to begin.

Iceman turned to the firing squad and gave them a command to get into position.

Seishiro was already standing before them with his hands un-cuffed.

"You really want to pull this off?" Alex cut through the command, he was looking at Justice.

The Noters in the firing squad hesitated, as they were about to aim their rifles into position the long machines were shaking in their hands.

Justice did not react, didn't even look at Death.

Iceman barked another order at his men. They raised their rifles to level with Seishiro's chest and heart.

Subaru began shaking again, and still Alex did not move to grab him or stop him. I fact, as Yutu was about to do so Alex stopped him.

The next order sent the Noters to take their clips (1) and feed them to their rifles.

A little earthquake-like movement under his feet sent Kamui into a last spree of thoughts about canceling it in the last minute.

Another order was shot and the Noters pulled at their rifles' loading handle (2) and switch the safety catch from 'safe' to 'semi-automatic' (3)

That's when Subaru cracked. He shot off from Alex's side and threw himself at Seishiro, wrapping his arms around his neck clinging to him madly with his back to the barrels of the Noters' rifles.

Yutu reached out to garb him but was harshly stopped by Alex. He turned a crazed and angry glare at the bigger man "What do you think you're doing! He's…"

Alex didn't bother looking at him. Instead he looked on at the shooting site, looking further ahead then that "If that won't stop them then surely there's no other way…"

"What are you doing Subaru-kun?" Seishiro sounded faint and tired.

"I can't stay here without you. If you go then I go too"

The older onmyouji felt the collar of his shirt soaked with tears. The body he instinctively held in his arms shook.

A little smile appeared on his face "Well, at least I can die hard…." The cold determined gaze he got from the Justice side of the two groups around him made the smile disappear.

The next command was "Fire"

* * *

After having enough of a rest to calm his thoughts into a bit of optimism and relaxation, Kakyou could allow himself to open his eyes and try to stand up.

The moment he was on his feet the earth began shaking violently under his feet like it never did, even in his home world of broken kekkais'. It sent him falling down on his rear end again.

In the execution site the earth shook as well and the only one remaining calm and stable was Death who glared directly at Justice, his eyes glowing in turquoise and his fighting gear completely on.

"It is your very last warning, call the execution off!" he shouted over the slight panicking voices of those who came to watch and the rumble of the earth under their feet.

In times of stress the ones with forces of destiny can call out their creatures and men to come to their side and help them. Without knowing it, Justice called out to their men.

From each base Noters poured out via on cart, horse or foot. They were without thought of themselves; they only ran towards the execution site with a white light surrounding them like a halo.

Out of the prison, along with its Noters, Gala flew towards the site, and landed in Alex's path to the onmyoujis.

"Iceman! Do it! Give out the command!" Justice yelled in two voices.

Iceman, who was still under his own control, turned to his men and barked the command.

Behind each of the Noters in the firing squad, from the earth itself, a zombie came out and grabbed the men. One hand grabbed the Noters across their chest to draw in their arms; the other hand twisted the barrels of the rifles upwards. As the shot was fired the ruined rifles exploded, killing the Noters who held them and harming the zombies that held them.

Other zombies erected from the ground to form three tight rings around those in the execution site, excluding those who came with Subaru.

The remaining Seals and Harbingers, grabbed by the dead called out to move again, were knocked into unconsciousness and thrown aside to clear them away from the mess.

Kakyou sat again in the partially lit room and noted that it wasn't even lit anymore; through the cracks in the shutters he saw the sky suddenly became heavily clouded until it was almost black.

He wondered about that, in his mind that was still slightly dazed and confused from what he's been through.

Then it all became clear to him as the coffin lids of the beds on both his sides opened and the vampires in them sat up and climbed out of their resting places. They ran out of the room in amazing inhuman speed.

He wanted to reach out to them but the pain in his neck was still too vivid to do anything. He could only sit and watch, again.

He noted, as he sat there crying and whimpering for them to stop, screaming madly when his throat allowed him to do so, that the long haired fancy dressing blond male vampire walked over to the wall near the kitchen and took off a large piece of paper that hung on the wall, before he hurried out like his sister to the dark blood.

The vampires' mind, just like the ones of the Noters, Gala and Iceman, were now completely vacant of all thoughts. All that was there were their master's commands.

Death's command to the onmyoujis were to hold tight to each other and form wards around them to keep anyone from nearing them that wasn't of their kind.

Gala charged at Alex from her high spot in the air but was quickly grabbed from behind a few meters from hitting Death, by David who hurled her powerfully to the earth away from Alex.

The undertaker landed near her, his wings fluttering in the air powerfully, wielding his shovel like a weapon.

They began to fight on the edge of the tight rings of zombies surrounding the site.

The Noters on the outside of the ring shot at the goons, pushed and shoved at them to try and rescue their masters. But bullets couldn't hurt a body that was already dead, only open greater holes in the rotting flesh that regenerated back again under the powerful aura of their master.

The Noters weren't fought against, only pushed, grabbed and hurled backwards and away from the ring by the living dead. The rings were not penetrated.

After some wild exchange of blows between Gala with a sword she used, and David and his shovel the sword was knocked out of the warden's palms and shot way back outside the ring, straight into the rows of Noters outside it.

She was grabbed again, restrained and carried to Death by the undertaker.

Death turned to look at her, a malicious fanged grin on his face. Her neck was offered by David and slashed cleanly by Alex with one whiff of his sword.

Suddenly it became clear to Justice, as the situation switched from their advantage to their own future fall, just in how much _danger_ they were right now. Fuma grabbed Kamui instinctively and surrounded him with his arms like Seishiro with Subaru.

Before them, in Death's path towards them, Iceman stood with his own ancient sword pulled out before him.

Alex and Iceman, Gala, Jacob and David too, each in their own dimension had a cult to their kind called the Blue Circle. That was a cult of supreme warriors who gave power and fighting skills to those who joined their ranks. Each of their own mostly selfish reasons joined the cult and then ran after gaining the power of the cult.

But they also gained power and fighting skills, the fighting skills that Iceman now used as he fought Alex for his masters.

Those movements, which Alex learnt, were now used against Iceman as Alex remembered them and knew what weak spots they create in his opponent's defenses.

It wasn't easy, and they moved faster then a normal human eye can see, but slowly Alex began to take the upper hand as he used the little breaks between the defensive swings and attacks to slash here and there into Ice's body.

In the meantime the vampires arrived at the scene, placing themselves one at each side of Justice, snarling and hissing as they neared them to tare them apart from each other.

It drew Iceman's attention to the new threat and so, when he was not looking directly at his nemesis, Alex rammed his sword straight the god's his neck.

For a moment they stood there, one holding a sword and one impaled on the sword, frozen in the pain. Everything froze within the ring as if something big was broken in the world and a moment of silence in mourn was called for.

Iceman spat blood as he tried to speak.

He merely gained a glowing turquoise scornful glare. The sword that connected to him swung sideways. He was swooped aside and cast there like a lifeless doll, struggling not to become one despite his injury.

And so, with big heavy steps, erasing the grin and changing it into a furious expression, Death approached Justice.

Circled all around them by Men and Creatures of Death, cut off from their men and rescuers, Justice could do nothing but try and protect themselves as best they could.

The psychic powers their world's destiny gave them faded a long time ago; Justice, True Justice, needed no protection of themselves for they are just and pure and so will be seen by anyone who looks upon them.

Fuma tightened his grip on Kamui, glaring powerfully at the man approaching him. He wore nothing but his school uniform and his magistrate robe, had no weapons but his own human body which was trained only to shoot hoops at basketball tournaments.

He clutched to Kamui as forceful as he could and turned his back to Death, checking the monster's progress across his shoulder.

Nearing him was a creature a thousand times more powerful then him, dressed in armor he surely didn't need, with huge wings that only a gush of air from one could send him knocked to the ground and a sword in his hand.

Death didn't use his _sword_; he pressed a hidden button on its hilt and changed it to a long slim metal rod. He began spinning it with one hand until the rod itself could not be seen; only created a sort of darkened circle of fast moving metal around his palm.

The swing of that rod as it spun now Death aimed first at one of Fuma's arms, breaking it in a sickening painful crush.

Fuma gave out a hoarse painful roar, making Kamui cling to him desperately, but with his healthy arm he did not let go of Kamui as the other limb dangled, mangled and useless by his side.

Death began spinning the rod again, his victims trying to step away but banging into David who placed himself behind them to keep them from running away.

Alex didn't even change his expression, didn't even talk, as he swung the rod at the second arm. Fuma felt bright white pain as David grabbed him by the hairs and swung him away from Kamui.

Once free Death took the last step, grabbed Kamui by his arm and yanked. He looked straight at Fuma who was trying to make things stop swirling in front of his eyes with the mind numbing pain. "You gave the wrong judgment to a person who isn't in your jurisdiction"

The earth that stopped roaring under them began shaking again, only a little lighter.

This time it was horses, at first rotten and motionless, then slowly regenerating. The horses emerged between the feet of each Creature of Death, thus taking them upon their backs as they arrived

Under Death another horse appeared; black as night, his rider pulling Kamui to the beasts' height. Death swung the screaming and kicking Kamui across his shoulder like bounty. "Let's see what good justice you'll make when apart, my dear twin stars".

He turned his horse around and away a bit, followed by a limping relentless Fuma. Now he turned to Kamui who screamed at him.

"_LET ME GO! **LET ME GOOOOOOOO!**_"

"No Kamui, not until you will clear this man of his charges and declare him innocent will you return here to your court and your Fuma"

"**_NEVER!_****We are True Justice and our decisions are true and right! Now _LET ME GOOOOO!_**"

"Very well then" Death smiled again and clicked his horse into a fast canter. The horses carrying Victoria, Lestate, David and the onmyoujis (who rode together on the same horse with Seishiro at the back) followed him. The tight zombie rings cleared a passageway for them.

Whatever Noters didn't make it in time to move away from the passage got stumped upon.

Fuma allowed himself to finally collapse to the floor and succumb a little to his injuries. Then he raised his head once more to see his Kamui drawing away from him on his kidnapper's back, reaching out for him with tears in his eyes.

And screaming "**_FUUUUMAAAAAAAAAAAA_**"

* * *

They headed towards the cliffs before Dragon Valley and Tralfamadores craters. As they neared the dangerous cliffs they didn't stop nor slow their progress.

Kamui, who's throat became hoarse with screaming , now lost his ability to even think straight as the horse his kidnapper rode took off the cliff like a plane and began to descend, still riding in the air, downwards towards the dragons bellow.

Back in the city the zombies sunk back into the ground and the Noters could start assessing the situation.

They had half of their driving force sitting badly injured on his knees crying like a little baby mumbling his other half's name.

They had one of their officers squirming on the ground battling to stay alive despite his injuries.

They had a good few soldiers injured and a good few dead.

They had one head warden dead.

Lion, who was the first to clear his head of the chaos, sped towards Iceman. He knelt by him, supported the man on his knees holding his hand before he called out to his children.

He ordered his men to gather all they have and start chasing after the forces of Death. They were heading towards Dragon Valley where there's another base of them, and then there's the Tralfamadores' craters where they surely can't run to.

Again, whoever was on a cart or horseback began riding madly towards the Valley.

* * *

Alex turned around to look at his men before entering the territory officially called Dragon Valley.

It is true that he had some sort of a language with the dragons living here, and his dragon-like wings were only something to be looked at positively there. These intelligent creatures valued his inhumanity and the dragon features in him and turned their ears to him once, they can do it again.

Flying over straight into the valley and not through the long and dangerous zigzag rout built into the Cliffside to allow entry and exit to the valley gave the Death's riders time over their chasers.

Now it was time to put another difficulty in their way.

Sensing humans in the presence of their caves, the keeper of the valley's entrance crawled out on his huge lizard like legs.

Kamui, now revived from his shock, twisted himself enough to see the huge blue dragon that edged his way towards them, blowing smoke from it's nostrils and growling in such a low tone it sent vibrations through his whole body.

The dragon drew its enormous head towards Alex who stood with his horse at the arrowhead of his group. The nose was about a good deal of height bigger then the man _and_ his horse sniffed Alex, the horse and their captive.

Death did not flinch, didn't move a muscle.

Dragons communicated through telepathy and a series of various shrills or growls that only they could produce. Alex, having physical difficulties with producing such sounds, relied on telepathy to get the message through to the creature before him.

For a moment there the dragon seemed enraged, opening his wings (as small as they were to the rest of his body, they were still three times bigger then Alex's wings) and jerking his head sharply here and there.

Kamui began to have hope, he looked up towards the cliff top and saw his men gathering there and slowly pouring carefully in through the little passageway down to the valley.

Then, with a final blow of stifling thick smoke from the dragon's nostrils, it moved away and into a different cave entrance from where it exited. Kamui's hope was shattered into tiny little fragments as his kidnappers began riding again, faster then his men, down the cave.

* * *

"Justice, Justice, can you hear me?" Owl was trying to snap Fuma into coherence without causing him too much physical pain.

Fuma opened his eyes and all he could see was darkness. The clouds above him that gathered to allow Death's vampires to move in daytime slowly cleared enough to bring normal sunlight pouring on the destructed site. But Fuma couldn't care about such things when Kamui was gone.

"Kamui…."

"Taken sir….Justice, sir….they're heading towards Dragon Valley….in fact…wait…" Owl moved away, calling Lion over to explain the devastated man the situation that now began to form.

Lion moved from the rows of Noters, dead and covered, towards Fuma. He was hard and cold and seemed to be in his own mournful trance. But he took one look at Fuma and at the medics' cart that carried Iceman traveling away towards the infirmary and snapped out of it.

He walked over to the man bandaged on two sides by medics. "Justice, Fuma, listen to me and clear your head to really understand what I'm saying" his deep voice was charged with commanding and confidence.

Fuma raised pain filled eyes to the man before him, he was listening.

"Alex and his creatures rode from here towards Dragon Valley. We thought we could use our base there to stop them but apparently they've managed to talk the dragons to showing them into their tunnels around the city and our base in there. Now the last thing that can stop them is the Tralfamadores. There is not a chance they can get in there and if they will get in there….and if they will then…they're either trying to kill themselves or commit themselves to those aliens"

"That didn't encourage me one little bit" Fuma's voice was bitter but indicated that he was thinking clearly.

Lion held back a small shout he felt like unleashing at the boy before him. He took a deep breath and finally spoke once he calmed himself enough "The truth hurts, it's difficult and hard. The way things are at the moment there's indeed nothing to encourage you" and with that he got up and left to mourn for his lost children.

* * *

Tara noted Lestate and Victoria leaving. She noted the earthquakes too and saw the zombies. She had seen Alex's power and knew there is not a chance in the world that she could do anything against them.

And so she stood on the porch of their house and watched whatever she could from there. Not until Kakyou whimpered enough to be heard did she remember his existence.

She walked into the now vacant room and found the yumemie on the floor wallowing in tears and completely lost in his rambling and mourning.

She sighed deeply and took him to the infirmary, noting little involuntary twitches in him that meant that his muscles were collapsing with over exhaustion…. Or maybe a mental breakdown?

* * *

It seemed like forever of endless winding, tangling and intertwining huge tunnels through which they rode for days as it seemed to Kamui.

He was now exhausted from fighting with all his might to escape Alex's iron grip on him. Now without his powers he was but a skinny little 16 years old and as thus he was rather weak and fragile compared with his capturer.

His head buzzed with the excitement and anxiety of the day's events. It was only about four hours since the execution began and here he was now like the world flipped upside-down for him.

He allowed himself to dose off a bit, knowing he's too valuable to be dropped by accident.

The sound of horse hoofs pounding the ground echoed from the walls of the tunnels where they rode. They pounded in Kamui's bothered, restless mind like they pounded the ground. Endlessly.

* * *

Here was a problem, the wall of blue thin fire that kept the Tralfamadores from venturing out and luring any more humans into their traps. They could pass through the wall without a problem, what was on the other end was a different story.

Alex stood there thinking, wondering if his plan will work.

The Blue Circle, the cult that raised the best of many dimensions' warriors, didn't breed their men for no reason. The Blue Circle would venture out into space around their planet to conquer and create an empire with the colonies on every planet they've landed. In his dimension and in all of the dimensions Alex saw Blue Circles in it was the exact same story.

These conquests made the Blue Circle fearful in the eyes of almost all alien species, even the mentioning of the name sent many races into a frenzy of self defense and protecting operations.

It was that effect which Alex counted on to put an obstacle in the way between the forces of Justice and forces of Death. If he'll put the craters behind them the Noters and every other person from the city will be completely stopped from chasing them.

He worked his power, creating a huge Blue Circle symbol in the air as a banner above them. Like that he began riding into the craters. He ordered David to do the same and ride as the last in their convoy.

And it worked, the little creatures saw the banner like symbol and ran away, clearing a path and canceling any plan they had of capturing them. It would take another half a day of riding to get to the other side and so Alex ordered the living-dead horses to speed their canter into their fastest.

* * *

Kamui woke up a few more times during their ride through the craters and everything he saw made him sick and dizzy. Lights danced around his head, creatures he never saw ogled at him in a look that made him want to throw up.

He looked at the little group riding after him. Their eyes were glowing in turquoise, their faces were blank. He knew he had no one to talk to, not even Alex. He had no hope and no way to resist.

As he slept he thought to himself 'I have to stick to my decisions, I will never forgive that murderer, never! No matter what they put me through, no matter where we go and what they do! I'll see Fuma again and I will win!'

* * *

He was shaken into reality finally as they arrived through the other side and crossed the wall of blue fire that locked the craters on the other side.

On the other side the clear moonlight shone on huge tracks of endless tall grass spreading to all directions.

Kamui found was thrown to the ground and into a bitter, harsh new reality.

He got up glaring fire at Alex, cursing under his breath.

The Men and Creatures of Death snapped out of the control forced on them and began looking around at their new surrounding.

"Where are we?" Victoria slowly spun on her heels to get as much of the green endlessness around her.

"Apparently we're on the other end of the Tralfamadores' craters" Alex answered her, getting off of his horse and glaring back at Kamui.

In a moment tents appeared around them to form a campsite for the nighttime. Small round tents made of black velvet modestly decorated in silver and turquoise embroidery. One tent for Alex, another for Kamui. A tent for each vampire and a tent for David. A tent for the onmyoujis.

In the latter the two completely woke, opening their eyes to allow the sights to filter into their minds.

They loosened their grabbing on each other enough to look into each other's eyes.

"Seishiro-san!" Subaru's eyes began tearing.

"Subaru-kun"

They kissed.

In his tent, where Kamui also stood rubbing the bruises caused to him by the journey and his rough landing, Alex called out to Lestate.

The vampire walked merrily into the tent "Tres' bian Alex!" he clapped his hands merrily "tents so lovely made of velvet"

"I didn't want you bitching about how crude everything is around you"

Lestate pouted jokingly "I don't bitch, I never bitch soldier boy"

"Did you bring the map?"

"As you told me to" Lestate reached into his fancy jacket's coat and pulled out the large piece of scroll-like paper Kakyou saw him take off of the wall in his house.

The scroll was a map of the entire dimension that Ace traveled through once upon a time. These days where the big forest Dimitri and Kakyou live in there was the city from which Ace started his traveling. The world changed only a little bit from the days the map was drawn, the people in the map though, changed a lot more. It had Dragon Valley and the craters so that Death could explain the journey they took.

David walked in over to the crude little table Alex created there so they could make their plans. He looked down at the map and listened to Alex's explanations.

Finally the undertaker gave out a long whistle "Phew, we went through all of that distance? Amazing"

"Yes" Alex began glancing sideways at Kamui who sat on a bench and began glaring back at him.

"So, what do we do now?" Lestate raised his eyes to Alex. He really did admire his Death, not just because of his force. Because, as a man that has been through wars and should know of them, he was a good strategically thinking general without the patronizing such a position might lead to.

"Yes, what now Alex? What are you planning to do with me" Kamui hissed, amazed at his own voice's bitter hatred.

Alex straightened his stand from leaning over the little table and glared right back at Kamui. "From now on we're going to make the distance between you and Fuma as big as could be. It's a whole planet we're talking about here Kamui, and most of it is yet to be discovered. Not until you'll chance your judgment of Seishiro will we turn around and come back to the city.

"Kamui, I've warned you and you did not heed and so I've started a war. A war you are now the captive of"

(tbc)

* * *

(1) Clips in American, magazines in British English. Anyways what it means is the bullet holding thing you shove into the rifle to load it.

(2) In an M-16 to get the bullet into the firing mechanism itself you need to pull a handle that loads the rifle completely……you learn a new thing with everyday, ne?

(3) Actually, fire regulations in a non-battle situation such as practice shooting or disarming a rifle (making sure there isn't a bullet in the mechanism, I don't know the exact word), there's a pause between pulling the loading handle and the switching of the safety switch but never mind!

A.N: my head hurts….my head REALLY hurts…..


	17. Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

* * *

**Part 17 – Aftermath**

It sounded like he was underwater. In a cave where the sounds he was hearing bounced off the wall to meet his ears over and over again.

Deep growling or squeaking of some old wood against old wood met his ears….perhaps he was under water, in a cave, under a creaking old ship….a sunken one…..

Kakyou tried to focus his mist filled mind. Something in him still clutched to this dream world as if knowing that the dreams, as weird as they are now, are better then reality.

Despite his sudden will to stay dreaming he swam up into a bit clearer place in his minds, where he was closer to the surface.

He was not in water anymore though the sounds were still slowed down and low in tone. Now it sounded like he was in a jungle, and the animals' growls and grunts kept swinging back at him from whatever it was that surrounded him. It was still dark; maybe it was a midnight savanna or a nighttime jungle…..

And the animals, they sounded monstrous. Every once in a while there was a slow and rapid shrill, a shrill in comparison to all the rest of the voices. He tracked some voices down and almost thought the heard words! But then they stopped, and he never heard that particular sound ever again.

He tried to tap down to another sound and found that it had a human quality to it! He focused on that quality and found himself drawn to reality.

Kakyou opened his eyes to the white painted ceiling of the infirmary. For a blessed second he was in silence as his mind was too busy working out how he got here.

Then it came crushing down on him like hailstorm, the sounds he so focused on.

They were human sounds, grunts of physical agony, screams of pain from treatments carried under a lack of anesthetic, calling for nurses from visitors, commands of those who are responsible for this patient or the other.

But the worst were the begging; begging for water, something to chill the fever-caught body, something to take away said fever's nightmares. Begging for mommy, daddy, various names that could only be guessed as those of siblings or relatives, maybe mates left behind in their original world….or lovers…..

Kakyou sat up from his bed and saw the world was crawling with injured Noters, nurses and doctors fussing all around them.

The nurses, and Charlie, they were covered with blood here and there, their apron torn a bit at the edges where a patient grabbed them in agony and would not let go.

He saw a body on a bed covered silently by a blanket all the way up to the head.

Kakyou couldn't think at first, his mind was blank and empty. He could only look and listen, take in this hell hall he found himself in.

In an instinct he looked down at his own body; same old slightly mucky kimono, nothing hurt or damaged…..should he be damaged? His throat hurt a bit from an old bruise but he couldn't trace this bruise to anything that he could remember…..

A nurse passed him by, the purple haired one that everyone gossiped about as a male nurse rather then the female nurse she tries to pose herself as. She dragged another man after her, a man that looked feminine to Kakyou. She was talking to the man who seemed to be in shock from what he saw here.

She said "Come on Hotohori-heka, come here, sit and don't look out of the room, come on. You can use this cloth and tare bandages from it. You just take it and tare stripes out of the fabric and we'll use them as bandages….yes, you'll be of use this way. Come on" she lead the man to another room and gave him said fabric. She walked out of the room looking bothered and busy.

Kakyou blinked a few times, dazed.

Then she passed him again, she didn't even noticed him. Maybe she was so self taught not to notice patients over some level of health that she simply didn't see him, focusing on the more injured.

As she walked she spoke to herself, muttering under her breath. "So many wounded and now _seven_ are dead…..if only David wouldn't be taken away we'd have someone to deal with them but now….."

David? The undertaker? Why was he gone? Kakyou was so stunned and tired that he didn't mind his brain receding to such childish levels of thought.

Then it hit him. The war. It broke out…..he tried to tell them but he couldn't…

No, it wasn't their fault for not listening; it was his fault for not telling them in time! He had that dream _two weeks _before this whole thing started and yet he didn't tell! **It was his entire fault.**

Kakyou got off of his bed and began walking amongst the rows of beds. From time to time a nurse or a visitor brushed against him violently but he didn't care, he didn't even notice them as his body realized speaking back to his brain was useless.

He looked at the injured men, he looked at the shapes of the five bodies that lay there all the while waiting for a proper treatment, and at the one bed that was now brought over to this row. He looked at the noter with the fancy lion helmet who stood by those beds shaking but containing his tears.

He followed the man to another room where he vaguely recognized the Noter who once brought Yuzuriha, Arashi, Sorata and Kusanagi (another dream he didn't bother to share with anyone) here in days long ago. The man had a bandage around his throat and was turning and shaking quite violently on his sickbed, his face twitched in pain.

Another fully covered body was rolled out of that room on a bed, he noted that on the white sheet that covered the body there was a horizontal line of blood where the body's neck should be.

"Since when do they bleed!" a nurse whispered, as if trying not to be heard by the dead body.

"Apparently once they lose their power they become something of a human…."

The nurse who started the conversation raised her eyebrows high in an expression that meant both 'really now?' and 'well I'm not that bothered anyway'.

"So how come she's dead and Ice-hunk(1) is alive?" she finally asked with a little grin at her pun.

"I think it's something to do with power levels or something….I don't know, Charlie explained it to me once but it still couldn't get into my head…well if you ask me it's all very confusing and a bit scary, don't you think?"

"Mmm" the other nurse nodded and they carried on with their rolling of the bed towards the six beds already there.

Kakyou stared at the seven beds and blinked a few times, his mind was going fuzzy again and thinking was hard.

Seven people dead now because of him….seven…..

He heard a familiar deep toned voice and his world brightened in a second: Dimitri was here, in the entrance hall. He began walking a bit faster towards that hall.

On the way he heard a familiar name, carried on the worried tone of a nurse. She said "Is this more comfortable, or is the band still too tight Fuma?"

Fuma. Kakyou turned his head slowly, feeling like he's under water again.

Fuma sat on a sickbed having both his hands nursed into proper bandaging.

"It doesn't matter now does it?" Fuma answered the nurse "Nothing matters now that he's gone…..and in the hands of that monster…." He sat with his back almost creating a circle with the way it was hunched. His head was also lowered and as he looked towards the nurse with crazed bloodshot eyes he saw her almost through his eyebrows. His speech was slow and pain filled yet dark and brooding. He really didn't care about anything anymore.

The nurse made a small 'tssk' sound at him and folded her arms on her chest, her sleeve drawn upwards revealed a long tattoo of a green dragon recoiling down her arm. "Now now, focus on what's more important at the moment, ne? Is this band too tight on you compared with the one on your left shoulder?"

There was a silence and Fuma fought to clear his head "No, it's okay….it's going to heal even if the bandage was too tight, ne? Then that's what's important…"

Kakyou didn't hear that part of the conversation at all for he was lost in his world of guilt again.

He heard Dimitri's voice again, speaking with another voice he recognized as Anthony, the only man in this world accept Alex that understood Russian, about something that by the tone of his voice was very important.

He walked all the way to the entrance hall itself, making himself visible.

Blue Fairy was there, speaking to a female noter that was lightly injured but deeply in depression or shock. The usual office Noters were there, too busy looking at their friends and at the people in the entrance hall to do what they should be doing.

There were the people who came with him, Aoki-san and Yutu-san. They were gravely looking at some files and papers. A nurse came up to them and whispered something to them, it was a nurse Kakyou recognized as the one that rolled the sixth bed to the silent row.

The two men exchanged a few words with her and nodded. Aoki-san made a little polite head bow, Yutu-san rubbed her arm cheeringly before she left, a kind of hug-less hug to give her a bit of comfort.

Kakyou stood like a leaf on a tree in autumn, waiting for the next blow of wind to break him off his branch and throw him to the ground. Long ago, maybe even before he opened his eyes, he stopped thinking properly.

He was suddenly grabbed by hands of a familiar size and a familiar strength. The hands which held him when he first met the man belonging to them. The hands which spoke to him in the sign language they used to understand each other. The hands which taught him crafts and helped him when he tumbled. The hands which held him and caressed him in endless nights that seemed to burn his bad experiences and memories from the past with their passion.

Those hands and the man who now made those hands shake him a bit to snap him out of his daze. He didn't deserve those hands.

He turned to the man and allowed himself to be snatched into a deep embrace, pressed against a broad muscular chest which smelt of musk, pines, sweat and sawdust.

He shouldn't be here, he shouldn't be hugged by this good man because this good man who doesn't know how evil he really is.

Just like Hinoto, exactly like Hinoto! Her evil side ordering her Seals into hopeless battles and leading them straight into danger's pit.

Evil, that's what he is. Wicked and lazy and selfish and evil! And he has the nerves to feel shame and guilt about it! Kakyou found himself disgusted with himself so much he felt physically sick.

With that he came to an understanding as he pushed Dimitri away from him.

The man stared at him puzzled and confused. He tried to reach out to caress the black and blue marks in the shape of a palm that spread on Kakyou's neck but the yumemie backed off.

Kakyou walked backwards in hesitative little steps, slowly running away from a man who could heal him. He didn't look scared and he didn't look so dazed as to be considered delusional.

He stumbled into a small table carrying a few operation tools with a nurse by them who wiped them clean with a cloth that soaked up so much blood off them it seemed completely red.

Kakyou turned around and stared at what he stumbled into, his eyes slowly blinking as if in a dream. But his mind was never clearer, and a realization such as this was never firmer in his mind since he lost a loved one in another dream coming true without his ability to stop it.

He took a scalpel from the little desk, not hearing the nurse's objecting "Hey!".

He turned to the rest and Dimitri amongst them, raised his left hand's wrist to the level of his head and sliced through skin, flesh and blood vessels.

Blood gushed out from his body, pain shot into his head. But he didn't care, he couldn't care. Here was his only hope for bliss, his only hope for total silence and rest from all these dreams, all these futures set in stone, all his hope for a change impossible.

He collapsed to the floor, feeling himself drown in water again, into his underwater cave.

* * *

Dimitri leaped forwards trying to stop his lover far too late. He only managed to grab the frail body as it fell backwards, the wrist gushing with blood.

Anthony leaped forward as well, pulling something out of his doctor's bag and realizing it's not equipment fit for humans.

Seiichiro raised his head from the folder containing the information of a now deceased noter as he heard the racket. He saw what was before him and realized the yumemie is going to die.

Charlie was called at by the cleaning nurse. He was in the middle of an operation and shouted back that "If the stupid man wants to die we should let him bloody die! I'm far too busy here with people who want to _live_! Let him die for god's sake and leave me to my work!"

Blue Fairy looked up from the noter she spoke to and looked at Kakyou, she looked at Dimitri who tore off a stripe of fabric from his shirt and began working on some sort of way to stop the blood from reaching the gush.

He was using a stick to try and spin the band wrapped around Kakyou's arm into tightness on the frail arm when Anthony stopped him speaking something to him that made him pound a nearby table with his fist and shout out something that was obviously not very educational (2).

Anthony took another piece of fabric, a triangle in shape, lying on a table with others like it and started folding it into the shape of a narrow straight band. Kakyou was bleeding so much by then that Anthony even wondered if it's going to work (3).

Watching the desperate, almost crazed frantic look in Dimitri's eyes, Blue Fairy turned her eyes to Yutu, her Love.

At first Yutu thought, like Seiichiro, that suicide was probably the only thing that can help Kakyou. Further more, unlike Seiichiro who hardly knew Kakyou, Yutu knew in advance that back in their dimension it was Kakyou's wish (as the Dragon so helpfully commented) to die more then anything else.

But then he saw the look in Blue Fairy's eyes and realized something as he looked at Dimitri.

He got up from where he sat and walked to the two men fussing over Kakyou who by now created such a pool of blood on the floor Yutu had to step in to get to them.

He placed a calming hand on Dimitri and turned to Anthony. "Anthony-san, please translate this to Dimitri-san here. Ask him 'do you love this man?'"

Anthony, who managed to work the bandaging enough to make the flood of blood into a little trickle, stared at Yutu puzzled at first. Then he translated it.

Dimitri turned enraged eyes to Yutu, almost ready to pounce on the seemingly tactless man before him. A huge muscular fist clutched harder, awaiting the order to pound the blond before him.

Yutu moved in between Dimitri and Kakyou and placed one palm on Dimitri's chest over his heart, and another on Kakyou's wound. He asked Anthony to ask the question again. His eyes were intense as they stared deeply into Dimitri's soul. He was glowing, his usual lenient and easy going pose becoming intensely focused.

Dimitri nodded, adding a "Da" choked with unshed tears and frustration

Yutu smiled, power beaming off of him "Then think about it, and about how you don't want him hurt"

Anthony translated it.

Dimitri closed his eyes and concentrated.

Yutu began glowing powerfully, his eyes closed in concentration as well.

Blue Fairy smiled such a beautiful smile that for a second a nurse that watched her became completely distracted from what was before her.

Seiichiro dropped the file he was holding from his hands, his own heart was pounding in his chest at his lover doing such a miracle.

Charlie, who finally finished whatever he was doing and walked over to get cleaner tools stopped dead on his track in the entrance to the hall by the little table where Kakyou got his suicide weapon from.

The light seized and the magic ended.

Yutu's palm was removed from a pounding chest. Eyes were opened to see the cruel gush completely gone, the slight paling of Kakyou's skin that meant he was losing blood completely gone as well. The man was healed; even the bruises on his neck were gone.

Dimitri stood frozen in shock, he couldn't move with the sheer emotions that swapped him. He wanted to take Yutu in his arms and squeeze him with the might of his gratitude. He did, and earned a choked "Don't hug me silly, hug him!". Without a need for a translator Dimitri did just that, taking Kakyou gently to another sickbed in a side room.

Yutu stood there trying to catch his breath again mumbling "Damn that man is strong". He smiled at Blue Fairy who smiled back at him with glittering eyes.

He smiled at Seiichiro who was walking towards him. He couldn't smile anymore as his lips were captured in mid-smile in the loving kiss pressed on them.

* * *

Ace looked up at the bit of wall where his map used to be. It was insignificant really, there was nothing special about the now blank map-less bit that he almost felt nothing as he stared at it.

Was it because the man who took it started becoming vaguer and vaguer in his heart?

Spike walked up to him and patted his back "Oi, Ace man, listen….because we're kind of short on people now I think maybe we're going to have to cut down on manpower in our patrols….."

Ace didn't seem to listen at first. So Spike said it again.

"Yes, I heard you the first time….you are in patrol with Karen today aren't you?"

Spike nodded.

Ace was silent for a moment "I'll come along anyway…."

Spike walked over to the work chart where the men in the patrol for the week were written down. Some were marked down and others replacing them. Tara and Ace sat down for long three hours trying to re-arrange the chart into enough logic and sense to enable them to continue the patrols without too much uneasiness.

Usually when they were short on men due to one of them missing or when something was big enough to need all of them they'd draw Charlie and David up to the action. Now Charlie was over his head in the infirmary and David was gone.

"Ace man, you're on the patrol after that, you'll ground yourself like that" Spike actually had a compassionate look in his slightly mismatched in color eyes as he looked at Ace.

Ace smiled back a wan little smile "That's okay, I'll have good company"

Spike smiled a little and hung a cigarette on the very tips of his lips. He lit it and took a deep drag "Alright then, we'll join you on your patrol afterwards"

"Don't be daft, _you'll _wear yourself out" he ignored Spike waving his palm to brush him off "don't do that, you're alive, I'm not" Spike kept waving his palm while looking away back at the chart "look, I'm a hologram, I can't feel when my legs are supposed to cramp up but you're…"

"I said leave it man, I'm sure Karen wouldn't mind either" he said and left. He wasn't quite social and caring enough yet to return Ace the look of happiness and gratefulness the hologram hung at his ever hunched-in-carelessness back.

Deep inside him Ace wanted to jump up and down with joy and roar all the happiness in him. He never had such friends. Never in his life did people actually _want _to spend time in his company so much.

* * *

Karen didn't mind at all when Spike came to pick her up for patrol. She beamed a big smile and nabbed a cigarette from her friend.

Actually she smoked one about half an hour ago, but she liked the way Spike let her do that.

She woke up that morning feeling like something was missing. She didn't really feel it as if it was something big and serious, like it was so devastating or anything, but she did feel _something_ missing.

As she walked out of her room she looked down the hall at the room, belonging to the onmyoujis but a day ago. Now she could feel what was missing, but it wasn't so bad. She could miss Subaru in time, she needed to talk to him back then but….Seishiro, she could do without him….or maybe not, he was something good to this house. Sometimes a bit of a cold cynical voice is what's missing to make the balance complete. Now they were a bit off that balance. Oh well.

She went down to the kitchen for her little morning routine: She'd make herself coffee if there was any and tried to eat breakfast.

In her world breakfast would make her feel heavy and uncomfortable during the rest of the day, but here where dinner the day before wasn't always so satisfying and today's lunch wasn't always guaranteed she'd force herself to eat.

After breakfast she'd try to keep herself in the kitchen while her "After meal, during coffee" need for a cigarette tried to pull her to the back yard.

Then she'd go to the backyard, without any real attempt to cut down on the smoking amount, and smoke a cigarette.

This morning she noticed Yuzuriha sitting on the well in the yard, her inugami by her like a faithful dog, staring off into the general direction to which Victoria left.

Karen stood there wondering if starting a conversation would be good emotional support or would it be an intrusion into the girl's brooding.

And she did have to talk to _someone _about what bugged her. So she walked over to the well.

"Won't you fall into the well sitting like that?" she smiled at the young girl who seemed to stare very peacefully into the mostly blank view.

Yuzuriha turned her head towards Karen and beamed her usual smile at the woman, was she trying to hide something with that cheerfulness? "Good morning Karen-san. No I won't fall, I'm pretty balanced here and even if I'd fall, Inuki would come to get me" she poked her finger in the air towards the spirit dog's nose. It reached its nuzzle towards her hand and Yuzuriha felt a quick wet touch to the tip of her finger as their little bond was reassured.

After a few minutes of silence, in which Karen too turned her head towards that general direction, she tried to talk again "You miss her, don't you?"

Yuzuriha smiled to herself, a smile Karen noted at the corner of her eye "Yes, of course. But I know she'll come back to me and then it'll be alright again. I know she believes in what she's doing now so I support her and believe in her, because she's my friend." Yuzuriha turned to look at Karen "Do you think it's wicked of me? You know, with Kamui on the other end of it?"

Karen thought for a while "No, if it's what you truly feel then there's nothing wicked in it"

That made Yuzuriha smile again as she returned to look at the horizon.

Karen was full of thoughts now. What Yuzuriha said, it was so mature, that any thought of her as nothing but a little girl were wiped away from her mind. Maybe she could talk to her.

"Ano….Yuzuriha-san….there's something I wanted to talk to you about….actually….I apologize if it might sound mean to say but….I wanted to talk to Subaru-san about it but now he's not here and to Yutu I _definitely_ can't speak about it….I always thought you're too young but now I stand corrected…..can I light a cigarette, you wouldn't mind?"

Yuzuriha stared at Karen a little, then shrugged and edged a little away from the fire master.

Karen lit her cigarette, took a few long drags, frantically playing with the white cylinder before speaking again. "It's about Aoki-san….and Yutu-san….I mean….oh good god, I'll just speak won't I?" she looked at Yuzuriha who still looked like she was completely listening to her.

"Well you see….ever since I've met him, Aoki-san that is, well, I sort of took a shine for him. But I knew, I knew it was never meant to be because...because...

"When he came to interview me in my work place, I tried to hint to him that he might use my services, or the services of any other girl and…" she laughed a little "at first he didn't even understand what I meant" she had to stop and laugh a little more, during which she wondered if Yuzuriha really ever completely understood what she worked in "then when he did realize he was so shocked! The very thought of _thinking _of betraying his wife, it was so impossible for him, such a good family man" she calmed her breath a little and took another drag from her cigarette.

"And now it's been, what? Maybe half a year into our arriving here, maybe less, and here he is completely moving on and over it! I think…..I think something of my naivety shattered then, if I had any at all" she let the silence speak for itself.

Yuzuriha turned her eyes to the horizon again, thinking.

"But….." Karen fingered the slightly tattered edges of her gown scattering little ash bits from her cigarette on the towel-like fabric "but it's not only that…..you see….I liked him….I thought….and this is _really _wicked of me….when we arrived here, I thought 'good, now he's away from his family and maybe….maybe since I'm his friend and all….then….'"

"Then he'll move on to you" Yuzuriha completed her sentence, now grooming Inuki, combing his fur with her fingers looking for knots and dirt.

Karen sighed "Yes" and took another drag from her cigarette, now squashing its burning head against the well's stones to put it off. "I even had a glimpse of an idea of how to do it while I'm comforting him…." She looked away; she was genuinely blushing with shame.

"And now he moved on but not onto you"

"And to a man of all things! To think that he'd choose another woman, then I'd be able to think 'alright, so I'm not his type' but another _man_……"

Yuzuriha giggled a little.

Karen whipped her head towards the girl glaring at her, was she mocking her!

Yuzuriha tried to speak through her giggles for a while and only contained her short fits enough to say "Maybe it's contagious, ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Eh!"

Yuzuriha almost toppled herself into the well, managing to grab the arch that held the bucket rope enough to keep herself from falling in her laughter. "Maybe he caught it off the onmyoujis and Kamui and Fuma" she burst into a bigger fit.

Now the idea sapped enough into Karen and she began laughing as well.

They laughed for some time, letting themselves let go of any form of Japanese manners that chained them to cover their mouths when they smiled and giggle politely instead of roaring as the laughter took them.

They calmed down and took a deep breath. Karen wiped the tears that formed in her eyes. Yuzuriha balanced herself delicately on the well's edge again.

"But seriously now, do you think I'm wicked?"

Yuzuriha looked up at her friend and beamed a big knowing smile "No, if it's what you've felt then there's nothing wicked about it. You should be happy that Aoki-san is happy now, and you should try to move on"

Karen smiled back and wrapped her arms around her now better friend, reassuring and reinforcing the bond between them.

* * *

The girls' almost mad laughter woke Arashi and Sorata up. Both "Nngh"ed and returned to sleep.

They didn't sleep for very long because the sun was already high enough in the sky to beat down on them through the window of their room and make it impossible to sleep in their sun filled bed.

Arashi rose slowly, feeling how her body was slowly sacrificing more and more of its warrior's agility and flexibility for the sake of building the life inside her. Her tummy was not yet starting to show, for now she only had the symptoms to suffer from. She will grow bigger. She knew that and winced as she thought of having to wear some dead woman's bigger dress to make herself comfortable.

'Comfortable' was already a word she began to grudgingly forget. She loved sleeping on her stomach, and now she was too afraid to even sleep in a fatal position.

But sleeping on her back had its pluses. Now Sorata would make her bosom his pillow and wrap a sleeping hand around her tummy.

She still had those mind freezing fearful moment when she thought of the upcoming baby. Moment where her mind stopped working and such a terror spread through her that she felt like she's under a frozen shower.

Sometimes she wanted to run away, take off this strange edition to her body and run fast as the wind, away from this life. She wanted to grab her head and scream so badly the world would shake with her terror.

But she didn't because of one time when she and Sorata were on patrol and it was raining.

They walked holding hands when suddenly it started raining like a window opened in the sky pouring everything it had on them. They hurried under a tree, Sorata taking off his jacked and covering Arashi's head with it.

A strange old carriage passed by them slowly. An old man sat on it with an old fashioned strange looking umbrella, driving a big black horse that walked like he couldn't care if it would rain fireballs. The old man didn't even look at them, he simply drove forward.

Arashi started crying and she didn't know why, she just cried.

Dark brown eyes stared deeply into hers, digging into her soul where they had a hold on "What is it babe? Why are you crying? Are you feeling alright?"

She cried on, her sobs becoming more and more violent as the time passed, as if matching the rain's furious fall.

Realizing he will get no answer, Sorata wrapped his arms gently around his loved one and rested her head on his shoulder murmuring soft words to sooth her.

"I'm scared" she finally managed to squeak. She pushed him away, walked a few steps backwards and leaned against the tree. She hung her head down, letting the rain wash her face and the tears flow freely. "I'm scared" she said again, her eyes were blaming.

For a moment Sorata felt completely empty and helpless. He felt like a complete klutz, a failure. He wanted to love Arashi and give her all he could to make her happy. Now he only got her into more trouble. He felt like crying himself.

The ever bugging feeling of deep rooted hate in seeing a woman crying bugged him now more then ever.

Then she looked up at him and her eyes were not hateful or blaming anymore, they were of a lost child looking for warmth and comfort.

A smile crept onto Sorata's face. He walked over to her and wrapped her in his arms again "I'm scared too babe, I'm terrified just like you. But it's going to be alright, I swear it will. If I have anything to do with it, it'll be alright, I'll do all that I can to solve any problem we'll ever face".

"We'll…" she hiccupped the last of her crying fit "We'll do it together" it was in a questioning tone. The arms around her tightened a little

"Yes" she heard the voice above her rich with emotions.

And the rain stopped.

Thinking about it now, Arashi smiled and placed a hand on her tummy. She was still a little bit scared, well who wouldn't?

* * *

Sorata stayed in bed a little bit longer after Arashi got up. She turned to him wonderingly "What is it?" she asked, noting his somewhat brooding mood.

Sorata lay on his stomach in the bed, leaning his head on his folded arms looking out of the window at the vague direction into which, he didn't really realize, the man he once promise to protect with his life, was taken to.

He didn't answer Arashi for a while, letting himself form an answer from the jumble in his mind.

"I knew it when it felt like I had to pick sides" he finally said "I think I sensed something was up"

Arashi thought about the more up to date issues at hand and wrapped herself in her nightgown "Yes….I just never thought it'd be like this….so violent….." she stood there for a while, thinking, then left to make them breakfast.

"He's not so bad….." Sorata mumbled to himself staring off into the view, lost in thought.

Once he was on a patrol with Alex, a noon patrol, just before the sun began to set enough to darken the world completely.

They walked by the edge of the city, walking away from the semi-built streets towards a forest that Sorata remembered as having an abundance of fireflies and a fence around it.

"Do you know this little bit of woods Sorata?" Alex turned to him, stopping just before the little forest.

"No…why?"

Alex turned his eyes to him, cocking his head to the side a little "Who was with you in your first patrol?"

"Ace, why?"

"Figures, he's kind of shy and a bit uncomfortable around new people" then a strange shudder went through his body. Sorata remembered wondering if there was something in this world that could actually scare something like Alex enough to make him shudder.

Alex looked at the forest again "Once this dimension brought a tribe of witches into it, green glowing witches that flew through the air like jets, laughing manically like you see in cheap movies. At first they attacked anything that was male; human, animal, even some palm trees we had here that happened to be male got burnt down to ashes by them. Then we chased them off a bit and everything was calm for a few days.

"Then they returned big time, chanting spells that made a man hear voices in his head telling him to attack anything around him. They sat at a cliff top and watched it all like it was a play. They turned a man against his friend, a husband against his wife, a son against his parents, it was madness in here.

"This time we killed them and all that was left were these fairies that looked more like fireflies then anything humanoid. The fairies ran away to this patch of woods which once was a part of a big forest. If you come into their patch they'll chant spells and madden you, that's why we've put up this fence to keep people out. They wouldn't attack unless disturbed.

"The only thing they do now is to sense goodness in a person coming by them and start glowing. You see, they're sadistic by nature, not evil, not corrupted or anything, simply sadistic to the roots. If they sense you're good hearted and kind they start getting excited at the thought of ruining that core of goodness. But all they can do, since they are contained out of fear of punishment, is glow and wait for someone stupid enough to be drawn to their light"

They stared at the immense glow before them. Sorata blinked, his forehead started hurting from his amazed expression. "Why did you chase away the witches in the first time instead of just killing them?"

Alex gave out a big sigh "Because it is our policy: creatures that end up here often attack at first simply because they're scared. And for that anyone here gets a second chance to improve their behavior and maybe turn out good. Most people turn themselves good, but some don't" he sighed again, looking a bit nostalgic.

"For instance…." Sorata liked hearing the stories of older times in this world. It helped him know his new surroundings if he knew why one thing was in its current place instead of in another.

"Like….Jacky, she was Blue Fairy's sister. She was as evil as Blue Fairy was good. She'd also manipulate people and lured them into dreams by pretending she's good. The problem with Jacky is that she lurked _outside_ the city and kept changing places of hiding so we could never get her. She never attacked unless she had it all planned out in advance, she'd take her time in months until she managed to get the effect she wanted on her victim"

he stared off into the glowing forest "She lured me in once, working on me that a noter officer we had here held the key to my happiness if he falls in love with me….she really drove me mad…..

"She was the one that attacked the time and dimension traveling machine that took Kamui back to your world. She attacked it because it was finally fixed and complete and she knew that this way people would travel back to their dimension and she wouldn't have her fun anymore.

After one trick we in the Rescue Team joined forces to fight her off. We waited for her to turn good but all she did was do bad and by then she was too elusive to catch and be rid of.

"Also Gala, if you know her from the prison house, she was bad once. She was some big shot in her cult back in her world and here she wanted to take over the city like her cult often does. She took another man that was with the Rescue Team and traveled to the North Pole after their first attack got brushed off. But then she realized her partner was half mad with megalomania by then and when we came to get them she used it to run away and convert herself"

There was a long silence.

"Anyways" Alex's tone brightened up a bit, yet still kept it's somewhat bitter and weary quality to it "what we do here, and that's very important, it's why we cut our patrol's trail here, is to make sure that no one is stupid enough to walk into that forest or they'll come out a killing machine and these things happened"

Sorata liked it when Alex explained him things. He kept his voice calm and pleasant, his tone almost musical in the way he slowly sang every sentence. It made everything clearer to learn when the teacher is pleasant.

Sorata liked being around Alex simply because the man hardly knew him yet trusted him completely and gave him an important mission back in their world. He liked him because he could see that he wanted only good for Kamui and was a good person in general.

It was in the days when the court began building and thinking about the good Alex could bring Kamui made Sorata shut his mouth tight to keep himself from blurting out something stupid. He could do that when he _really_ wanted.

Sorata shrugged, edged this way, edged that way, and when he saw no one was around he turned his back and began walking away.

He noted, as he turned around to see why Alex wasn't following him, that the man was staring off into the forest. Its glow subsided into glitters.

"The glow weakened" Death said solemnly, still staring off musingly at the forest "It's because you're such a good man, and I…." he stopped his mumbling and sank into deep depressing musing.

At the time Sorata wanted to say 'You're a good person too'.

"You're a good person too Alex, you just act like a monster because you're hurt whenever people look at you and immediately judge you as one" he now whispered into his arms on the bed where he lay looking at the direction where Alex disappeared with Kamui.

* * *

In his dream Subaru sat on a chair staring off into space with eyes as empty as his soul.

He was an empty shell, so beaten by the events of his life that he couldn't think anymore. If he would think it'd stir up so much hurt and memories that might make him explode with the pain.

And Subaru hurt; he hurt so much that, even in his dreaming state, Seishiro could feel it like a hole was punched through his chest.

What hurt him the most was the fact that his lover didn't show it, he just sat there bottling everything up until it ate him from the inside, gnawing into his sanity.

In his dream he wanted to run to Subaru's side and wrap his arms around him. Seishiro wanted to kneel at his feet and rest his head at his lap. He wanted to shake Subaru and snap him out of this silent horror. He wanted to scream in his ear "Look at me! I'm alive! I'm here! Please Subaru-kun!" but he couldn't.

And darkness filled his dream, only to show him another horrific specter.

The Sakura. Little pink petals slowly falling elegantly around Subaru standing there with a half smoked cigarette in his hand. His head was bowed, his body was weak. He wore all black and his right palm was covered in blood. His body was so weak because his new job was eating at him like his inner pain was. This wasn't his Subaru-kun, there was nothing left of him there but a moving empty shell, a puppet on a string.

Seishiro jerked himself out of that dream with a stifled "Aa!" fighting to escape his lips. His body was covered with cold sweat, his breath was rapid; he was in slight panic.

By him on the bed lay Subaru, sleeping soundly as if nothing ever happened in his head just now. And nothing did happen; they were together and safe, forever overcoming all obstacles side by side.

Seishiro exhaled the breath hitched in him and smiled at the sleeping man besides him, brushing a few strands of hair that clung to Subaru's forehead with sweat shed earlier that evening, during activities a little better then this.

He got up from his bed and searched for his clothes in this new tent room. The walls were long hanging black fabrics decorated here and there with sewn silver and turquoise patterns of lions and dragons.

Subaru explained the whole turquoise meaning in Alex's outfits, something about crystals of poisonous gas or something, Seishiro forgot about it five minutes later. Now he remembered it and a shudder went through his body. How could Alex surround himself with something that horrifying and painful?

There were so many things he still had to understand about Death.

He needed a cigarette; it yanked him comfortably out of his morbid train of thoughts. He made a better attempt at finding his clothes and walked out of the tent.

Outside it was nighttime and the air blew coolly through seemingly endless grounds of grass. Seishiro looked at the spaces around him and the full meaning of his new situation seeped into his mind. It didn't really matter did it? As long as he's with Subaru-kun and they're together they could be in hell as much he cared.

He looked at the little campsite. There were six round tents just like his, one for every person in this group.

Seishiro wondered for a moment if Alex was thinking straight when he didn't lock Kamui up or something. The need for a little revenge of his own was still simmering in him like hot lava.

In a little clearing made in the grass, David was cooking a deliciously smelling broth over a little fire.

There was something almost careless about the way he crouched so near to the flame, maybe it was because he wasn't human, maybe it was something else.

In a good enough distance from the fire, Lestate sat and played a small silver harmonica. Seishiro remembered it vaguely playing at the back of his dream. He ignored it when the dream started showing him horrors.

The vampire looked at him and smiled a little "Good morning". Seishiro didn't react, how could he react, he didn't know the man.

Victoria sat at the very edge of the campsite, the moonlight painting her blond hair silver where the beams of light touched it. If Seishiro would care enough about her the thought 'she must be missing Yuzuriha' would have crossed his mind. But he didn't.

David dug a large round cup into the broth, after carefully mixing it well, and handed it to Seishiro's general direction "Eat up, you guys and Kamui are the only ones who need it"

Seishiro shrugged and took the steaming bowl. The hot air blowing from the broth made his stomach turn with the joy of an upcoming meal. He should take this to Subaru.

"Here, have another one for your boyfriend" and the surprising thing is that David didn't even bother with looking at him when he spoke.

So Seishiro didn't say anything when he took the second bowl. Don't want contact, don't get contact.

"And now to feed the brat" David sighed and got up to bring the third bowl to what seemed to be Kamui's tent. He disappeared into it without a sound. It kind of made Seishiro smile, 'feed the brat'.

"Seishiro" Lestate spoke up, carefully placing the harmonica in a little velvet covered elegant silver box.

Seishiro tried not to show his complete surprise.

"I want you to know that we're supporting you. I mean that we're not here just because Alex called us here; we're here because we believe it's true. We'd be here to help you fight for what's right" he looked towards Victoria who turned her head to them.

The way her red eyes glowed in the darkness around her creeped him out a little.

"I'm sure that David, despite his slightly aloof ways, agrees with us….if he cares the slightest…"

Spoken David came out of the tent looking around puzzled a little "What were you saying?" his voice was harsh; he really seemed to have minus social skills.

Lestate brushed the rough behavior off and smiled pleasantly at the taller man "I was saying that we're supporting Seishiro here with his and his lover's struggle for real justice"

David stared at Lestate, his forehead creased as if he's unable to comprehend what was spoken to him. Then he looked at Seishiro and shrugged "Yeah, sure" he mumbled and returned to the broth, adding some small woods to the fire.

Seishiro noted his hands were slightly shaking as they fed the fire, and that they sank deep into the flames as they fed them, as if wishing to be burnt. Then they'd jerk back as if in pain or realization of his actions.

But the broth he was holding was slowly scorching his own fingers and so Seishiro walked into his tent to feed his lover.

* * *

Kamui was curled into a little ball on the floor by his new bed when David came to bring him food.

His throat hurt and his head hurt and his body hurt and his heart hurt.

He cried himself to sleep, cursing and whimpering at times.

He refused to sleep on the bed, refused to use any of the small luxuries Alex placed in his tent and so, he curled on the floor where he could feel like he was as physically miserable as he was mentally.

Since the entrance to the tent was facing the bed, when David walked in, the tent seemed to be empty.

David blinked a few times, slowly wondering where and how the boy managed to escape.

He sent his power to light the tent, sending little flames into the candle sticks and candle stands scattered around the tent.

It was a pretty place, this tent that Alex gave the brat. Decorated with various colorful glass beads on little chains, the makeshift room had an eastern look to it.

The inner patterns on the fabric of the tent weren't the usual black and turquoise, in fact, they had none of that at all. The fabrics were of various colors of velvet and organza, their seams sewn in a golden thread. It was a beautiful room. Beautiful enough to make David uncomfortable.

He walked around the bed to find Kamui tiredly staring up at him.

Kamui had managed to close his eyes and sleep just about a few hours ago. Now the fatigue of the events that passed him made him almost unable to be awake.

"Get up, there's food for you here" David held the bowl so that Kamui could see it.

Kamui wanted to grunt and curl more into himself like a porcupine to show his deep lack of interest but he couldn't physically do that.

"Get up, Alex would be upset if you wouldn't eat, you know how he is" David was losing his patience faster then he let it show.

Kamui wanted to grunt a "Screw Alex" but his voice was still out of any kind of a functioning condition after all the screaming. When he thought about it his own screaming came echoing in his head until he winced.

David exhaled impatiently and yanked the little Kamui ball off the floor with one hand, roughly dropping him on the bed. It made the boy uncurl enough to plant the bowl in his hands and achieve at least some of the mission he set himself to.

Kamui glared at him over the brim of the bowl, the steams clouding his vision. How he wished to give the man an energy blast like in the good old days.

David glared back. He hated those who reacted in shock and complete mental blocking. Behaving so hurt and wounded, aren't they the sensitive saints, making those who grew into the situation feel like cold hearted monsters.

It wasn't quite the situation here but David still hated any reaction he diagnosed as over emotional.

"Now eat" he turned his back to Kamui and left, vaguely hearing through the fabrics that his name was uttered by someone outside.

Kamui remained like that for a while glaring at the now David-less space.

Then he noted how the broth in the bowl in his hands smelt good. He blew on it gently and began sipping at the liquid, chewing on chunks of vegetables and meat he came across.

As he chewed he allowed himself to uncurl enough to look around his room. It was beautiful, and still he hated it.

He hated it because Alex made him this.

He hated it because Alex placed him here.

He hated it because Fuma wasn't here with him.

His broth cooled a little bit as tears dropped into it from violet eyes prettier then the prettiest glass bead.

* * *

In his dream he was inside a kekkai he created. A kekkai he spread over Rainbow Bridge. The kekkai was crumbling.

In his dream Seishiro told him something he couldn't hear, as he reared his dying body upwards to face him but ended up falling into death's eternal grip.

In his dream he was staring forward, unable to look to his side, where his loved one slowly fell down while whispering sweet words he still couldn't hear.

Then as they were finally whispered, as they were finally heard, as Subaru's heart finally overflowed with the joy of their meaning, his loved one jerked as life was taken from his body.

The thud of his body with the clothes rustling under it meant nothing to Subaru; he was too frozen to note those things.

In his dream he had a smudge of blood on his cheek and tears in his one seeing eye. He stared forward, helpless against another blow dealt to him by fate.

Then he closed his eyes, closed his slightly open mouth and raised his head a bit, feeling the pain starting to seep in.

In his initial grief he clutched the dead body to him, his voice almost in panic "You…never…said any of those words, even when I expected them from you." His head was by the dead head, his arms wrapped around the dead body.

Seishiro was dead, _dead_.

Subaru jerked to sit up from his bed as he violently tore himself out of the nightmare. He sat there breathing heavily, shivering as if he slept in a frozen room. He clutched at his blanket frantically, his eyes already tearing.

Then Seishiro walked in with two bowls of steaming wonderfully smelling broth and a smile like only Seishiro could smile. A smile Subaru knew was no longer fake, no longer a mask because it was made by a man with no need for a mask anymore, not around him anyway.

Subaru smiled back, feeling the tears in his eyes changing into those of happiness.

He was so happy.

Seishiro sat down on the bed by his side, completely oblivious to the storm of wonderful emotions that raged inside his lover.

"Are you hungry? David cooked this up, it smells pretty good"

It was obvious that Subaru wasn't listening, just by the look in his eyes and the creases left from frowning in his sleep and fresh beads of sweat on his body.

"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" he looked away to his own bowl after handing Subaru his.

Subaru nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes and never stopping to smile "But I woke up and here you are" he laughed a little, crying again "alive".

The tears were now wiped by Seishiro's palm lingering on to caress the side of his face. Subaru leaned into the touch.

They ate in silence, reassuring their already tight bond. A bond of bloodshed and love.

"We should thank Alex" Subaru wiped his mouth clean and placed his bowl at the little wooden nightstand (with a very comfortably placed ashtray on it) by his side bed and began fishing for his clothes.

"Thank him?" Seishiro found it slightly difficult to listen when the body talking to him was walking naked around the room.

Subaru knew this and pulled on his boxers, a little reprimanding glint in his eyes "Yes Seishiro-san, thank him. He's done so much for us and….well, no one ever thanked him"

"Hmmm" Seishiro leaned back on the bed, scratching the back of one foot's heal with the toes of the other.

Thanking, that's what he wanted to say to Lestate back then….but he couldn't muster enough….what is it? Guts? Manners? Care?

"Seishiro-san" now Subaru had both his pants and his shirt on, and a very serious tone "without him our nightmares would have come true"

That hit the spot; Seishiro nodded and got up, placing the white trench coat on Subaru's shoulders while slipping in a caress in the meantime. He received a small peck on the lips as a reward.

* * *

Alex sat in his tent, which was really quit simple and empty, and leaned lazily across a big simple wooden chair. He was playing with the fuzzy end of a feather pen while staring at the map he brought over with him.

According to this map they were a few days' travel from a small Arabian city where they can pick up some stuff if anyone fancied anything special for dinner or a decoration or something.

He could make this into quite an adventurous fun trip, maybe they'll end up enjoying it even.

He will enjoy it, for never mind how much he began a little grudge for Kamui he still loved the boy. Despite all his violent actions and words, deep inside, Alex still loved Kamui. If that half of Justice would simply snap his finger at him he'd crawl back to his embrace, willing for every term laid on him, as long as Kamui will be there.

His thoughts were cut when he heard a rough "Knock knock" from Seishiro outside the tent and a polite "May we come in?" from Subaru. He couldn't help a smile from spreading on his face as he told them to come in.

He placed the map on the table and smiled up at the two men entering.

They walked in sync to both his sides, crouched by his chair and wrapped their arms around him. Subaru did it first, followed by a somewhat hesitating Seishiro.

"Eh….uh…" they were making him blush 'what _are _you doing?' he wanted to say but couldn't find the strength to stop it, nor the want to.

"We wanted to thank you" Subaru whispered to him, placing his head on his shoulder forwards so that he half leaned on the muscular chest.

"For all you've done for us" Seishiro leaned his head on the broad shoulder too, only facing backwards. Emotions were still his weak spot.

"Uh…..ummm…..er…..thanks I…."….'I don't deserve it….'

A strange feeling of comfort filled him and his thoughts drifted to a day long ago when Seishiro's teasing, testing fingers slide down his chest to his abdomen and the husky voice whispered something in his ear that he couldn't quite remember now.

His thoughts drifted to the evening before this one, before the attempted execution, when Subaru cried himself to sleep. He finally curled in dreams on his chest like he was now, looking very comfortable.

When Alex closed his eyes now he felt that same feeling he felt back then, like this was right.

Alex thought it was because they were Men of Death and he was rewarded for doing them good. But he started wanting to believe it otherwise.

(tbc)

* * *

(1) Iceman is based, like all noters, on the soldiers in central region military police bases where I also served in my time. The officer Iceman is based on was a _VERY _good looking man.

(2) The method Dimitri uses can only be used on leg injuries, which is why he can't use it on Kakyou's arm, mostly because it's very powerful and in an accidental extra turn of the stick one could break the leg bones of the patient. It's a Russian method which is why Dimitri knows it.

(3) This method can only be used for arm injuries and it's a Dutch technique. Not that it means Anthony is Dutch, he's british…he just happens to know it, don't ask me how or why ok.

**A.N: **in the next chapter: Fuma tries to save Kamui. Just to get you to keep reading this ;P


	18. Rescue

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

The lyrics belong to whomever wrote them for Moulin Rouge. The singing scene is dedicated to Master Elora Dannan who somehow read my mind about putting a singing bit in and made me write it. usually I'd be too cynical to be bothered.

* * *

**Part 18 – Rescue**

It's been four days since Kamui was taken from him. Four days of torment and loneliness such as Fuma never experienced.

Here he didn't even have Kotori or his father's shrine to ease his loneliness.

Sure, it was lonely inside the Dragon, when he tried to ignore the monster's existence, but he had always tried to keep himself cheered up by watching what was going on in the real world.

It's been three nights that Fuma couldn't get a wink of sleep; his thoughts disturbed him too much to enable him to sleep soundly, if at all.

What were they doing to his Kamui over there? How were they tormenting him, those monsters?

When he closed his eyes he could only imagine the worst of possibilities.

He saw Kamui shackled and bound, bleeding from little cuts creates so that the vampires who now clung to him could lick the blood and feed on his poor beloved Kamui.

He saw, remembering Alex old connection to Kamui, his lover grabbed and forced into acts that were surely not consented love making.

His feelings ate at him, his fears and worries buzzed in him like a nest of angry bees. His aching arms meant nothing to him; his pain went unnoticed as things more important to him gushed to his mind.

What would he do? What _could_ he do?

* * *

On the fourth night Yutu prepared himself for sleep after finishing a few small pile of papers from work. Behind him, on the bed, Seiichiro was already sound asleep.

A deep snoring burst into the air from time to time, like a grunt from the very center of the earth, out of the peacefully sleeping Seiichiro made Yutu hang his head and bang it lightly on the desk. That snoring, he'll never get used to it….

He remembered how the first night he slept in the same room with Seiichiro was like.

He lay on his bed trying to fall asleep despite the constant zooming thoughts in his head.

Satsuki was dead, she was only 14….she died so horribly…..

Kanoe was still in their world, she just fainted, and she seemed so weak and helpless. Now what will become of her?

Kanoe wasn't always the strong powerful woman she made the show of. Inside she was a lost little girl with a ball of hatred and complexes bound tightly around her heart.

He spent nights with her just sitting there by her bed, making sure she has someone by her when she woke up screaming about nightmares her sister predicted of the future.

They've never done anything beyond maybe sitting by each other in bed, never. Though she tried, and Yutu was sometimes damning himself for not going for it, but they didn't do anything. Not in 1999 anyway.

Yutu came to work at the ward office in 1996. He was young; he just finished university and the ward office's extra course. His suit still held the smell of the little patch of lawn in his suburban house where his mother hanged their laundry, though he moved to his new city center flat a few weeks ago.

Kanoe was his first mistake in the big city. At first they'd just have causal meetings without any emotions or strings attached. That's how Yutu liked it, that's how she thought he liked it.

Apparently he didn't know that he liked it too much, that liked her too much.

As the year 1999 rolled closer Kanoe seemed to be rolling closed to, what Yutu didn't dare to form in as much as a thought, insanity. She'd rave on and on and on about this and that. DoE this, DoH that, kekkais in the city, Clamp campus, blah blah blah. Oh and her sister, how she'd rave about her sister…

Yutu never bothered to listen; when he was fed up with it he shushed her with kisses and sex.

She nearly got herself killed once, trying to get Seishiro over before his time. She stood by the Sakura and waited, yet he didn't come. So she broke a branch off of the tree and found herself quickly grabbed and choked by maboroshi vines.

Yutu had to bow down and apologies so many times he couldn't do it a few days later with the way his lower back muscles cramped.

Seishiro just stood there and stared at them without a word, but Yutu was sure that behind those sun glasses he saw a sweatdrop at how Kanoe found herself in the maboroshi.

So Yutu began edging away from Kanoe, not sleeping with her or sleeping in her bed unless she _had_ to have his company to ease her pain.

Satsuki was a mystery at first; she came in, sat on Beast and never moved an inch from it for five months straight. When he tried to bring her food he'd jump onto her seat on the great computer, place the food plate and run away as quickly as possible…..he did try to talk to her but…

He didn't want to think about it now, she was dead……

That's when the first snore sawed thorough his thoughts. Yutu lay there blinking, pretending it never happened.

Then the second one came and Yutu couldn't help a giggle. This sure cleared his mind from its grim train of thoughts.

By the third, forth and fifth snores Yutu was beginning to get upset. He wouldn't be able to catch any sleep with all this snoring going on!

Sure, his father snored at home, but back then there were walls separating between them. Here he had to share a room with a deeply snoring man!

He got up from the bed and walked over to Seiichiro's bed. The man, he had noticed, was probably some mad order and clean freak. His clothes were neatly folded on a chair by his bedside. Yutu noticed, with a feeling of near nausea, that the different clothing parts were placed in an order that allowed the man about to wear them the next day, to do so in the most efficient order so that he'll be quickly and simply dressed.

On the bedside cabinet they had to share Seiichiro's glasses lay, sparkling clean. Yutu remembered the man cleaning his glasses before bedtime, so that when he'll wake up they'll be ready for a new day's use. A shudder of disgust went through Yutu, was he the only sane one here!

Then he had noticed the actual sleeping man. Seiichiro lay in bed in complete peaceful sleep, not a care in the world besmirching his calm rest. Yutu now noticed how actually pretty his face is. He looked down at features that, without the glasses and the neatly, combed hair actually looked still young and smooth. He bend down to look at the features better, feeling himself suddenly pulled to maybe plant a kiss on the soft lips.

Then another snore came and shot Yutu to straighten his back again. What was he thinking! He climbed back into his own bed and fought to sleep through the rest of the night. There was a big day ahead them tomorrow……he supposed….

A snore yanked Yutu from his little flashback. He turned around to smile at his sleeping lover.

Suddenly Yutu clutched at his chest; a painful tug in his heart told him someone with a broken heart came to him. He got up from his chair and walked to the door.

In the doorway stood Fuma like Yutu never saw him before. He was thinner, for he didn't and couldn't eat these last four days. Even in the faint candle light the room had Yutu could make out Fuma's skin looked gray. His eyes were small, swollen and bloodshot with big black spots under them.

"Monou-san, you look inside, you look like you need to talk" he gestured for a chair by the table where he just sat. Yutu himself chose to sit on the bed by Seiichiro's sleeping form.

"Yutu-san…..I can't sleep…." is all Fuma managed to say at first, there were so many thing he wanted to say but his mind was in no condition to go about things in the right and coherent way.

"I think the infirmary has some sleep inducing herbal pills, or is it the herbs themselves?..." Yutu sunk into his own little babble world, placing a single finger elegantly on his cheek looking upwards as if in deep thought "I saw them giving _something_ sleep inducing to patience but suddenly I can't remember if it was herbs or if they…"

"Yutu-san…." Fuma's voice was suddenly deep and serious, almost threatening in its silencing words.

Yutu stared at the boy before him. As big as he might be, as threatening as he once was, and still made Yutu feel like he should obey him, Fuma was now Fuma and Fuma shouldn't dare talk to him like that.

A long, sawing-like snore from the completely oblivious and sleeping Seiichiro cut the tension in the room and melted it into nothing.

Yutu turned to look at the sleeping figure, a huge smile spread on his face. If he was a manga character he'd sweat drop right now. "Eh he he…." He looked back at Fuma "He's a real disaster, it took me some time to get used to it when we first started sharing a room…I wonder how his wife ever got used to this building site noise" another snore accompanied his last words.

"Yutu-san…." this time it was a pleading tone, not the angry half ordering tone.

Yutu turned to look at Fuma again, and felt the pain the boy had.

"I'm worried about him, Kamui, what are they doing to him over there…..and….I want you…I want you to help me go there and get him back" Fuma's eyes suddenly glinted with some sort of a purpose from the somewhat turned off with sadness way they were before.

Yutu stared at Fuma for a moment completely shocked. He really thought he'd do that with him? He really thought they _could _rescue Kamui from something like Death!

"You're Love right? And here we are, two lovers separated! We can travel there, to where they are and fight to get Kamui back and then…."

"Wow, wow, wow, hang on there Monou-san, _fight _you say? I'm Love, sure, but I intend to stick around here for a while longer then this crazy plan of yours, I don't want to die!

"And yes, I am Love, which also means.." he was going to deal a heavy blow on Fuma, but he didn't care really, the boy was annoying him with his silly plans "That I stick to the side with more love in it, and Monou-kun…when it comes to Kamui, you're not the one who loves him the most" he stared at Fuma with the strongest gaze he could.

Fuma stared at him for a couple of minutes, shocked, then angry "So what if he loves him more…he couldn't love him more, he's always…" his tone was rising, nearing a shout.

"That's enough Fuma-kun" Yutu was the one commanding now "go to sleep, you're exhausted and you're crazy-talking" he began shoving Fuma gently out of the door.

"Yu…" the boy was stumbling, shocked and miserable "but…." He managed to say before the door was practically shut in his face.

He stood outside it, huffing and puffing as if he just ran a marathon…..what could he do!

He turned around and walked down the stairs to the back yard.

Since he couldn't climb with two broken arms he had managed to roll with kicks (and some of Sorata's help) several large rocks to work as the missing stairs. With a bit of wiggling and leaning on partially damaged arms, Fuma managed to climb onto the first stair and into his room.

He collapsed on the bed and a wave of memories flushed upon him.

"_This is the duster that covered the bed. The bed is clean now and ready for use, Kamui" _

He started crying. Again.

* * *

The morning after Fuma dragged himself to the infirmary to get the sleep-inducing….._anything_ really. Fuma would have accepted a blow on the head as a way to send him into careless unconsciousness.

Before the infirmary, on a little half ruined porch overlooking most of the city to the direction where Death went, stood Iceman in his fur coat and bandages. Most of his bandages for the little cuts inflicted on him by Alex were already redundant and so removed, the only one remaining was the one on his neck. Speaking was not a problem anymore and the general pain resided. Only Iceman's ego was still deeply hurt.

He noted Fuma staring at him and the condition in which said Fuma was in and turned to the teen. "How are you feeling Justice?"

Fuma stared at him a little more then emitted a short self-scorning laughter "Can you actually still call me that?"

Iceman nodded shortly.

Fuma stared at him more. What was it about Lion that made this ice sculpture of a creature to melt enough and break out with an actually true facial expression!

He shrugged "What were you doing up there?"

"Watching"

"Watching?"

"Locating"

"Locating? Locating what?"

"Death. His creatures and your other half"

That made Fuma jerk and run towards Iceman. Suddenly he found himself lifted to the little porch's level by Iceman's powers.

He stood by the god and stared forward at the view that held nothing special to him. "Can…can you see them? How!"

Iceman smiled a little, it still was a frozen smile that held no real emotions to Fuma as were all his expressions "In my world I belonged to a cult called the Blue Circle. One of the things we could do was to locate one another from such distances that we could even look up at the night's sky and see on which planet from the stars above the likes of us are on"

"Wow…. I can't see anything, can you make me see?"

Iceman nodded.

Before Fuma's eyes two small blue circles appeared in the great distance before them. They were so distant that Fuma hardly recognized them but as he worked his will into it he could see them; pulsating upwards in the far distance.

"There are two of them there…"

"Yes, Alex and David"

"Can they feel it when you do that?"

"Yes they can, and they can feel how close whoever tracks them is…..but I suppose…."

Suddenly he became quiet and something in his tone softened a bit. He bent his head down a little, looking away from the view.

"I suppose that if I'll think the way Alex does…he would have understood we'll be looking for him so he wouldn't mind. And besides…."

He turned to go and jumped off of the balcony to the ground.

"He could sense it's me and know that I'm not a threat to him anymore…."

"Anymore….why? Did he hurt you that badly?"

"No, I'm weak but I'll regenerate my power and become strong again" and with this he crouched to the ground a picked up a small rock.

Without a second to let Fuma get any idea of what he might do with the rock, Iceman opened his mouth and tossed the rock in, chewing on it as if it was gum.

"A….a…..ano…..err…..Iceman…."

"That's another thing we can do" Iceman now looked up and smiled at Fuma almost cunningly, perhaps he was enjoying the slight fear Fuma gave off now "we are balls of energy which took on a shape and a personality as if we were human. Normally we live as long as we have the energy inside us to live and that's it. Every move, every use of power takes out a little bit of that energy until it's finished and we die.

"When you're a Blue Circle you start collecting energy from wherever you can. If the sun shines down on you, you get the energy from it like you're a plant. If you fall down for a long time you absorbed the physical energy of falling and so on."

He bent down and picked up a larger rock, taking big bits out of it as he talked

"We are a huge inferno inside, whatever you bring into you burns and gives off caloric energy like humans do with food. Only we're not limited to food; we can eat rocks, metals, whatever. That is something even those who aren't Blue Circles can do"

He walked over to a heap of ruined and twisted M-16s left in the pile of metal scraps in the infirmary's garbage grounds. "The best thing to eat is mostly explosive and atomic matters".

"A….atomic!"

Before Fuma's eyes Iceman took out a twisted clip, straightened it and began empting it from its bullets. From the bullet he unscrewed the tight little head and emptied the small amount of black powder into his mouth. "Mmmmm, it's like those candies with the cream on the inside"

Fuma started wishing that his insomnia started getting him to hallucinate and that all of this was nothing but an illusion.

Iceman finished a rifle he picked up from nuzzle to hilt and smiled up at Fuma.

"So now you're strong enough to fight Alex again?" Fuma began gathering his courage again as an idea started shining inside him.

Iceman chuckled a small bitter chuckle "No, it's going to take much more then just that to get me to be as strong as I was back then…..it's some sword he has there…."

"What's his sword got to do with it?"

"There is a kind of matter in all the worlds that contain us creatures. This matter, somehow, it burns off our energy. No one knows how it does that but we all know that it's poison and watch out from it.

"Alex had somehow managed to mix this matter into the metal of his sword and create a weapon that can kill and hurt creatures like us. It is also aimed to kill him but…he'll never let that sword escape his hands…."

"If I recall what happened back there, you hurt him a couple of times too, didn't you?"

Iceman sighed "Yes, but my fighting skills are not as good as his, he's like the best trained soldier….he has to be doesn't he…." Iceman looked away, was it shame Fuma saw on his face?

"Has to be?"

"I don't remember who explained it to me but they said that war is something that Death should like because it's all about killing people. So Death has to be the best at every aspect of an army; a soldier, a general, everything. He was in a couple of wars back in his world, so I heard, he's one hell of a sniper….but I heard that he was a spy in most of them….."

"What's that got to do with you hurting him as well? How did you hurt him?"

Inside him, Iceman thanked Fuma for tearing his miserable train of thoughts from their constant self pitying. He took out his own sword, a smooth long white gold sword that shone regally in the sun's light. The hilt had Nordic tribal patterns carved into the pure gold.

"This sword once helped me kill the kind Alex is"

"A blue circle!"

"No. I was a god, a type of the creature that we are. Alex, David, Gala and Jacob, all come from a so called 'lower' kind of creatures. We gods ruled the humans in the era known as the time of pagan religions. Those creatures who wouldn't rule the humans chose to live amongst them. They were thought of as heathens, criminals.

"We drove the humans against them, ordering them to find these creatures and bring them as sacrifice to us. Every god had a sword like that so that they may kill these creatures…I kept my sword after the big revolution of monotheistic religions…." he smiled a little smile to himself.

"I still don't understand how come you're stronger then him and you belong to the same cult yet he won over you" Fuma sat himself carefully on the edge of the porch, trying to keep a balance as much as he could with two arms out of order.

Iceman walked under the porch so that Fuma could hear him better. "I was a part of this cult, an institution, but Alex in his world was a rebel of this cult. In his world he killed each and every one of the Blue Circles that existed, including the queen itself…..but it's a long story and I only know little snips of it…never mind, I guess he developed little techniques of fighting Blue Circles….A rebel will always win against the institution"

He turned to go.

"Iceman……do you want to come with me to try and get Kamui?"

Iceman stopped walking. He began laughing scornfully, turning to Fuma "Are you mad boy? Didn't you just hear me? _I can't fight Alex! _"

"You won't fight Alex, I won't fight Alex either, I'll just re-kidnap Kamui under their noses!" Maybe it was the insomnia that made Fuma so self confident, maybe it was desperate love.

"And what will happen if you'll be killed?"

"They can't kill me because without me the verdict on Seishiro can't be changed" Fuma smiled, he was a little bit sane after all.

Iceman smiled as well, the boy had something in him, that's for sure.

"Fine" he brought Fuma back down to the ground.

"When do we move out?" Fuma was as excited as a little boy.

"After you're refreshed, get a sleep herb from the infirmary, I'll wake you up tomorrow" it felt like talking to one of his soldiers rather then to what should be his master.

"Yes sir!" Fuma would have saluted like he saw the Noters do but his arms were broken. Instead he ran off into the infirmary as fast as he could.

Finally, he had hope.

* * *

They set out the next early noon.

Fuma never felt better in his life; he was refreshed after almost a whole day of sleeping, he had a large meal before they departed, he had hope and now Iceman was holding onto him while flying above the land towards Dragon Valley.

Their plan was to cross Dragon Valley escorted by the Dragon Valley's base of Noters and then cross Tralfamadores' craters using the same technique Alex used.

By the time they arrived at Dragon Valley it was almost evening time. They walked amongst the small town streets.

Fuma had never seen anything like the Dragon Valley Town (1) it was definitely a city in a constant stress of war, even if the citizens showed nothing of it.

The tension was high in the air as, from time to time, a dragon head popped out of one of the numerous caves on the cliff walls surrounding the city and looked down at the humans below.

Half destroyed buildings were scattered everywhere in the city. Amongst them, and sometimes inside them, families lived as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

In strategically important street corners tall metal cans stood where fire was burning to allow better vision at night for the Noters who stood guard there.

It reminded Fuma of WW2 Steven Spielberg movies.

The Noters of Dragon Valley had nothing to do with the Noters on the rest of the city. They had none of the blue and red elements to them, only the lion engraved into their armor. They were armored like medieval knights, leaving only the face revealed through the layers of metal. They moved in heavy metallic carriages dragged by sturdy horses, armored heavily themselves.

They stayed at the base of Noters for dinner and a little break for Iceman's powers.

Sitting to a little rickety table, munching on his meal, Fuma watched as a small, seemingly sexless, mostly boyish, obviously an officer Noter gave a bunch of Noters in their armor what must be their pre-shift briefing.

"He's looking rather brave and command-ish despite being so small in size" Fuma gestured with the chicken wing he was eating towards the officer who was at least a head and a half shorter then the armored men he was talking to.

Iceman looked at the direction Fuma showed him and laughed "That's Talia and he's a she. Yes, she's pretty command-ish, she's not the most beloved of officers here but she does her job well….she's a bit of a tomboy I suppose" he laughed a little.

Talia was approached by a taller man who looked like her commander. They spoke a bit, looking rather weary the more they spoke.

"Who's that?"

"That's her commander and the commander of the whole base"

"He looks…a little bit worn out"

"He must have been having nightmares again….damn Tralfamadores"

"What did they do?"

"They tried to bring him over to them once. Once they get into your mind it's like a hook they have there and once in a while they tug at it to try and bring you in again"

"What did they use on him?"

Iceman sighed and looked very grave suddenly "They used his memory of what happened in our world a little before we came here. Two of his soldiers were targeted and shot down on their post (2). He was the first one to get there and see them ….it took a toll on him…"

Fuma let the silence take over, thinking over what he just heard. He looked at the officer, who was now looking back at him and nodding a little 'hello'.

"By the way, Iceman-san, why do you refer to the Noters here in their real names and no their animal names?"

Iceman glared at Fuma a little "Do they have animal helmets?" his tone was mock educational.

Fuma blinked a little and looked around to check it "…..no…."

"Do anyone but this town's citizens see the Noters?"

"…I guess not…"

"So why should they try to hide their personalities….and besides, this is no place for child's play" Iceman said that while scrutinizing two Noters politely and carefully talking a small dragon away from the town's bordering fence.

The tiny thing had just hatched from its egg and was wondering around innocently. The Noters knew that if its mother was to come here and find her baby handled by humans the whole base, along with the town itself maybe in danger and acted cautiously, often baby-talking to the dragon.

"That's a good approach to them" Fuma mumbled.

"hmmm"

"This way he'll remember that humans are nice and kind and won't try to hurt them in the future"

"His parents will change his mind"

"Maybe, but I heard these are intelligent creatures. If so then this baby will always remember the humans are nice."

"What change can one dragon bring?"

"A lot. Especially if it's done one dragon at a time"

Iceman stared at Fuma for a while, contemplating his words.

* * *

Justice and his helper stayed in the base for the night's time as well, sleeping in the little base's extra beds. If Fuma wasn't Japanese he would have minded sleeping on a mattress on the floor.

He did mind the slight cold blowing in through a broken window in the common club where he slept. He could ignore that though; his mind was on Kamui.

That evening he was sitting with the rest of the Noters, slightly aloof from them, listening to their chatting. He thought he started learning their language and began picking up a word here and there.

Suddenly a great boom sounded from outside the room, making Fuma almost jumped out of his skin. He was sure something was happening and prepared himself to crawl under a sofa or whatever to seek protection, or run outside to see what he could help in.

Instead a Noter casually walked in with his rifle's extent which allowed him to fire flares. He was dressed only in boxers while the cold outside drove Fuma in the common club shivering. The Noter gave Fuma a strong pet on the back which nearly sent him coughing and gave off a big smile, laughing as if he did nothing but set a little firecracker off.

Fuma looked at these men and women and thought to himself that he'll never really understand them.

* * *

Yutu lay in Venus's flower field thinking about Fuma. The silly boy decided to go and get Kamui anyway….was he trying to kill himself?

Then again, despite the fact that he wasn't the one who loved him the most, he _did _love him….

But couldn't he really help him? Sure he wasn't going to leave all his duties here and throw his life on the line just like that…. is there _really _nothing he could do?

He stared up at the moon's crescent and the moon's replacement. Tara shone out in the sky like a huge beacon.

He liked Tara; she worked with his Blue Fairy.

Speaking of which, Blue Fairy sailed her little boat towards Yutu smiling brightly at him. Yutu smiled back at her, making himself glow.

"My my, you glow like you should be up there instead of Tara" her voice was like little silver bells ringing beautifully. Yutu enjoyed having something like Blue Fairy amongst his people.

Unlike Death who controlled the dead and rotting, murderers and the undead, unlike Justice who worked with the forever aloof and secretive Noters, he, Love, worked with the brightest and happiest people around.

Fairy looked up at the heavens above her and called Tara down "It's okay honey, you can take a small break I think" she looked back at Yutu and exchanged smiles with him.

"Jesus you guys, you're really scary when you smile like that" Tara dusted off her dress, slowly chanting to reduce her light spell.

"What's wrong with smiling Tara darling?"

"Nothing, it's just that there's a time to smile and a time to…..not _always_ smile…."

It only made Blue Fairy and Yutu laugh. Tara sneered and sat down with her back to them, playing with a daisy.

"Like there's a time to sing and a time not to sing Tara?" Blue Fairy managed to say once she calmed her breath from laughing.

Tara glare at the fairy then turned her back on her again.

"What does that mean?"

Blue Fairy looked at Tara again "Can I explain it to him Tara darling?"

"Whatever, as long as you'll stop calling me 'Tara darling'" she nipped the daisy from her bud and threw it away. A new daisy immediately appeared on the beheaded bud.

Blue Fairy turned her beautiful eyes to Yutu again "Once upon a time, when Jacob and David first arrived, they had a rivalry to pick with….who was it again Tara d….Tara?"

"It was a rivalry between them and a version of Alex they had in their dimension. They came here, saw him and decided to kill him. So they kidnapped me and made me cast a spell on the whole damn town…."

"What spell?" Yutu rolled on his stomach in the flowers, picking some to make a crown as he listened.

"A spell that makes everyone sing out Broadway-like songs about their true emotions until the intensity of their feelings made them burst into flames and die"

Yutu became silent suddenly, an idea formed in his head "Can you still do that?" he asked suddenly. "I mean without the bursting into flames bit….?

Tara turned to him and shrugged "I guess I still can…."

"Teach me how" he was glowing with a purpose now, frightening Tara a little again.

* * *

"They're at the oriental town" Iceman declared after a long time of watching the view. He was standing on a high rock in the middle of the infinite grassland that spread beyond Tralfamadores' Craters.

Fuma, who was recovering from being violently sick, reared his head up from where he lay to rest.

There was something about the Tralfamadores that made him sick. He spent about half an hour of throwing up everything he had in him.

"Huh?" his mind was a bit of a blur.

The trick they pulled with the Blue Circle banner worked perfectly and now they lay in the infinite sea of green before them.

"In the oriental city, it's where Arab and Indian citizens brought here gathered to live together. I don't know what they're doing there but that's where they are right now. It'll take us about a day or so in flight…..though I am getting weak….but I'll bring you to the city rims….after that…." Iceman was getting a bit breathless lately with all the flights. He tried eating but he was still spending more energy then he was bringing in.

"Take it easy on yourself Iceman-san….please"

The god looked at Fuma, surprised and amazed, then he smiled "Yes Justice".

In their traveling they met the tracks of Death's horses in the grass, leading a trail from one camping ground to the other. Leftovers of campfires and meals cooked told them there was some sort of life in these stopping spots.

"They're feeding…..that means some of them are still alive" Fuma exhaled in relief.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…..if they were all vampires that would be a good advantage to Death wouldn't it, because he's be able to control them better"

"He was able to control the defendant and his boyfriend as well, and they were human"

"I mean Kamui; I thought he'd force him to be a vampire like he did before, that monster"

This made Iceman become silent. He looked away uncomfortably.

It didn't go unnoted by Fuma. "What?...Iceman-san, there's something you know and I don't?"

"Justice," Iceman sighed "Kamui wanted to be a vampire; I overheard him talking to Tara about it when he was here the first time. He was in love with Alex and knew that for some reason Alex can't have him unless he's a Creature of Death…..they were quite the pair when they were together. All it took is them two and they'd beat anything….." he noted Fuma becoming angry and when he was angry, Iceman knew by now, he was almost physically deaf to whatever he didn't want to hear and accept.

Fuma looked away, involuntarily moving the broken and bandaged arms to fold them on his chest.

* * *

"Here we are, Oriental Town….or India Town…or Arab Town…however you call it" Alex gave his men a briefing, noting that most of them weren't even paying attention.

The group (without the vampires) were looking sideways, following things with their eyes. their surrounding was way too interesting to not look at.

They were in the middle of the Kasbah, a marketplace, the most sensual place they were ever in.

Colorful things bobbed and walked around them as fabrics were offered for sale, people's clothing and ornaments walked past them with the bodies who wore them. The smells of the oriental dishes cooked in stands around them and the smell of spices for sale hung in the air in a wonderful enchanting cocktail.

"Now, please don't scatter too far away so I won't be able to keep an eye on you, and don't try anything stupid" he aimed that at Kamui who in return shot a glare back at him "and when you shop don't forget to haggle or they'll rip you off…..now, go and have a good time" he smiled at the bunch of men before him. In a second they voomed away, each to their own direction.

Alex knew this would be a good place to take his little group. First because it was a nice place to see and buy nice things in, nice things such as none of the men ever saw before.

But most of all he knew Kamui would love this place. From what he knew of the boy, adventures and new experiences was something that Kamui just couldn't turn down no matter what.

Here he saw how the different and new experiences of the Kasbah were making Kamui change almost completely. From the brooding miserable and glaring bitter young man that he was so far he turned into a little boy in a candy store, just waiting to get an approval to go out there and see what this new place offered him.

He himself had only one thing or two on his shopping list.

Since it was daytime and the locals would find it kind of strange that suddenly the sky above them cloud over enough to allow the vampires to awaken, Alex thought maybe getting things that Letsate would like. Victoria gave Alex a long description of a jewel she wanted to bring Yuzuriha as a souvenir, Alex only had to find a jewel close enough to her fancy.

He noted the two onmyoujis standing at a bazaar offering a large selection of rings.

The amusing thing about them was that both were examining the different rings up closely and that both didn't notice that the other was doing the same thing. It was so cute Alex could just melt.

When they'll return he'll talk to Yutu about marrying them off.

Finally, somehow, their gazes met and each jumped away a little, staring at the other confused and slightly frustrated at their ruined chance of surprise.

David didn't do much of shopping; he walked around and stared at things mostly. There were very little things he needed in this world and those that he did need were far too great for anything he knew to get him.

The citizens in the town made him edgy and even more aloof then he usually is.

As he strolled David was the one who spotted the other half of Justice, sneaking around after spotting Subaru, trying to spot Kamui as well while not being seen.

Kamui at the time was mostly hypnotized by a curtain made from strings with sparkling beads of glass and jewels which stood for sale. He looked at the world beyond a piece of light blue glass.

Suddenly, in that beautiful light blue city, he saw Fuma emerging from behind a corner, looking around. Kamui straightened his back and saw Fuma existed in the multiple colored world as well…..FUMA!

"**FUMA!**" he couldn't help emitting, it wasn't the smartest thing to do.

In seconds all the group turned their heads to see Justice, standing a small distance from each other.

Alex swore under his breath, pulling out his sword, ready to charge at the other man. Seishiro stopped him, he mounted his horse and called his shiki "Let me do it, I have a score to settle" he said and rode towards the two boys.

"Don't hurt him!" came an order from behind him. It was Seishiro's turn to curse.

A mad chase began; noting his capturer Kamui began running between the different stands, trying to follow the direction in which Fuma was also running, beckoning him to follow his steps.

Fuma, as slightly crippled as he was due to his condition, had a hard time navigating through the crowded Kasbah but he managed, looking over his shoulder to see if Kamui was following him.

Kamui had a large advantage over Seishiro when it came to a place such as this. He was small and thin; he could duck down and move between and under stands in the bustling mass around them, while Seishiro on horseback had his limitations.

Their chasing started a little chaos in the Kasbah as Seishiro's horse didn't stop over obstacles such as carriages, stands and people. If a stand was in his way his horse jumped over it, sometimes kicking it, causing a huge fuss around it.

They neared the town itself where it was less crowded and messy.

Seishiro sent his shiki flying, disturbing Kamui's view and brandishing his claws at the boy, keeping him in the maze of stands and goods for sale.

It worked, Kamui tripped on a piece of fabric that fell from one of the stands and fell flat to the ground. In that time a carriage taking a whole stand and all the people working around it came in between the line of view Fuma had with Kamui and they lost each other.

For a few good minutes they were completely cut off by two lines of different stands. They could only see each other through slits in the products or fabrics that acted as the back of each stand. Calling out of each other, they ran in parallel lines leading them to the end of the row and the end of the Kasbah.

By then Alex already caught up with Seishiro, running side by side with him after the onmyouji descended his horse. He had managed to gather the rest of his men with him. He began working the clouds above to allow the vampires in their camp to rise and come to their aid.

* * *

Suddenly Kamui and Fuma were in clear view from each other; standing in the city itself in a side street. All they had to do was to run towards each other and they were together again!

Hope sang like a mad bird in Kamui's chest. Fuma's head was dizzy with happiness.

Just a few more steps and they were together, Kamui's arms were wide open, ready to crash into his lover. Fuma prepared to feel the gentle body of his beloved banging against him.

He watched, as if in slow motion, how his Kamui was suddenly grabbed from behind and yanked backwards. A man he charged of mass murder held a black ofuda to the delicate neck he so loved, ready to slice through the soft skin.

"**FUMAAAA!**" his lover called for his help. He remembered he was here to fight if he needed too.

He clenched his fists in his arms' bandaging cradles and began taking big steps forward, wearing a look he remembered made all the bullies and whoever tried to make moves on Kotori shake in their school uniforms.

"Let him go!" he ordered.

But Seishiro was no school bully, nor was he anything that Fuma ever experienced in his little days of being himself and not the Dragon. He only smirked, feeling Death and his companions at his back.

"_I said let him go!_" Fuma was getting close; Kamui stared at his lover, amazed at the bravery and slight foolishness of his deeds.

Alex noted Fuma getting almost within reach of Kamui and Seishiro and decided to end this right there. He noted the vampires arriving and smiled to himself.

Working his powers he began letting a part of himself drift away to melt along with the essence in the rest of his men.

Before his eyes Fuma saw each of Death's creatures begin to glow in turquoise, an electric turquoise aura glowing from them.

Their auras met and joined together to form a huge aura creature, much like Kazuki's dress spirits. Only this creature was in the form of something feline, and _huge_.

An enormous tiger of Deathly aura stood on it's hind legs, kicking the front ones and roaring, ready to pounce down on him. Fuma noted, inside every leg floated a creature with Alex floating in the head of the beast, glowing until his features were almost unseen.

Within the beast's chest floated Kamui, held captive by a smirking Seishiro.

"**Fuma! _RUN!_**" came Kamui's scream as the tiger began closing the distance between it and Fuma.

"I won't! I came here to rescue you!" he screamed back, noting Kamui could hear him.

Kamui began shivering; sobs escaping his lips, sobs he didn't want Seishiro to hear. "Run away! I don't want you to die!' he whimpered "Fuma, **_PLEASE!_ Run!**"

Fuma noted something: on the ground under or inside one of the tiger's feet laid a dead body he didn't note was there before. Somewhere in his mind it was earlier registered as a woman who watched them as they ran towards each other before this whole mess began.

But she was alive back then...now as whatever it was this aura is touched her she died….. He now realized why Kamui told him to run……

He turned around and began running like mad.

With big thuds that shook the ground under him, the tiger chased Fuma, quickly speeding up to catch him. The roars it emitted sent vibrations through Fuma's body until it blurred his vision. All along this chase Fuma could hear Kamui, screaming and crying at him.

It tore his heart out; he was on the run again instead of rescuing Kamui as he promised to himself. He was defeated instead of winning.

His head was sunk in his thoughts so much he didn't notice he was running almost face first into a wall. He managed to dodge it, only his body's lack of stability took it's toll. He stumbled a few steps sideways and fell to the floor, feeling his fatigue setting down on him like a heavy blanket and the ache in his broken arms returning powerfully.

Above him the tiger sent its paw down on him, emitting another vengeful roar. A little to the side of the slowly descending paw was his Kamui, captive and crying. That's all he cared about and that's all he saw.

Even in his state of almost no self thought, Alex could feel happiness as he saw Fuma's impending death; he couldn't help smiling to himself as he could already feel the killing of the man who took his Kamui away from him.

This glee was taken from him as Iceman, using whatever power he managed to gather while he was resting, flew like a jet right under the impending paw and snatched Fuma from certain death.

The tiger and its inhabitants could only watch as Justice's other half flew away from their reach and back to safety.

* * *

Iceman used his little force left before he'd completely collapse to summon his chariot. He hollered the half-fainted Fuma onto it and ordered his horses towards the city.

They rode silently for an hour or so before Fuma emitted anything coherent "Why did you save me?" his voice was faint, flat and emotionless. He was tired, physically and mentally.

"Did you want to die there?"

"They wouldn't have killed me"

"Oh really?" Iceman allowed himself to finally vent his anger at the boy. He sent a reprimanding glare at Fuma from across his shoulder.

All Fuma could do was look away at the view below them and cry.

* * *

Kamui lay in a little ball on the floor by his bed in his tent, crying his eyes out again. The bowl of broth he didn't want and didn't have the force to eat stood redundant by him.

He had to tell Fuma to run away from him…..it hurt him like someone drove a stake through his heart. Each sob sent the pain to a new height.

Outside his tent Alex stood glaring its entrance.

Subaru stood by him, torn from the inside between wanting to come in and comfort Kamui and staying here with Alex who looked like he needed to talk to someone himself.

Alex did eventually, as the sobs became stronger and stronger. "I can't stand to hear him cry, it hurts me as if I too feel his pain" he snarled.

Subaru preferred to just listen; he knew silence was the best thing Alex needed now.

"But I always end up hurting him, I always end up making him cry…._why!_" he clutched the wall he leaned again, scratching deep tunnels in the stone with his fingers.

"Why the hell did that stupid boy try to come and get Kamui! Just when Kamui was starting to enjoy himself….now he's crying……**god damn it!**" he pounded the wall creating a hole in it "_**I'm not enjoying this Subaru!** _I don't like hurting him but I _have to _because of this _stupid_ charge……" he hung his head.

Subaru wrapped his arm around Alex's back trying to comfort him.

From inside the tent Kamui's whimpers tore through the silence, through Alex's heart.

* * *

Two days later Fuma and Iceman arrived back at the city, landing by the infirmary.

Fuma was escorted for a check up. He couldn't really remember it all since he couldn't care enough to be coherent and responsive. Somehow he ended up back in his room and in his bed.

His bed with no Kamui.

Why bother living anyway? He'll just stop eating, won't get out of his room and lock the door so no one can come in and that'll be it, he'll kill himself…..

Fuma began crying for the god-knows-what time since Kamui was taken from his the first time.

By the end of the day he vaguely heard a knock on his door. He didn't want to open.

"Monou-kun, let me in please" came Yutu's soft musical voice from the other side of the door.

Fuma couldn't really refuse him, there was something about the guy that just couldn't let you have a fight with him or say "no" to him.

He dragged himself off of his bed and gruntingly opened the door.

Yutu stood outside smiling brightly as ever.

Fuma considered using the fact that Yutu, in his genki mode, had his eyes closed and couldn't see if he'll raise a certain finger at his face to vent his bad mood.

Instead he waited until Yutu began talking and opened his eyes. There was a powerful a purpose in the beautiful bright green eyes. It made Fuma listen.

"Monoue-kun, I remembered your pain and your need of some sort of a solution to your love problem and I believe that I found something. I'm sorry that I can't bring you two together again but…." And with this he held his hand towards Fuma's chest, it was glowing. He touched the teen where his heart lay.

Suddenly Justice felt like he was filling with something wonderful and beautiful. His heart filled with warmth, spreading to the rest of his body. He was lightheaded, dizzy but in a good way.

It was like a bird beating its wings for freedom in him, seeking to break out. It wasn't alien; it was from him and his. It needed freedom and he needed to let it loose somehow.

Yutu exited the room but Fuma didn't notice. Justice clutched his hands at his chest, slowly realizing how he would be able to let this amazing thing within him out.

He began singing.

"_Never knew I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before"_

As he started singing, he could see a picture clearing before him. It was Kamui sitting on the floor somewhere, crying. Then he understood suddenly; the more he sings the more he sees of Kamui.

Kamui suddenly raised his head; he thought he heard Fuma's voice. His lover was singing…._singing!_

"_I want to vanish inside your kiss  
Every day I'm loving you more than this"_

He noted the view before him: it was Fuma, standing in his room! Somehow something was making them see each other and Fuma…..Fuma was singing to him!

"_Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings  
Telling me to give you everything"_

Kamui got up and ran to the man before him. He tried touching Fuma but his hands only passed through this ethereal body. Still, Fuma could see him and respond to what he did because his eyes followed him, and a beautiful smile played across his lips as he sang.

_  
"Seasons may change, winter to spring  
But I love you until the end of time""Come what may  
Come what may  
I will love you until my dying day"_

The amazing feeling, the bird of a song, the colorful, wonderful, beautiful feeling filled Kamui's heart as well. Now he began singing his love as well.

_"Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace"_

They joined real fingers with ethereal ones, each in their own location, singing together.

_  
"Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste"_

Fuma stopped to listen to Kamui's donation to the song.

"_It all revolves around you"  
_

They sang together again, staring powerfully into each other's eyes. They didn't care if those outside the tent and in the house heard them singing.

"_And there's no mountain too high  
No river too wide  
Sing out this song I'll be there by your side  
Storm clouds may gather  
And stars may collide  
But I love you until the end of time"  
_

Outside the tent Alex tensed, suddenly hearing, yet not sensing, that Fuma was inside with Kamui.

"What on earth!" he moved to enter the tent when Subaru stopped him.

They exchanged looks before Alex gave up.

"_Oh, come what may, come what may  
I will love you, I will love you"  
_

Kamui sank into an ethereal hug, still singing as his heart melted with happiness and love. He sang, almost to himself.

"_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place"  
_

"_Come what may  
Come what may  
I will love you until my dying day"_

(tbc)

* * *

(1) Dragon Valley and it's Noters are based on Hebron, the city and the base of MPs that's in the vicinity.

(2) this really happened, the girl amongst the two of them was a friend of mine.


	19. Recognition of Unrequited Love

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Warning: **some bad language ahead, sorry but it's a rather argument-filled chapter

* * *

**Part 19 – Recognition of Unrequited Love**

After a day or two of riding, Death's riders arrived at an island of trees at the midst of a sea of hip-high grass they rode through lately.

A small forest of tall trees with huge thick trunks and roots intertwining until one tree seemed to be a part of a group of three or four other trees.

Little black monkeys swung between the branches, monkeys that the corner of your eye caught for a second. When you turned your head to examine them fully they disappeared screeching like the wheels of an old rusty machine.

These small animals had several sets of eyes and long curly purple patterns on their long black arms and tails. They were from no world any of the group's members came from.

Trying to vent his sorrow and sadness in a little walk around the forest, Kamui found himself running from tree to tree trying to spot a monkey completely.

No one watched over him and no one escorted him to make sure he won't try to escape. There was no where to go and Kamui hadn't had a thought in him to run anywhere in the first place.

If he ran on foot he'd get lost and tired quickly, if he ran on horseback Alex's powers would return the living-dead beast back to the earth and catch him before he gets anywhere helpful.

Kamui didn't have any true imprisoning on him, no chains and no bars restricted his movements. Only David, from time to time, made sure the boy was within eye shot. Besides that he was free, such as it was.

Funny thing about David, he wasn't here or there; He never spoke anything against Alex's words, not in a language they could all understand anyway, yet never said anything positive of what was happening.

Kamui suspected that, like the rest of the group besides himself and the onmyoujis, this was just an adventure to refresh his life.

They didn't speak much, well Kamui didn't exit his tent to socialize very often if at all, and when they did speak it was mostly when David brought him his food.

One evening a loud argument in the european jewish language started between Alex and David as the two ex-prisoners of the same camp argued over the preparations of a dish they were cooking.

Kamui heard them shoot their usual insults at one another in the end and then a long silence. Kamui knew they didn't really fight, only argued, and that those insults were only half hearted. Alex translated them to Kamui once, the boy remembered, Alex called David 'oven boy' and David shot 'pervert' back at his fellow.

About half an hour later David stormed into his tent, handing him a bowl of vegetable soup. He lingered there, waiting for Kamui to take the first sip while glaring intensely at the boy.

"Are you waiting for something?" Kamui cradled his bowl protectively, enjoying the scent yet growing more and more nervous at David's presence lingering around.

"Taste it" the undertaker commanded.

Kamui took a sip and sounded a pleased "Mmm"

"Is it good?" David took a step forward, almost threateningly.

Kamui nodded "It's very good" he mumbled, wondering since when did David start caring about such things. Since when did he care about anything at all when it came to things that weren't his graveyard?

"Bah! Alex wanted to add _coriander_ to that! can you imagine! Oy, coriander in vegetable soup!" he mumbled onwards to himself, muttering things only he could hear by now as he walked out of the tent.

Kamui found it kind of amusing: David probably had a deep rooted belief in the way his community used to cook back in his home and Alex was probably just teasing him about it. It was the first time that Kamui smiled since he was taken, since Fuma's song to him.

As usual in these days, his dark mood returned almost immediately after and the smile was wiped off.

Now Kamui walked amongst the trees, heading back to the campsite. He stopped when he heard familiar voices at the rim of the forest.

"Subaru! Come, sit down" it was Alex, Kamui saw him leaning against a tree lacing his boots back on.

"I better not, I'm kind of sore" Subaru waddled towards Alex, a wan smile on his pale face. Actually Subaru wasn't that pale anymore; he changed a lot since they came to this world, Kamui noticed. The patrols in the sun and smiling a lot more seemed to only do well to his already beautiful features

"O-ho!" Kamui saw that reaction coming, he waited for the punch line to come, reading off the deep humor on Alex's expression at such a statement "Is Seishiro being rough with you?" he ended that with a deep hearted laughter.

Subaru made a reprimanding sour face at Alex, folding his arms on his chest protectively "It's not that, and he's actually very delicate…sometimes…."

There was a silence which ended by Alex's wild giggling. Kamui tried to stifle a giggle himself, trying to picture how Subaru must be embarrassed by how he blushed into a dark shade of crimson.

"It's actually from the horses, and please don't make jokes about _that_." Alex whimpered, stifling a giggle "I ache after every long ride" Subaru winced, feeling his sore thighs.

Alex got up and whistled for his horse "Show me how you ride the horse when it trots"

Subaru climbed the horse and clicked the animal to trot.

As Alex expected, Subaru simply sat on the horse not interacting with the beast's movements at all. He looked like a limp doll sitting atop the horse, bounced up and down in a silly manner.

"Hmmm, you need to move with the horse as he trots Subaru. Stand up and sit down in synch with the horse's movements"

"**Stand** on the horse! I'll fall off!"

"Look, try standing in the stirrups while the horse isn't moving"

Subaru signaled the horse to stop and straightened his legs in the stirrups, thus rising himself to some sort of a wobbly stand.

"Good, now, sit down"

Subaru sat down with a heavy unceremonious thud.

"Good, now do it again, over and over again and when you're certain of your movements do it as the horse walks around. When you're completely confident do it when the horse trots, stand up and sit down in sync with the horse's back side jumping up and down"

"That's what's going to stop me from aching?" Subaru looked pretty doubtful as he stood up slowly then sat down quickly and ungracefully.

"Yes, your ache comes from the horse's pelvis hitting your butt every time it rides faster then a walk….poor Seishiro….it's not his fault and yet he must suffer too as you refuse him night after nig…."

"_Would you stop that?_" Subaru looked upset and restless "This is really tiring you know, my leg muscles aren't in shape"

"Yeah yeah, you're all flabby flesh and bones Subaru and you're also too thin but never mind. You're using muscles also used for _other_ pelvis thrusts….not that _you'd_ be doing any of those…" Alex giggled some more and received a dove shiki smacking him atop of his head, it only made him giggle more.

"Oh I'm fed up with this, it's useless!" Subaru threw away the horse's reins angrily, looking a lot like a frustrated child.

Alex stopped giggling and neared the horse, motioning it to slow down and stand. "You're doing it wrong, here" he leaped on the horse, positioning himself directly behind Subaru.

He placed his hands high on Subaru's thighs, almost hugging him in their close position. He clicked the horse to walk and began showing Subaru the movement, their bodies moving as one in a heavily suggestive rhythm and movement.

Kamui didn't find this funny any more. An idea set on him like a dark cloud on a mountain top blinding him with its darkness.

Alex kept him here like that and chased Fuma away so horribly, yet he fooled around with Subaru like that. It enraged him, how can Alex be such a hypocrite!

He walked out of his hiding place amongst the trees as if he was on a simple innocent stroll. When he knew both men saw him he raised his eyes to them and with a semi-neutral yet highly poisonous tone he said "Oh, don't let me interrupt"

They stared at him blankly, trying to understand what he was talking about.

Subaru realized it first and blushed so deeply he felt like his face was on fire. He jumped away from Alex's body on the saddle as if he was bitten by a snake.

Alex stared from Kamui to Subaru, then back at Kamui who's eyes almost burnt with malice "What are you talking about!"

"If you want to fool around with Subaru-san and the murderer you can do it, just don't bring me along and hold me like a captive pretending to punish me!" with that Kamui stormed away and back to the nearby campsite, walking straight into his tent and behind his bed.

Alex followed shortly, bursting into the tent powerfully, his cape blowing after him, swirling powerfully around his body as he stopped "What the fuck are you talking about Kamui!"

Kamui swung back to face Alex, his eyes ablaze "You wanna fuck with them, fuck with them! Release me and stop pretending you still care about me!" he was screaming by the end of his sentence.

"I **do**care Kamui, I always cared! and for your snotty little spoiled information _this_ is **not **about you! It's about you and your stupid boyfriend's decision to _kill_ one of my men!"

"**You liar!** You stupid, stupid **liar**! You're here only to get into my pants, you old pervert!"

Alex raised a warning finger at Kamui "Kamui, do _not_ call me like that, I told you about it!" he wasn't yelling anymore but his tone had enough anger and warning to pass the message through.

"Then why do you let David call you that!" when he said the name Kamui threw his hand sideways as if to point at a non existing David in the tent.

"That's something you can't understand Kamui…"

"Oh not _that_ thing again, the old 'pride of the campers'. No one gives a fuck anymore, it's in the past, bury it already and stop behaving like the world owes you something"

Alex had to restrain himself from jumping on Kamui and slapping him good "Kamui" he grunted through his teeth "you leave that alone now" his voice was never so low with restrained anger.

Kamui made an impatient "eeekh" and turned around folding his arms on his chest angrily, he shook his head to himself.

"Don't flatter yourself so much to think that the world revolves around you Kamui, you're not that good, believe me! Sometimes I really don't know why I love you"

"Oh Alex **you're so full of shit**!" Kamui swung around again, his anger showing in his wild body language "You keep saying you love me yet you keep abusing me and hurting the people I love!

"You said you'll never hurt me, that you'll protect me! You **swore** Alex, you went down on your knees and **you swore**! You're so full of **shit**!" he swung his arms, grabbing at one of the decorative chains of colorful beads, tearing it powerfully from the ceiling.

A small wave of beads scattered on the ground, hiding amongst the grass leaves trampled to a flat floor.

Alex stood there, his shoulders hunched and his head slightly bowed. Yet his eyes, glaring powerfully under his scold, were burning with what he said "Kamui, I do _not_ enjoy this, if I had the chance I wouldn't have done this. But you insisted, and despite my warnings, despite your friend's feelings, despite real true justice and evidence _placed_ before you, evidence you could _see_, you sentenced him to death. If you think I'm getting something out of this you're wrong"

He turned and left. Before he exited completely he turned his head to shoot at Kamui, in a solemn and sad voice "I meant what I said, I kept my promise and I do love you. If it weren't my fucking destiny to be Death then I would let you be as I did when you wanted to be with Fuma" he walked out, leaving Kamui huffing and puffing behind him.

* * *

Kamui paced his tent like a caged animal. Everything he laid his eyes on disturbed him and enraged him. Every thought that crossed his mind upset him. Never mind what aspect he saw of today's events he found no ease in.

He had heard Alex speak to Subaru in his rage when they returned from the market place and he was crying. Through his tears and painful thoughts he heard Alex's shout "_I'm not enjoying this_!".

Is he really?

Every time Kamui remembered Alex looking at him with love in his eyes, he'd feel a pang in his chest. It wasn't love; it was regret… he started realizing his mistake.

Not the mistake he made with Seishiro, never will he surrender to that argument.

The mistake he might have done with Alex….

He came out of his tent to walk in the woods again. The cool wind of the nearing evening calmed his mind's bubbling with thoughts. The beautiful sunset, without the layer of depressing, beauty blocking clouds of the city eased his suffering a bit.

He climbed a tree and settled atop a branch, his slim legs dangling from each side as he rested his thin back on the trunk itself.

He noted how the lack of his powers made it pretty difficult to keep balance on the tree's delicate limbs; no longer will he be able to stand so elegantly and easily atop a lamppost or the edge of a fence like in his school back in Tokyo.

When he tried to balance himself on one branch the delicate wood snapped under him, sending Kamui along with him. He slipped down the tree a bit, receiving a shallow scratch from a passing branch on his route down.

He clung wildly at another passing branch and managed to stop his falling and set on it.

He looked off at the sunset and filled his head with thoughts to brush off the sting of pain the newly made scratch emitted.

He thought of Alex and the first evening he spent in Kamui's world. Alex told so many things so quickly and acted so rashly and self confident…..how could Kamui, though ridden by mysterious and strangely explained ideas from his home world, believe _such_ a pile of new information?

And on that night, on that very night without doubt or a thought for himself Alex wanted to rid Kamui of him….so quickly, without a second thought…..

did he stop Alex because of his true wish for Alex not to be hurt by those spirits or was it his own self humbleness, his believe that he simply can't be good enough to be loved to that extent…..

Or was it that he didn't want to lose his second Fuma…..

His second Fuma….that's what Alex was….a Fuma that kept his protective promise and truly guarded him of all evil, real or imagined and gave all he could to him….. all he saw in Alex was that he was his second Fuma.

Kamui felt that pang in his chest and curled himself into a little ball on the branch. He lost balance and soon found himself falling very fast towards the ground below.

It wasn't such a long fall, and even though Kamui would have fallen on his back which is a sensitive area for such blows, he would still not get hurt. A thick layer of soft leaves fallen from the trees laying on top of the long grass which surrounded the strange island of a forest would have softened his fall until maybe a small ache would be left afterwards.

Kamui knew nothing would happen to him because he had fallen from trees in his lifetime enough to an evaluation system to tell him if he should grasp something to stop his fall or not.

Despite that Kamui did not land on the earth below, he landed on a black leathery wing that stretched out to catch him, cradling him in a curve unnatural to the wing's usual spreading direction.

He was rolled carefully and placed on his feet gently so that absolutely no harm could be done to him.

A short thought passed through Kamui's mind; 'how can he do something as brutal as the way he fights at times and yet act so delicately in other times'

He stood with the layer of soft leaves up to his ankles before Death who crouched by a tree leaning on its wide trunk.

Death's eyes weren't on him; he stared forward into nothing in particular.

'I'm not made of glass, I could have landed safely on my own' Kamui wanted to say but he couldn't find the power within him to start another fight.

Maybe all this sudden forgiveness he felt towards Alex was due to sheer mental fatigue.

Something rebellious reared its head inside Kamui, warning that Alex had managed to break down some of his defense walls and soon he would find himself forgiving Seishiro.

But Kamui was too tired to listen to this voice either.

Alex was humming to himself, something foreign that Kamui couldn't recognize, singing out the lyrics from time to time.

His voice was clear and beautiful; he did not miss a tone nor emitted a sound that mismatched any of the others before it. The song flowed out of him like a gentle river flowing into the view before them.

"I never knew you could sing" for a second Kamui remembered Fuma's song and remembered he didn't know _he _could sing.

Alex smiled a wan little smile and shot a short glance at the boy beside him "I sang to you once but you've forgotten all about it…." his voice was calm yet so sad and bitter. Alex could deal words like blows sometimes.

Kamui listened to the soft wind blowing by them and noted how the air felt suddenly empty without Alex's singing voice in the background. "You did?"

"Yes, and I told you of the time David and Jacob came and made us all sing…. you've forgotten all of that as well….you've forgotten that you told me everything about your life and about you…you forgot it all…." There was anger in his voice, very repressed but still burning like a flame. He rose to his feet to leave, his body language signaling that he's upset and tired.

Then he shot one last glance at Kamui and froze on his spot. His eyes widened in horror and worry as he spotted the scratch on Kamui's cheek.

He stepped up to the boy, lightly piercing his thumb to extract some of the healing blood from it. He ran his thumb over Kamui's forgotten wound, examining the results before looking deep into Kamui's eyes.

Kamui didn't flinch from the touch, he was too dazed from the broad change in Alex's mood from when he rose to storm off to the mood he was in now. Even if it was only a scratch he still hurried immediately to his side and without a word healed it, as small and pointless as it was.

There were so many emotions in the Alex's eyes; Kamui actually saw them cloud over with the intensity. Then they eyes looked at him, those green eyes in the face that was Fuma's….but his Fuma had brown eyes that looked a little red when the light shone into them in the right direction.

Then Kamui snapped back to the emotions in Alex's eyes; there was love there, like there always was, even when Alex was enraged with him. But there was pain too, infinite pain Kamui felt he could never grasp; the pain of a man that cannot reach his medicine anymore though he is so very ill; the pain of unrequited love.

The more Kamui thought of it the more he wanted to run away.

He did finally, pushing at Alex and running away into the sinking sun leaving darkness after its last flaming red rays disappeared. He ran into his tent choking his tears away.

He didn't love Alex; he never did and never will.

He loved Fuma.

He touched Fuma and filled them both with love and happiness, made their lives perfect as they filled their empty halves with the other's whole one.

He touched Alex once and left him broken ever since. Alex was something special, something big and amazing….yet he _broke_ him into bits, he, little 'o him.

Kamui walked over to his sanctuary behind the bed and flopped down on the floor. His mind was vacant as he absent mindedly rolled the different fallen beads out of their hiding places amongst the grass leaves.

* * *

After a while a dark cloud set on Kamui again sinking him back into his dark mood.

He was Justice so he could see when something unfair was done. He saw himself as guilty. Yet he couldn't bring himself to apologize, to admit his mistake out loud to anyone, he had too much pride and was too stubborn to do it.

Soft sounds of fabrics moving and soft padding told Kamui someone walked into his tent. It was about the time when David would come in his to bring him food.

But it wasn't David, David's steps were crude and hard as if he was dragging something all his life; digging his heels deeply into the ground to get a grip on the surface and then land the rest of his foot to pull the weight along with him…whatever weight he was pulling.

The steps he heard now were light, almost unheard; the steps of a skilled hunter.

It wasn't Lestate because Lestate would probably never enter his tent, preferring to scold him silently by ignoring his existence altogether.

It wasn't Seishiro because he didn't hear another padding of feet by that padding that would indicate Subaru walking in as well. surely if Seishiro would have entered his tent then surely Subaru would accompany him to keep the Sakurazukamori from doing anything out of place.

Those were the only two people who would sound like a hunter sneaking up on someone.

Victoria stumbled as she walked around, her head up in her thoughts or in some sort of a vacuum of her own so it never really connected with her body making her terribly clumsy. She either paddled along like a duck or shuffled her feet like a bummed out teenager.

Kamui noted the steps he heard were small, as if a woman walked in. he knew these steps, on tiptoe, from the way his mother used to walk and how her feet would sound on their house's wooden floor. She would tiptoe because she was far too used to walk on high heels at work and kept that posture even with her shoes off inside her own home.

Alex tiptoed when he walked, whether it was when he was sneaking up on someone, dancing with his sword as he fought with someone, or simply he walked around. His refuse to wear hard soled boots lead him to wear flexible forest hunting boots which allowed him to tiptoe freely as well as muffled the sounds of his steps on most floors.

Alex told him once that it was an ancient habit from the time he was a boy in the different orphanages he grew up in; he'd refuse to cut his hair and walked around in dresses and on tiptoes as if he was a woman.

The memory echoed in Kamui's mind like a cloud of dust blown when you place an old book on a shelf.

There was silence and Kamui heard Alex placing a plate on the little bedside table placed in his room, made from a rich scented wood. Kamui expected to hear the usual "Eat up while it's hot Kamui" or something like that. But he didn't hear it.

He hated it when Alex bugged him about his minimal weight and his slim figure, it annoyed him _so _much. Now he found himself almost disappointed and definitely amazed at how, in his consideration of Kamui's gloomy mood, Alex restrained even his most powerful instincts.

The silence hung like moisture in the air, stifling and uncomfortable. Kamui began feeling awkward, he felt like something bad was about to come and he wouldn't be able to prevent it.

"You….you never loved me, did you" Alex voice finally came, deep and rich with choked tears.

Kamui took his time, fighting not to answer. God he hated confessions, he hated hurting people.

"No….I never did"

"I only remembered now, what you said when you first saw me. I was too sunk into you and how you looked and the mess around that I didn't hear it but now I know"

Kamui knew, he remembered that now.

"You looked at me and you said 'Fuma'"

It must have hurt Alex to say that. Kamui winced, but he was also relieved.

"Because that's all you ever saw in me….him ….a substitute to him…" there was a pause while Alex fought himself not to cry.

"Yes…." What else could he say? He only hoped his grave ashamed tone would pass the message that he's regretting it.

"Didn't it….didn't it ever bother you? What you were doing…to me?" words of a defeated man, yet said so proudly.

"….I never realized it until I came here again and faced my real emotions…"

"Ah…." Alex looked away, his eyes filled with tears.

"Alex…what did you find in me!" he rose to sit Japanese style on the floor, leaning his head on his bed, looking at Alex. Alex had something surrendered in his posture yet still powerful. "A 16 year old human boy from Japan, what do we have in common?" he was trying to put some reason into Alex's unreasonable love to him.

But Alex only stared at him with eyes that were almost black with desperation and pain. He didn't answer, his saddened face was enough. His eyes were soft and tearful, two lines of blood running down his pale skin as his tears dripped on.

"I loved you because you were promised to me in a dream…and because you are so beautiful and wonderful and smart"

That dream, now he remembered, he heard about it once.

Alex was often receiving dreams of his own future, stuffed with symbolism to keep him from understanding their meaning until it was too late. Kamui appeared in one of those dreams a little before he first arrived at the Lost Dimension.

Alex made a bitter little smile "But it doesn't matter does it? You never loved me…only Fuma, always….so what does it matter now what I see in you…. what I feel about you…" now he did look pathetic and defeated, beaten to surrender without a bruise to show it.

Kamui returned to crouch behind his bed. Suddenly those beads were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"You know what? I would have let you go to Fuma, I did, didn't I? I wouldn't be angry because I want you to be happy. But Kamui, if only you could have looked at me and give me _some_ attention…something, a glance, a smile, a small word. A little attention is all I ever wanted…

"…..But you shunned me as if I already hurting you, like I was forcing myself on you….and I've done so much for you Kamui, I sacrificed so much for you….and not a single word did I hear about it, not one 'thank you'….that's all I wanted, a 'thank you'…."

Silence.

From gentle yet heavy tiptoeing steps walking away from him and the rustle of the black cape waving Kamui knew Alex was about to leave.

"I'm sorry" he whispered, knowing Alex could hear him.

* * *

Subaru reached under his back where a fancy pillow caused him some discomfort as he landed on the bed, slightly crushed by Seishiro's body. He threw away the offending pillow and resumed his doings.

His mouth was covered by his lover's, kissing him passionately. Subaru slowly let himself go from his usual realm of thought and awareness to the land of the carnal and mindless.

They both stopped everything when their senses jumped them. Seishiro managed to roll off of Subaru before Alex walked into the tent.

He looked miserable despite his usual armor and almost ceremonial dignified outfit. The stains of blood tears on his cheeks were a shock. He raised his eyes to them and realized what he interrupted. Alarm ran across his face and he immediately turned to leave.

But Subaru had a sixth and seventh sense when it came to the pain of others, this senses now yelled at him that Alex was leaking pain. He shot up to sit and called Death back.

Alex froze on the tent's entrance, shooting an unsure glance backwards.

Seishiro lay there shocked at how the man he always knew as powerful and strong suddenly looked like an abused puppy begging for attention and affection.

"What's wrong Alex?" Suabru's voice was like hands reaching out to sooth, his real hands also moved a bit forward, ghostly trying to grab at Alex and sooth him.

Alex turned to them, his head bowed in surrender, his eyes filled with tears again. "He never loved me…ever…." He mumbled, well heard.

Seishiro was even more amazed when he heard himself roughly command Alex to "Sit down" knowing there was nothing else to sit on but their bed and that the only place to sit there and run a normal conversation was between the both of them.

Alex walked over, his armor disappearing leaving behind only the simple black vest and pants. He sat on the bed with an unusual ungraceful thud.

For a while he sat there crouched over, leaning on his elbows upon his open legs like a man planning something.

Subaru wrapped his arm around Alex broad back, feeling long thin bumps in the skin under the thin vest. He noticed that on the little bit of back the vest exposed, lines of scars from what must have been a whiplashes bulged slightly out of the perfectly white skin. So much pain coming only from his _skin_.

Seishiro half lay on the bed, propping himself slightly by leaning on his elbows, observing the two. He was wearing his light nighttime black tunic made from a simple crude fabric he found while rummaging in David's shed back in the city once as David stood grumbling in the doorway and Alex stood by soothing him wordlessly.

For a while there was silence as Subaru chose between silence and words for a good method of comfort, and if words then which to say.

Alex helped him solve the problem as he began speaking "I remembered suddenly, how when he first came here and first saw me, what he said. He looked at me and said 'Fuma'. Then I realized that he never ever loved _me _but Fuma, all this time. He used me then discarded me.

"Sure, now when I spoke to him about it he apologized but….." a tremor went through the muscles under Subaru's arm, the beginnings of a sob. But Alex didn't cry, he spoke on instead.

"I thought my feelings didn't matter, they really didn't for a very long time. I thought that when it came to Kamui's happiness my feelings and thoughts don't matter but….I feel pain….so much pain…." There was another tremor, this time almost a real sob.

It made Seishiro wonder about something. As far as he knew, despite his often monstrous appearance and behavior, Alex was awfully human. Humans would have cried over such a thing by now, but Alex didn't besides the random tear shedding. What was he trying to do to himself by holding it all inside!

His mother thought him, as a part of her 'why we _should_ kill people' lessons, that when people hold enough pain inside them that pain becomes like a tight ball around their hearts. She told him that enough pain on some level creates education, a little more creates fear but too much pain causes hatred.

She told him that if he looks around he could see people with tight balls around their hearts, walking the earth causing pain and suffering to those who caused them pain or to those who resembled the offenders.

He knew some of the pain that melted into hatred found its venting in some of Alex's behaviors towards Fuma. He knew that Alex needs to vent that pain before it'll make him do something that might make him regret it later.

Then again he didn't care if Kamui was hurt; he just didn't feel like picking up Alex's pieces after it, like what he's doing now, he thought it was Kamui's responsibility as the one who hurt Alex in the first place.

Subaru only held Alex and leaned his head on his shoulder. He was wearing his loose white tunic with the polka dots. The tunic was slipping off of Subaru's shoulder slightly, revealing to Seishiro's eyes pieces of delicate skin he loved to adore silently when Subaru wasn't looking.

Alex bit his lower lip and buried his gaze in the floor, he was slowly growing more and more tense.

Subaru remembered vaguely that on some lonesome and boring patrol Subaru asked Lestate why Alex was hardly seen around those days, the days right after Kamui and Fuma's reunion.

Lestate explained to him that when Alex is deeply hurt he puts a shell-like shield on himself and closes in letting no one see his pain. He pretends to be the tough soldier while hurting himself in the process. He said he hadn't seen Alex really cry in a long time and that it was not a good thing.

Subaru wondered why it was a bad thing besides the fact that it was healthy to cry from time to time but he trusted Lestate's deeper knowledge of Alex and took his word for it.

But Alex didn't cry and it was too late to try and make him; the shell he wrapped himself in was too thick now, his muscles were tense all over.

A short thought ran through Subaru and Seishiro's mind, though both had a very different reaction that meant probably the same thing in the end. It wasn't a thought as much as it was a picture: Alex sitting somewhere, gloomy and brooding through the night, alone and lonely in the cold.

Seishiro shrugged mentally and pretended he didn't care. If it was Alex's way of dealing with his pain then so be it. Though he knew that Death's coming here was a cry for help, or at least for some attention so they better do something other then letting him go.

Subaru felt a sharp pang at the thought; he hurt Alex's cold lonely hurt as he saw the image in his mind's eye. And all he wanted right now was to stop Alex from going out of their tent to the cold and lonely night.

"Do…do you want to…umm…" the earlier horse riding incident made Subaru think twice and thrice over anything that could come out wrong "Do you want to stay over tonight?" he managed to mumble while fighting off a violent blush.

Seishiro sent him a 'what the hell!' look behind Alex's back.

Subaru shot him a silencing glare back.

Alex shot a slightly miserable glance at Subaru. Basically it was what he hoped for and never dared to think he'd have the guts to ask. All he wanted was to sleep wrapped in some sort of affection, or at least acceptance…..or the illusion of both.

Subaru smiled back and lay on the bed, gesturing for Alex to do the same.

They lay there for maybe an hour or so, wrapped in uncomfortable silence. Each was to his own thought.

Seishiro, who lay on his side with his back to Alex laying between him and his lover, suddenly wondered what's wrong with people taking out that tight ball of pain and hatred on the people who started that ball in the first place.

His mother taught him that this too made them worthy to become the prey of the Sakura.

Lately he began thinking back at his mother and seeing the dark momentary expressions that sometimes twitched her face, the tares of madness into her behavior.

No human could live without emotions even if those emotions were robbed of them by magic.

At the time, he solved his problem by pretending he wasn't digging those emotions out of the earth beneath the Sakura using a shovel called Subaru.

His mother solved her problem by going slightly mad and teaching him to be the strongest and the cruelest of all Sakurazukamori. She didn't toy with people's emotions like he did, like she taught him to. She didn't do it on purpose. Perhaps she wanted to make him into such a monster to be able to look at him, then at herself and have the comfort of thinking she was the better of the two.

His life was a strange and unusual life. Seishiro realized more and more how he was nothing but a puppet in the hands of those around him. The only thing he chose on his own was Subaru. It made him love the man laying behind Death more then anything.

Subaru also lay on his side with his back to Alex, tearing himself between two very powerful interests: caring for Kamui, because the boy's pain and their previous good relationship began breaking the walls of anger he shut around his heart when they sentenced his Seishiro to death. Then there was Seishiro himself and Alex who would get hurt and angry if he'd start caring for Kamui again.

There was an evening about a day after the marketplace incident, just before Fuma's song. Kamui was crying in his tent and Subaru walked in silently. He crouched by the tense human ball and wrapped an arm across the lean back.

He sat there comforting silently when he heard a soft whisper he could swear was Yutu's voice, gently telling him to get out of the tent please and then a polite "Thank you".

He remembered Kamui didn't look up at him or even reacted to his presence but that he could sense something softened a little in Kamui's tension.

Subaru wondered over many things, one of them was the gentle twinkle of an emotion that was buried within him under so much dust and contradicting events that it never got the chance to develop into a full flame. A twinkle towards Kamui.

Alex didn't think as he lay on his back between the two onmyoujis. His mind was blank and so he turned his head to Subaru looking for something he didn't know.

Then an idea came to his mind in a sneaky naughty way that such ideas creep into one's mind.

"Subaru-kun, you're wearing your polka dotted pajamas" he said in a tone he knew would hit the spot in both onmyouji.

In a fragment of a second the awkward silence that lay heavy in the air of the tent ignited into a full fledged chaos.

Subaru turned around sharply glaring at Alex who smirked back at him.

Seishiro laughed out so loud he was almost in tears.

Subaru rose to sit a little, shouting at Seishiro to shut his mouth.

Seishiro tried to subside his hollers into giggles, doing a very poor job at it.

Alex lay there smug until Subaru picked it up and began whacking him with his pillow.

When Subaru's anger subsided he allowed his pillow to be grabbed and placed under Alex's head.

The malice-filled green eyes now turned to Seishiro, still giggling on the bed. "Oi, what are you giggling at like a monkey mister talking to penguins at Sunshine 60?".

One golden eye and one white eye glared at Alex as it was Subaru's turn to giggle and holler with laughter.

"Is that what he was doing then? I wondered who he was talking to".

Alex turned from encouraging Subaru to Seishiro again "'do you find me sexy', why didn't you just whack him over the head with your wooden club and dragged him off to your cave then?".

Subaru giggled more while Seishiro just glared.

The air in the tent lightened up, filling with mild insults and teasing shot from one side to another until they were too tired to talk.

The morning after Alex woke up realizing that he had a wonderful refreshing, peaceful sleep….again….

He felt weight of two things on him.

One was Subaru's arm, almost wrapped across his chest with Subaru himself curled around his side in a one sided sleeping cuddle. The younger onmyouji' face was so peaceful as they were buried in the duvet pooling in the joint between his neck and his shoulder.

* * *

The other was Seishiro's arm lying limply across his chest a little above Subaru's. This seemed to be purely incidental since Seishiro lay on his stomach with his head laying on the pillow to the other direction.

An unruly bang stood up atop the Sakurazukamori's head in the mess of sleep. It amused Alex to think of how the Guardian of the Cherry Blossom Burial Mound would look as he sleepily opened his eyes to a new day. He was even more amused at the thought of how Seishiro would react to his uncontrolled laughter at such a state.

Then he realized what was going on and melted away from between their warm bodies. Turning his body to fog and fading out of the room, Alex chose to chase these thoughts away before he starts taking them seriously.

The moment he stood in the fresh air of a new day the thoughts were gone and he remembered his bane again.

Never mind. every once and a while in his life he falls to a new pain and dies, every time he stands again and start walking as if revived. This too will pass. It has to; he must get back on his feet and keep walking or he'll die.

He walked to the forest to see if there was something edible to make breakfast to the group from.

(tbc)


	20. History

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV stuff they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

This may not be much liked to Elora but, ah heck, I need to show the past a bit ne? she is responsible for the lovely little song bit, she sent me the lyrics. I liked the song anyways….

And thanks to Haru for telling me about unrequited love.

* * *

**Part 20 – History**

Lying in his large soft bed, Kamui turned from side to side struggling to fall asleep.

It's not that his bed was uncomfortable, on the contrary; it was large enough so that he could lie diagonally and he still had about a good length stretching out from his feet and his head. Even if he stretched his arms and legs he couldn't reach the bed's edge no matter what position he took.

The mattress was thick and soft, comforting and healthy. If Kamui did not wake up into a tent in a campsite which held him captive and away from Fuma, nothing would have spoiled every morning as he woke up comfortable and refreshed.

It wasn't that he wasn't tired. His day was eventful and mentally draining. He kept trying not to think about Alex, of how he hurt him. Of Fuma and how far away he was from him.

How come he never really remembered anything from his first arrival at the Lost Dimension? He lost his memories once, then gained them but not fully. Was there something in traveling between the two worlds that erased his memories so powerfully over and over again?

Maybe he wanted to forget? If so, then why?

To help himself re-settle with Fuma….that's being cruel again…..he _must_ remember….

Kamui knew memories won't bring back any emotions towards Death. He just wanted to know what he was back then because something nagged at his mind.

He was different then, way different, so different that as he looked back at it something in him told him "Don't look back, forget it" as if to hide something from him. What was it?

Kamui closed his eyes, evened his breathing and fought to remember.

* * *

He was in the Heart of the Devine Protection at Clamp campus with the rest of the finally gathered Seals.

He held the shinken in his hands. It was so long and heavy.

He never really noticed it when he was with Fuma and Kotori _because _he was with Fuma and Kotori and the way Kotori was back then, his mind concentrated on the more pressing issues. Now the shinken was too awkward.

His body's injuries began re-tingling under their bandages.

Kamui felt like dumping everything behind and running away from it all. He'd dig up his mom's ashes and join them together just to be in her protective embrace again.

But he couldn't be so weak now, not after he promised himself and others that he will get Fuma back.

Kamui unleashed the shinken from it's long wrapping fabric, like the long bandages wrapped around what felt like his whole body. He left Nokoru and the Seals behind him and began walking towards the Heart itself.

He remembered thinking that it doesn't even look like a heart, a silly thought in itself as he looks back at it now.

Then his senses began noting him about something strange going on: he seemed to be going downward as well as forward and every step he took seemed to not only sink him deeper but slowly stop him from getting anywhere else.

He looked down and saw his feet had gone _into_ the floor. Was this part of the process to seal the shinken?

It couldn't have been because of the reactions of the people around him. His name was called by several voices, young and old, all in panic.

Nokoru was mumbling to himself that this is impossible; the Heart is protected from every possible power or magic, by every possible power and magic.

To Kamui's ears it was all a jumble of slowed down noises behind a strange silence that took over his hearing completely.

He was up to his pelvis when he suddenly turned his head to look at the ones behind him and saw them running towards him. He wanted to lift his hand to take the shinken away from whatever it was but the floor that was so liquid on one side was like concrete on the other end, preventing him from trying to pull himself away or climbing out of it.

He could feel whatever it was below his feet was no more, not even the liquid-ish feel of a marshland as before. He was dangling above something.

When the floor sucked him up to his chest he threw the hand he sill had free (the other, which held the shinken was locked into the strange gate) trying to be held by the Seals who circled him now.

Sorata grabbed his hand and pulled to no use, he pulled and pulled and pulled until he was red in the face and sweating.

Subaru chanted countering spells, Nokoru rang up people on his mobile phone, Inuki grabbed his shirt only to tare at it.

Kamui took a deep breath before his mouth and nose drew into the void completely, only Sorata's hand remaining as a link to the world he knew as home so far.

When he fell to the other side he could still see Sorata's palm sticking out of a dark sky, then pulled back quickly as the portal shut completely.

Kamui was now falling fast into an abyss with the shinken in his hand and only his thin clothes to protect him from the almost arctic cold wind that blew at him in this new world he fell to.

* * *

He was not the only one to land into the Lost Dimension that night. Before they found him Lestate and Alex, who were on the night patrol, collected the newcomer Spike Siegel who fell into a base of Noters and clung to the flagpole in their carriage park.

They found Victoria Seras hiding in a corner, shaking in her tiny light blue Hellsing uniforms, clinging to her RPG-like rifle muttering something about her master and calling for him with tears in her eyes.

It was a troublesome night for newcomers to arrive into: little fire monsters crawled out of the river by the city looking for their nightly feast. Usually a pile of meat would be laid by the riverbed to satisfy the little alligator like things' appetite. But that night meat was scarce and almost the whole pack crawled towards the city, blowing fire to hunt whatever seemed edible while burning several other things on the way.

Kamui didn't know that. He didn't know that he was the second to land after Spike. He didn't know he came along with others. He didn't know anything at all.

At first he fell with his back towards the earth, and then he thought of flipping in the air to at least _see_ where he was heading for.

Below him lights of a small village spread across his view. Small dots of fire spread and extinguished at it's edge where he could notice a river flowing by.

He readied his powers to soften his landing and land on his feet elegantly instead of crushing to a pulp he was sure he would. Whatever it was, wherever he may be, he clutched at his shinken as if it was a saving rope that might pull him back to his world.

He landed on empty ground amidst several buildings charred and ruined. The ground was dark brown and smelling the way earth after rain when the air is cold. Kamui shivered as another freezing gust blew around him.

Something crawled on the ground past the corner of a house; it looked like a small black alligator with bright little orange eyes burning like real fire.

Kamui stared amazed at the thing. It had large back scales that reminded him of a dinosaur he saw in a children's educational book once.

The thing stopped a good distance from him and examined the shaking boy before him. It cocked its head sideways.

Kamui could have sworn it smiled at him as much as it could with its reptilian mouth.

Finally it took a few more steps forward, faster then usual, while starting to emit strange crackling sounds from within him. The thing's belly inflated a bit, its eyes widened.

Something very primitive instinct inside Kamui told him the monster was about to throw something at him.

In the very last minute Kamui hurled himself sideways with all his might, escaping a huge ball of fire the thing belched at him. He felt the heat beating at his face and closed his eyes wishing for it all to go away.

He rolled into a shabby little vegetable garden. He looked at the tiny underdeveloped lettuce and the twisted carrots showing marks of a rodent's nibbling in most of the roots, obviously dug out of the ground before their time.

Kamui curled into a little ball on the soft sweet smelling grass, peeking at the world through his hands covering his face. He heard the sound of more crackling and, sure that the thing found him now, curled himself ever deeper into himself. He was a small human ball with the shinken sticking out of it.

He waited a few moments and when he felt no heat and heard no more movements meaning something lizard-like was headed towards him, he uncurled himself and dared to stand up.

He looked back at the house by the garden and found a darkened house with windows and doors gaping black holes like moaning mouths. There was a strange cryptic scent coming out of the rooms and a message ran through Kamui's mind "something's dead in there".

There were noises coming out of the house and Kamui just knew he was going to see the ghost of the dead person he smelled now.

But he didn't see a ghost; instead he saw the figure of a man emerging from the house's direction, dragging a stretcher with another human figure on it. The figure that walked, Kamui noted in the light of the gloomy full moon above him, had black wings like a crow and wore no shirt.

Kamui inhaled sharply, was it the angel of death? Was he in hell?

From the distance Kamui heard more crackling sounds and the sound of fire blowing fast. Suddenly the so far quiet night filled with the horrified screaming of a man or woman burning alive.

Kamui heard more screaming and realized it was him making them.

He was taken upon his own feet now, running blindly with tears in his eyes and full fledged panic in his head.

Where was he! Why was he here! How can he get out! "Oh god" he screamed to an entity he never believed in "please help me god!".

He heard voices behind him, a woman and the hustling voices of a few more men. Behind their noise he heard the mumbling and whimpering of a wounded person.

"Do you only worry about the dead David" a woman screamed in frustration "that you couldn't fight the fire that spread through this _still living_ man!" Kamui could see her, in his mind's eye, begging over the body of some other burnt victim.

"**No I can't!**" he suddenly heard a deep voice of a man who sounded half maddened by something "I can't put off the fire from them!" he screamed more "I'll….I'll fight the other flames….but I can't extinguish them…." Now the man was muttering to himself "I couldn't…..they all burnt down….."

"Go to the infirmary, take this body and go back to the infirmary David, we'll do for now" a voice of a second man was heard, a one that was soothing and calm unlike the previous two Kamui heard.

From his new hiding place under some half destroyed stone arch, Kamui could see that black winged man flying away from where the screams came from, the stretcher with him. Was the figure tied to the stretcher the one from before or the one the three voices fought over?

Kamui suddenly found himself shivering uncontrollably, his teeth chattered, his shaking palms made his shinken do a funny little dance of sheer panic.

He stayed there until he could smell fires extinguished and the air became cool again.

When it was all quiet Kamui tried to curl himself into a ball again and maybe get some sleep. His limbs felt like led and his head swam.

But before he could even crouch to sit he heard the thunder-like sound of horse hoofs coming his way in a frightening pace. Actually he was sitting so the noise was reflected at him, making him think the horse was riding towards him when they came from the other direction. As he ran the other way he suddenly came face to face with two riders on horses; Noters.

But he didn't know it was Noters coming back from directing and evacuating citizens from the source of fires, he only saw the sturdy horses and the rifles on the riders.

Without a thought, having enough of nerve wrecking experiences, Kamui unleashed a wave of power at the first horse rider, blowing the horse almost completely apart and sending the Noter on its back flying.

He growled at the other horseman who made an immediate 180o turn and hurried to pick his wounded mate away.

After that it was mostly silent again, Kamui stood in an abandoned street with only the horse pieces for company. He had enough of blood and horror for now and he began feeling sorry for the innocent horse now in torn bits around him.

He turned his back and began wobbling the other direction.

He was slowly starting to feel weaker and weaker as the huge amounts of adrenalin flowing in his blood earlier began to backlash. Kamui knew he had to get something sweet to eat, something sweet and water. Without that he would faint and god knows what will find him in this hell.

With an iron grip on his body begging for rest, Kamui walked into another yard belonging to a house that had lights in its windows and clearly living inhabitants within. It was a struggle for Kamui just to lift his arm enough to keep the shinken from dragging on the ground and informing the house's inhabitants of his sneaking into their garden.

The smell of food leaked into his nose; a dish was placed to cool down on the edge of a window in the house. By the smell of it, the dish contained something sweet, and sugar was something Kamui needed.

He snuck up under the window and snatched the hot plate away. By it, he noticed as he snaked his hand to the dish, was a bottle and this too was soon snatched by Kamui's quick palms.

With his new treasure Kamui dashed out of the yard and under another arch, this one was complete. As he ran he stumbled and let go of the dish in his hand, it was steaming hot began scorching his palm anyway.

Kamui crashed to the ground with his last powers, staring down at the smashed thing between the pieces of broken clay. His head spun even worse, his whole body ached with the fall's pain…he needed sugar quickly…

And so, swallowing his pride and any hygienic education he ever received, Kamui reached out and began scooping up whatever was left of the dish from the ground between the fragments of clay.

Apparently it was a kind of doe cake filled by a sweet gooey filling with chunks. The doe had nothing sweet to it but the filling was quite delicious. Kamui sucked the filling from whatever pieces of the doe he found that weren't too dirty.

When he found himself with a mouthful of sand he hurried to take a large swig off the bottle in his hand. The moment the strange liquid hit his throat Kamui choked and spat it out; it was a sharp tasting alcohol.

For a while Kamui sat with his legs spread under him as if discarded like a lifeless doll. He stared forward blankly, letting the food he just ate revive his system and clear his thoughts. His throat burnt from the alcohol he managed to drink but it was for the best; it snapped him back to reality and filled him with a false feeling of warmth in the cold breeze around him.

Once he felt better Kamui began walking again. Towards where? He didn't know, but he knew it couldn't be worse then the image of a hell he had the first taste of.

* * *

In the infirmary a Noter in a bad condition was rushed over amongst those who weren't lucky enough to escape the fire monsters.

Charlie's calculations were of one dead and half eaten man, two mildly scorched elderly women and a lightly burned yet not so lightly terrified man (who's whimpers Kamui heard) so far.

Now, as he looked up from applying a soothing ointment on the last man's burns, he saw the incoming Noter.

She had a wide slash through her chest stretching diagonally down to her stomach, luckily for her she was quite fully bodied and most of the damaged tissues were fat layers. It was the horse's body that blocked most of Kamui's powers.

All he had to do, Charlie thought with a great deal of relief, was sow her up and his night seemed to be cooling down. Double meaning, Charlie smiled a little and immediately stopped as he noted the injured Noter on his operation table was staring at him funny.

There were newcomers, Charlie remembered, he heard the reports from Blue Fairy as she swung her little boat by the infirmary to say hi then dash off to do her work.

He called the other Noter who came with this one over "Did you see who did it?" he asked the frightened young man.

They were all so young, these Noters, and all in uniforms carrying deadly weapons….yet still so young…

The boy blinked a few times, sweating thought it wasn't hot at all, then shook his head.

Charlie had no medicine to give the wounded Noter against her upcoming pain…he had to focus her mind on something. "Miss, can you hear me miss? Listen to me, stay focused"

The Noter blinked at him a few times, she was breathing quickly in her pain. She nodded frantically.

"Good, what's your name?"

"R….rhino…" she mumbled after twitching her face with the pain of the first few sows "it's…because I'm….very….."

"She's very hard headed" her comrade completed her, turning his back to them to give Charlie and her some privacy.

"Thank you young man but I'm trying to run a conversation with her. What's your real name Rhino?"

Rhino blinked more, whimpered and grabbed at the side of the table forcefully as the pain tore through her some more "It's….Lior…."

"Now listen Lior, I need you to keep focusing on what I'm talking about so that you won't faint. If you faint you might not wake up, you're losing a lot of blood here"

The nurse by Charlie was mostly busy wiping the blood from the wound, from Lior and the table around them.

"What does it mean, Lior? Your name does mean something doesn't it?" Charlie desperately tried to do his job as easily as it could be to ease the girl's pain.

"It means 'light to me'…." She even managed to smile as she remembered some sweet secret shared by her and her mother over her name, once in a childhood that seemed so far away now.

"Ah, that's a beautiful name" Charlie raised his eyes from the sowing job to Lior who smile back.

"Tell me Lior" he tugged at her consciousness again once she became too silent "did you see who it was?"

Lior took a few more deep breaths then nodded faintly "A boy, a young boy dressed in light clothes and dirty…" she stifled a scream "..he's very young, maybe sixteen, maybe less…he's very thin….he has….oh his sword!" she suddenly yelled along with a yelp caused by pain.

"His sword?" Charlie pressed her again.

"Yes…it's very long and….it has the star of David at it's head….at the not pointy part…don't know the word…in English…"

"Got it! thank you." Charlie raised his eyes from the now almost closed wound to the Noter who stood by all that time "Start riding through the city, look for Alex and Lestate, tell anyone of your forces or from the rescue team as well: look for a thin boy, dirty, dressed in bright clothes, long sword, star of David on the hilt, okay?"

The young man nodded and dashed away.

* * *

Kamui, feeling a little better now, walked on the edge of a line of buildings. To his left were the buildings, on the right was a small hill barren of all plants or buildings.

Suddenly, across a corner, he heard voices of several people walking on the other side of the buildings at his left. The buildings were small and Kamui could hear the conversation clearly.

"So, where are you from?" he heard a man say in English tainted a bit by a soft French accent. The man's voice was light, soft and musical as it spoke.

"London….well…England I mean….if there's a country like that here" he heard the voice of a frightened young woman, her English was strange to Kamui's ears but he imagined it was because she was British.

"England!" he heard the man say "eugh"

"Well you're French so I might as well say 'eugh' myself" she spat back, insulted.

"My god, you're from totally different worlds and still the French hate the Britons and visa versa!" Kamui heard a voice of another man. It rang wild bells in his head, yet it was slightly deeper then the one he remembered "Some things never change" the man laughed lightly.

"Where are you from?" the girl asked now, sounding as if she was trying to ignore the French man on purpose.

"Well I'm…sort of traveling but generally I'm from Mars, that's where I was born" Kamui heard the voice of a third man.

"Mars! Cool!" she shrilled suddenly "there are people on _Mars_ in his world!".

"Mars, eh Spiegel?" he heard the man again, with humor dripping from his voice and some affection.

"Don't call me Spiegel, what's with you anyway? Call me Spike, everyone does….why insist on my family name?" Spike, or Spiegel, was slightly irritated.

"No harm in it, no harm in it" the man laughed again.

Kamui heard the French man "tssk"

"Why are your eyes red?" he heard the Spike man say.

"Because I'm a vampire…. I guess…." He heard the girl say. Vampire!

"You eyes are red _because_ you're a vampire!" he heard the French man say with a load of scorn in his voice "is it something British!" he mocked on.

"No!" he heard the girl scold "my master's eyes are red too…though I'm not quite sure if he's British…my master…." she mumbled on.

"Well I'm a vampire and _my _eyes aren't red" the French man said. Two vampires!

"You're different kinds of vampires Lestate, she's from a different world remember?" he heard the familiar man say

'Different worlds?' Kamui's thoughts raced 'and the other guy said he was from Mars? Am I in another world? Did they come the way I did?'

He heard horse hoofs again, they were coming towards the four people on the other side of the buildings. Kamui stopped his walking and clung to the wall as best he could. The people on the other end of the buildings did the same as the horse rider stopped his pace as well.

"Koala?" he heard the familiar sounding man say "What are you doing here? Aren't you from Turtle's base? This is Mouse's territory"

"I know" he heard a forth man, a younger man say, he must be the horse rider "but I was looking for you guys….newcomers eh? It looks like there is another one"

"Another one?" the French man said.

"Was he wearing a long red coat and a wide red hat?" the young woman called out desperately.

"N…no….he attacked me and Li…Rhino on meeting, we rode down our patrol line and suddenly he jumped in front of us and blasted something at us…we didn't even see what it was…Rhino's hurt, whatever it was it blew the horse up to bits and injured her right open….well…she's in the infirmary and Charlie was just sowing her shut but….." the young man was starting to huff and puff, misery seeping into his voice.

Kamui began feeling regret setting into his chest. It was the second of the horseman he had hurt who talked to them now.

"So? Did you see who it was?" the French man asked.

"No, but Rhino did, she told Charlie and Charlie told me to tell you and anyone else I see who might help look for him….." he was huffing and puffing again , probably with the stress of the whole experience running in his head again.

"Calm down" he heard the voice of the familiar man say softly "tell us how the person who hit you looked like"

"That's what I came to tell you….its a young man…"

Kamui's heart began pounding loudly in his head

"Young, younger then us, almost a child….very thin and wearing bright but dirty clothing….he has a sword, a very long sword with the Star of David at it's hilt"

Kamui's head began spinning, he looked at his shinken, the gilded symbol at it's hilt. They were talking about him and now they're going to come and get him!

"Alright, thank you Koala, we'll make sure not to end the patrol without him. You can ride back to your base now, thank you" he heard the familiar sounding man say, then he heard the horseman ride away.

Kamui couldn't see Alex motioning Lestate to pay him attention. He couldn't hear their silent exchange of thoughts.

'I think he's right across this corner Lestate, right behind this building'

'I heard someone walking there; smelt him to be not a local too'

'Okay, let's go'

Kamui suddenly heard people walking towards him very fast.

He managed to turn to his left and see who was coming his way, holding firmly to his shinken.

From behind the corner, Kamui saw Fuma….

his hair was longer, curving around his face, his skin was pale like white marble and in the light coming from the house and the moon Kamui could see his eyes were green but…it was definitely, definitely,

"Fuma?" he mumbled to himself in his sudden shock.

This Fuma, who was wearing armor and reaching out/resting his hand on the hilt of a sword that hung to his left, stared back at him just as dazed and shocked "That boy" he mumbled to himself.

Behind the corner another man emerged. He was blond, a mane of light golden curls circled his face down to his shoulder, tied behind by a ribbon who's edges Kamui could spot on both sides of his head. He was dressed fancily yet anciently, like a man from the 17th, or 18th century in the west might have dressed. His eyes were sharp, an instinct told Kamui there was something not human about this man.

Another blond head popped out from behind the corner and Kamui saw the girl who spoke, she really had red eyes beaming a little most disturbingly in the dark. Kamui took a step backwards, hanging hopeful eyes at this strange Fuma who might be a sanctuary. After all, there was some sort of wondrous, almost awe filled recognition in the man's eyes as he looked at him.

"Look, the sword with the star of David, Alex this is our attacker" the blond man, who was also the French man by his voice, and so a vampire, said and pointed at Kamui.

Kamui took another step backwards, putting his shinken before him to fend them off. He kept hanging his eyes at the Fuma (now obviously called Alex) for help.

It helped, the Fuma/Alex guy took a step forward, sending a harmless hand forward to Kamui, gesturing him to stop "Hey, can you understand me?"

Kamui nodded, fascinated now by this vision of a non-Fuma Fuma. He stopped his small hesitative steps backwards.

The man looked reassuring and definitely harmless; in fact, he looked like he only wanted Kamui's good. Looking like he does, Kamui couldn't help himself from succumbing to the suddenly positive version of Fuma after in his world's Fuma became a monster.

"You just came here? From the sky?" the man pointed his finger heavenwards.

Kamui nodded, adding an "Emm" that was a 'yes' in his language.

"Alright then, you're like them, come with us" the French man gestured, beginning to turn around and lead on.

The Fuma man smiled at Kamui encouragingly. Kamui couldn't help being pulled after the only familiar face in this new and frightening place.

They didn't manage to start walking before they heard more horse hoofs behind them and a strong commanding voice of a man "Alex, where are you going?"

Kamui turned around and saw a man on horseback, he was dressed a bit like the two other horsemen Kamui saw and attacked, only he had three short metal stripes on the right of his shirt's front. He had a white helmet shaped like what Kamui could only think of as small mouse ears. He had short bright blond hair and a shortly cropped beard.

He got off of his horse and walked confidently past Kamui up to the French man and Alex.

Alex himself suddenly changed in character completely. At first he seemed happy to see the new man, then there was a sharp alarm on his face and turned still as if frozen. The man walked almost directly at him, as if he was his master.

"What are you doing here?" the man asked sharply, almost accusingly.

"We have newcomers here Mouse. We're taking them to the infirmary, what's wrong with that?"

Mouse frowned and folded his arms on his chest "Oh, and have you heard of Rhino being attacked, have you not thought about searching out her attacker?"

Alex seemed to be restraining some great anger within him, silencing himself into submission. It was almost funny; this Alex person was a well muscular man in armor with a sword ready for pulling while this Mouse guy had nothing on but a gun tucked into his belt behind his back. Kamui realized Mouse could be easily beaten by Alex.

But it seemed, that Mouse had some sort of a power over this Alex person who looked so much like Fuma, something that made him be a threat to the other man just by being around him.

"Mouse" Alex said after a deep breath, suddenly his eyes filled with affection as if he was looking at a beloved person "this is the boy that attacked Rhino.." he gestured towards Kamui and before he even got to finish his sentence Mouse cut through his speech.

"Well then take him away! Arrest him! She might be dead!" Mouse almost yelled at Alex, taking an accusing step forward.

"Mouse, listen" Alex reached out for the other man, almost choking on restrained anger mixed with a warmer emotion.

"No you listen to me!" Mouse slapped the friendly hand away half way through its course "I know what I'm saying, this boy attacked a Noter and seriously injured her, he should be locked away in prison!" he was shouting now.

Kamui's mind froze, he just arrived and before he even found himself an anchor or a home he was already about to leave to a prison!

"Mouse!" Alex was shouting as well "You have no idea what you're talking about, he's only a boy and he just arrived! He should be in the infirmary to register and accept him, you can't…"

"**I don't care what you think Alex!**" Kamui noted there was an amount of fatigue in the man's angry shout, as if they've had this argument over and over again endlessly. "I've had enough of you taking charge of everything! I'm tired of you completely!"

Suddenly something hit Alex that Kamui couldn't see. The man grabbed his head, shutting his eyes tight in a strong painful expression. He gritted his teeth, in deep suffering from something that was going on in his head. Obviously it was started by Mouse for the man stood above Alex as a defeater.

"Enough Mouse, you'll flip him like that!" Lestate hurried to cover Alex, crouching over him as Alex fell to his knees whimpering painfully.

"As if he's the only one in pain!" Mouse spat back.

Kamui saw Alex opened his eyes, still clutching at his head painfully. His eyes began glowing turquoise. All the while Kamui felt like he was watching a living movie, so unreal was everything that happened around him, and so new.

"Always running around me, always pestering me and chasing me like he wants….like he wants…." Mouse began muttering, suddenly unsure and slightly frightened.

Kamui noted it must have been because Alex began rising to his feet with his eyes the way they are now.

"Wanting what Mouse? Wanting you? What's wrong with that? After all the shit you give people around you, after all the bitching you pull on your Noters and on me. After all these thoughts and memories you send me, tormenting me like I was your beast to kick around, after all that you should be glad someone still has interest in you" Alex now growled.

Kamui watched as the tables turned on this Mouse person; a strange turquoise aura began developing around Alex while his eyes glowed like there were two turquoise fires burning in them.

Lestate stumbled backwards. The manner in which he did it indicated that he was frightened, but also expecting it. He was watching it, knowing what might happen and _waiting_ for it to happen.

Mouse took hesitative steps backwards, his horse fled long ago, leaving him with no way to run. He obviously defended himself with something because suddenly Alex's aura disappeared and he resumed his screaming of pain, clutching at his head miserably.

Mouse took control again, driving Alex higher and higher up the little hill to their right. Stumbling here and there, screaming in pain, Alex backed off away Mouse's strides on all fours like a beast.

Suddenly he snapped and the aura returned. It did not just return; it was immense now and burning like fire. From Alex's back Kamui saw two huge bat like wings emerging, flapping powerfully, sending gushes of air that knocked Mouse to the ground.

"Oh no, he made him flip again, and his medications ran out….what will stop him now!" Kamui tore his eyes from the sight to look at the French man by him. He looked terrified and worried.

"What is he doing? Mouse that is?" Kamui dared to ask, hanging his eyes at Alex, now taking big steps towards Mouse who was squirming in fear on the ground.

"He's….well it's a long story but he's sending these painful thoughts into Alex's head as a sort of punishment"

"Is he his master?"

"No, he's his crush….look!"

Alex drew his sword, holding it way up above his head, about to swing it down to hit Mouse.

Mouse fought to get to his feet only to stumble and fall again, he was screaming something but in the noise of whatever the aura was no one can hear him.

"You don't want me yet you are the one who's chasing me!" Alex called out; he seemed to be completely different from what Kamui saw him as first. No matter what, Kamui couldn't find anything like Fuma in him, not even in his latest monstrous mode.

"You found out your ability to show me horrors and now you use it just for fun. But you don't know the damage that you cause me, the pain you inflict upon me, you just play with it like a toy. You make me so miserable I want to kill myself and end the pain.

"but you see" he was almost laughing now, an evil malice filled laughter "when I try to kill myself I only end up killing the one who caused me pain"

"No…no…noooo" Kamui could hear Mouse scream through the noise.

"So that's what I'll do now!" and with that Alex swung down his sword, dealing a deadly blow to Mouse.

Silence spread as blood began dripping away from the aura's radios and down the hill to the group at its feet.

"Now what?" Lestate took a step backwards, pulling on Kamui's mucky shirt gesturing him to do the same. Alex began walking towards them with the same malice and aura around him, his bloody sword still in his hand ready for another attack.

Kamui was frozen on his spot, digesting what he just saw. He looked deep into this Fuma's eyes trying to understand what he saw and succeeding. He faced off Fuma in another monstrous state, he can do it again.

Alex was on the very edge of the aura and Lestate thought that surely the boy will end his life now. He cringed backwards, running possibilities and ways to snap Alex out of his current state.

But something magical happened before his eyes: Alex stopped his vengeful walk right before the boy. His face cleared of any malice, his aura subsided and his wings folded back into him, his cape appearing instead.

They simply stood there and stared into each other's eyes, without word, without action.

This new boy, brave or simply stupid, somehow calmed Alex down completely…..could it be?

The air was freezing as a small blizzard rampaged around Alex and Mouse's hill during their argument. Now it calmed down though the air remained cold. Snowflakes slowly landed magically around them though not a single cloud appeared above.

After a few good moments of silent confusion and awe Lestate snapped out of his shock "…Alex, we should be heading towards the infirmary now…."

It snapped both Alex and Kamui out of their shock; they looked confused from each other to the ones behind them.

"What did you say your name was kid?" Alex looked down at Kamui as if he just woke up.

"Kamui…and you're….Alex-san?"

"Yes….w-welcome to the Lost Dimension"

"Emm…."

* * *

In the infirmary Kamui was examined by Charlie and a purple haired nurse smiling kindly and motherly at him.

"So, you're the culprit who slashed one of the Noters" Charlie raised a mock accusing eyebrow at Kamui.

"A…I'm sorry I didn't understand all of what you said…." Kamui was blushing as he was unbuttoning his shirt at Charlie's order. Striping in front of people was never his favorite thing to do and striping before a bunch of complete strangers from a place like this was even a less appealing idea.

"You're the one who attacked the girl on the horse?" Charlie asked again, frowning at the huge amounts of bandages on Kamui's arms, neck and right leg.

"Y...yes…I was alarmed by her…I'm very very sorry" he bowed. He wished to hide his deeply reddening face as well as apologizing.

"That's alright, you were frightened and you didn't harm her that much, she'll be better soon" Charlie now ran his fingers along the bandaged thin arms, he was frowning seriously now.

"What's wrong Charlie?" Kamui snapped his head up to see Alex in the doorway leaning against the door's frame looking worried. It made Kamui blush even more with this Fuma thing staring at him the way he was now.

"Hey, eh, Kamui right? What are all these?" Charlie pointed at the bandages around Kamui's body parts.

"Oh!" he forgot about them completely! Why, they didn't even hurt now! Kamui thought he didn't feel it because he was so busy with the strange things going on around him but even now they still didn't hurt or itch as they always did before. Could it be that he healed so quickly from these wounds!

"Don't be alarmed if they're gone now, once this dimension takes you into it's arms it heals you from any sort of injury or illness you had back in your world. Why," Charlie crossed his gaze with Alex's "we had people here who were taken at their death, as brutal as it was, and suddenly here they were, mended again and alive. Miraculous thing this dimension…it really is….sometimes…" Charlie's face darkened suddenly.

"D…dimension?" Kamui's head began spinning inside again, _where_ was he!

* * *

After a long explanation and a short interview all three newcomers were deemed to be in the Rescue Team.

To make sure they fitted in their powers were tested.

After hearing the jobs offered to him (grave digger, lettuce farmer, shepherd) Spike decided to suddenly remember what he could do.

Spike excelled in hand to hand combat martial art style or simple experience he gathered in his years. Plus he had a gun; bullets could be provided by the Noters who had guns like his, or by Alex's powers.

Victoria was a bit timid at showing her powers at first; she didn't know she had them really. After a long pep talk with Alex she managed to give a few examples of her vampire powers and a small show of her RPG's capabilities.

Kamui gave a few controlled energy blasts after which he spent half an hour lectured by Charlie about keeping his powers contained and controlled with consideration to the civilians around them. Trying to form a kekkai was an idea that would only depress Kamui due to his inability to do it and due to the fact that it reminded him of his newly lost home world.

It was decided that he could use those powers to protect the city's population.

"Protect?" Kamui raised tired eyes to Charlie who took some of his time to lecture the newcomers; after all he was the very first in the team and the one to form it. Lestate also added a word here and there, he was the second man in the little team after it's beginning.

"Yes Kamui, I know it seems like a big job, protecting e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y in this city but…." Charlie was talking to him like he was a child, gesturing with his hands for something big, it pissed Kamui off.

"In my world I was to protect Tokyo and the whole world from complete destruction…." Kamui folded his arms on his chest, looking sideways annoyed.

"Oh….really….." Charlie scratched the back of his neck, awkward "How old are you?"

"I'm sixteen" Kamui sent a pair of blazing violet eyes at Charlie, daring him to make any remark about his tender age.

Charlie read the bitterness and anger off the young man and backed off "Very well then, this should be a piece of cake for you, ha ha ha"

Kamui's head felt like led again; trying to grasp everything that he saw so far and heard so far was a hard task. Trying to figure out exactly what is going on in _his own_ world is a task so difficult and probably so painful that Kamui just delayed it for some other day

The current patrol's men began escorting Victoria, Spike and Kamui to their new home.

"This is good Alex" Lestate chirped on one end of the little group.

"Yes, more manpower and we need that." Alex returned the chirp from the other end of the group walking to the main house "Things like tonight with the fire monsters, it's just dangerous. Ace and Tara were already exhausted from their patrols earlier today, I've been with them in their patrols….now maybe we can have two men per patrol now!"

Alex scanned the newcomers.

They arrived at a two floored house atop a larger hill overlooking most of the city. By the house stood a well and an area of flat ground where a strange half pampered half abandoned vegetable garden grew.

A woman in a bright green dress picked something out of the ground in the garden, shook the earth off of it and walked to the front door when she noted the group "Oh hello there! Those are the newcomers? All of them?" she smiled at them all.

"Everybody, this is Tara, Tara, everybody" Lestate walked forwards, standing besides Tara.

Mumbled 'hello' versions were sounded from the three newcomers.

"Tara here is a witch. She too is a part of the team"

"She doesn't look like a witch" Spike, who lit a cigarette he found in his front pocket noted cynically.

"Well I don't know what your image of witches is but it's definitely not me" Tara smiled, keep her patience "I deal with Wicca based magic and we're quite different from what you might think"

"Hmm" Spike looked away 'no broomstick then' he thought to himself.

"This is Spike Spiegel, he's a…what was it? Bounty hunter. This is Victoria Seras she's a vampire…" Alex introducing them all now.

"Another vampire? That's four already, can you handle them all?" Tara suddenly cut into his speech.

There are more like that! A shudder went through Kamui….this is indeed a strange world…he wondered what Alex had to do with it, every time vampires were mentioned he was somehow linked up to them.

"Yes and don't worry about it, she won't nip at you at night. Where was I? Ah yes, last but not least, this is Kamui Shiro, he's from Japan if I am not mistaken and he is….the savior if humanity, right?"

Kamui nodded surprised to find himself blushing again, he was never introduced this way.

"How old are you kid?" Tara frowned at him. Again that age thing…Kamui could hang her from the balcony above them right now.

"Oh Tara mon cheri!" suddenly Lestate called out "What happened to your beautiful skirt? It has a nasty black tare in it!" he took the large wavy bright green skirt Tara was wearing along with a bright amber modest corset and a matching bright green sleeves and examined it carefully. It was mostly dark around them with very little light coming from the house's door yet Lestate seemed to be able to see the tare to details.

"Ah, the fire, it got me a little. I wasn't burnt but…could I borrow a piece of your velvets?" she was examining her damaged velvet skirt too.

"Oh but I don't have velvet this shade! Such a shame, I do have a large collection but not this shade…."

Lestate looked genuinely upset by this.

"Yes you do…"

"No my dear, I don't"

Tara paused for a moment, staring strangely at Lestate "But….but I saw the very same shade pasted on your wall….it's exactly the same, I checked once…."

Lestate raised his eyes to her "But darling, it's not the same color it's…."

"Lestate" Alex moved a little awkwardly to pat the vampire on his back "what you can see she can't, give her mortal eyes a little break"

Tara sneered angrily "Gees, make me feel a little more inferior why won't you?"

Lestate looked at Alex and Tara miserably "But….but it'll be an eyesore……"

"What would be more of an eyesore to you Lestate" Kamui noted there was an air of fatherhood and compassion coming off of Alex towards the blond while the vampire himself leaned into the other man's touch as if wishing it to be more romantic then domestic "the slight mismatch in her skirt or that awful big tare she has now?"

Lestate shrugged and mumbled a small "Take the patch I have Tara" under his breath.

"You see my friends, Lestate here" Alex gestured at the vampire "is a bit obsessed about pretty fabrics"

"I am _decorating_ _my room_ you little mongrel and you have to admit that so far I'm doing a wonderful job at it, obsessed or not!" he spat back venomously. In the moons light his fangs shone a bit as he snarled.

"You stare at it for hours Lestate!"

"Leave him alone, look, just give me a piece and I'll weave a spell to change its color"

"I tell you, he really is obsessed" Alex sniggers, poking at Lestate's ribs.

The vampire glared at Alex, making him do a puppy dog face half in humor.

"Why velvet?" Spike rubbed his arms fighting off the night's cold.

Kamui drifted away from the conversation, staring at the people rather then listening to what they said.

"It reflects the light nicely…wait, you said you can change the color of the fabric!" the vampire turned to Tara again.

"Never mind, we'll talk about it later. Come on in people, it's freezing outside" Tara walked into the house, closely accompanied by Lestate. The rest followed quickly after.

They entered a house looking as if it was about to collapsed. There were cracks running through the walls, moss gathered here and there around moisture patches on the ceiling and second hand tattered furniture scattered for normal furnishing.

The main door opened to a large room with a table (on which stood several empty bowls and a bottle meaning this was a dining table) near which a doorway to a kitchen stood.

There was another large room leading from the dinner room. Several old sofas stood there and a table with scattered cards on it. From the first large room with the dining table two rooms lead, another two doors to two other rooms could be seen from the living room.

"Right, now, Victoria you can share a room with Tara if you wouldn't mind all the strange herbs and potion bottles, she's the only female here" Alex gave a wink to Tara who made a mock smirk at him "but I'd recommend you'd stay with Lestate, there are shutters on the window that are perfect for a vampire to sleep in it and not be bothered by the sunlight…"

"Umm….am I going to sleep in a coffin?" Victoria cringed, completely ignoring the offers.

"Yes…." Alex began speaking to her like to a little child, patiently, not patronizingly.

"But I don't like coffins…..they're creepy…." Her eyes really began tearing.

"So it'll be a bed under which you'll have a box to sleep in, not necessarily a _coffin_ alright?" he placed a comforting hand on her arm and she nodded.

"Can I have a pillow and a blanked inside?" she asked like a little girl.

"Yes you can" his smile was so soft and kind.

Kamui felt something melt in him. It was like Fuma used to speak to Kotori once….oh god, Kotori was also away from him….her grave and her tree anyway….

"Fledglings, tssk" Lestate stormed into the living room and disappeared into one of the two rooms. Victoria hurried after him, glancing back at Alex from time to time to assure herself of his promise.

"Settle down and get back here to feed, you're starved" Alex called after her.

She appeared again "Feed?"

"Yes"

"You mean….with blood?" she cringed.

"Yes"

"But I don't like it"

"Victoria, you're a vampire and vampires eat blood. Now go settle down and get back here so I can feed you! There's no way I'm going to leave you as starved as you are right now, got it"

She pouted but disappeared into the room.

A man came out of a room into the dining room. He had short unruly curly dark brown hair and small eyes that were humorous yet sad at the same time, very sad. He was wearing a shiny green suit in a space-age style. He had a golden 'H' letter on his forehead. He looked at the remaining two newcomers and smiled a shy hello smirk. His eyes darted at Alex almost automatically and Kamui noted his face brightened up in happiness.

But Alex didn't look at him, he noted him at the corner of his sight and looked away, suddenly uncomfortable and dark. This, Kamui noted, made the 'H' man suddenly grimace a little and sadden from his happiness.

"Ace, this is Spike and Kamui, there's another newcomer that went with Lestate, she's a vampire and her name is Victoria. Why did take off you Ace outfit?" Tara was brushing something off of Ace's green suit's shoulder. She looked pretty sisterly with him.

"Oh I couldn't be bothered with the wig and everything, hello everyone…what did you say the other girl, was she another vampire? My there are four of them here now, Alex?" Ace hung hopeful eyes at the larger man, begging for attention.

Alex didn't even look at Ace, instead his dug his eyes at the floor and grunted some sort of a "hmmm" or a "yes".

As he stared at them Kamui realized something by the two's body language; Ace probably had some strong admiration or affection towards Alex. Alex was unwilling to return those feelings out of anger or out of discomfort. Whatever it was that happened sometimes between them, Kamui decided, it was ugly.

"There aren't any other rooms?" Spike wondered, looking this and that way, trying to see maybe another doorway to a fifth room if there was any.

"No, sorry about that" Ace tried to smile but seemed a bit too timid to do it at someone he didn't know. He seemed to be a little intimidated by the other man's confidence stance.

"Fine, I'll share your room, where's my bed then?" with a shrug and a pull to Ace's sleeve Spike disappeared into the room Ace came out of. Ace himself sent a questioning half frightened and half surprised look at Tara who smiled back before he was completely dragged into the room.

"Right…that leaves my room for us" Kamui almost jumped out of his skin when he noticed that A) Alex was talking to him B) it was frightening in the way his heart jumped a little when he heard him say 'for us' C) he was disappointed when he found that he was not in a dream of some sort, that this strange ordeal he fell into was real and continued on and on.

"Ah….emm" Kamui bent his head down and followed Alex to a room right by Lestate's (and now Victoria's) room. His shinken dragged on the wooden floor, leaving a long scratch into the warren wood.

He entered a simple room about twice the size of the room freshly given to him by Clamp campus….god he didn't even get to spend the night in that room…. where he is now!

There was a simple double bed made of the roughest wood and the simplest mattress which, Kamui guessed, was Alex's. Another bed appeared near the opposite wall, as simple as the double bed.

Kamui blinked at the sight before him; the bed simply appeared before his eyes!

"H….how?" he mumbled, terrified of taking a step towards this strange new furniture.

"Ah, yes, I can do that…not really human and all…" Alex actually looked awkward, as if it wasn't obvious to the boy that he wasn't human after what he saw with Mouse and all….as if he's apologizing.

"Anyways Kamui try to get some sleep because you've had a long night and all and…umm….well, tomorrow you'll start your first patrol and all so it'll be a long day".

For the first time they were alone in a room without anyone around them. Kamui found it a bit unnerving and unreal, the whole situation along with his new roommate. He raised his eyes to Alex and stared at him for a while.

Something flashed across Alex's face as he stared down at him, Kamui simply couldn't put his finger on it but it was something soft and warm, caring like. "Is there something you need?" he asked softly, edging a little closer.

Kamui looked away at the floor, suddenly blushing without knowing why. He was different, this Fuma thing, way different, so why was he acting up like that!

"I'm fine…I'll try to catch some sleep…" he waddled over to the bed, placing the shinken on the mattress by him before crashing on it completely.

He lay at his side looking at the wall before him, his mind was blank and his fingers ran idly over the complicated engravings into the gilded hilt of the sword.

He noted the mattress under him was thicker then the one on Alex's bed. He also noted that the fabric of his bed's sheets was a wonderfully soft and smooth one in comparison to the crude looking, almost gauze-like simple sheets Alex's bed have. This was intentional, Kamui realized, the question is what Alex's motive at it was?

Was he trying to spoil him like a big brother? Was he trying to give him a small comfort for his harsh arrival, something to ease his mind off of the little cranks of life so that he can clear his mind for the more important digestion of his new situation? Or maybe….just maybe….it was like a suitor giving a rose to the one he's courting? Kamui whipped that thought quickly.

After some moments of silence in which Alex stood and stared at him as if waiting for something he departed with a short "Goodnight".

Obviously Kamui couldn't sleep, even when he turned off every candle that lit the room sat inside a complicated shelf which could reflect and enhance their light around the room. The candles made Kamui realize this world has no electricity….oh my…

There weren't thoughts that ran through his mind to keep him from sleeping; his mind was still like a vacuum. Whenever he closed his eyes his eyelids seemed to bounce right back up to turn the closing into blinking. He tried thinking but found it way too difficult and painful, little hammers began pounding softly at his temples. He was in a little bit of a shock forcing his body to stay awake and alert. All newcomers have that first night, Kamui isn't alone, even the seemingly careless and lean back Spike couldn't sleep that night.

After what seemed like an hour or so the door to his room was opened again. Kamui, who sat on his bed now with his hand on his shinken, raised his eyes to see Alex looking into the room.

"Ah, still can't get any sleep. Well that's natural I guess, with everything that happened tonight and all…." He walked into the room gently closing the door behind him. Kamui noted the candles were rekindled as Alex stepped in. He had something in his hand which he handed to Kamui. It was clothes, folded and neat, something small lay in a paper bag amongst the folds.

Kamui took the little pack in his hands and examined the fabric. It was soft and nice to touch, the color of dark green with little bleach stains here and there; A small shirt and a pair of pants patched here and there by a mismatching fabric.

The paper bag had three leaves that smelled funny in it.

"What is it?" he asked, guessing vaguely that the used clothes were for him but intrigued about the leafs.

"A pajama for you, so you won't have to go to sleep in your dirty clothes…I mean…" Alex seemed to be suddenly ashamed of the unintentional offense at Kamui's current outfit "Well they got dirty, I'm sure you didn't come in this state, I mean they're torn here and there so I thought….umm…." after seeing that Kamui's expression didn't change from just staring at him into some sort of an upset expression, Alex relaxed a little bit.

It was very, very hard to speak when Kamui's beauty kept overwhelming Alex whenever he looked at him "And Charlie gave me the leafs for you, they're sleep inducing herbs to help you sleep tonight"

Kamui looked back at the leafs questioningly.

"Oh, I'm so stupid sometimes, sorry about that, umm, Charlie told me to tell you that you're supposed to chew them to get their effect, and then spit them out. They don't taste bad, so I heard" Alex gave off a short nervous laughter, looking at Kamui looking back at him.

"Thank you" Kamui looked back at the leafs, taking one out of the bag and examining it from all directions "how many do I take?"

"One at first but not one after another or you'll be all fuzzy tomorrow"

"Fuzzy?" Kamui pronounced the word in a suddenly Japanese accent after all the English he spoke was pretty much natural sounding.

"Groggy, sleepy"

"Ah…"

"Well then, goodnight Kamui, I have to get back to my patrol. See you tomorrow morning" he disappeared behind the door leaving Kamui in the room's darkness again.

Funny person that Alex guy, Kamui thought, it's seems as if he's trying very hard to be extra nice or something. There are still awkward silences when two people from different world who have absolutely no idea what the other is and Alex is obviously trying hard to change that.

Kamui snuggled into the wonderful thick duvet on his bed.

Changing from his old clothes was strange; it was not an unusual thing for him to take off clothes and wear a pajama for sleep but there was something else in this.

With his old shirt still on, Kamui reached to touch the tear in his shirt's shoulder where Inuki grabbed him to try and save him from the void.

He finished changing, folded his old clothes tidily and placed them neatly by his pillow, staring at them as if to see any change that might happen to them. This outfit, like the shinken, like his room in Clamp campus, like his role as 'savoir of humanity', all new things he just received before he was snatched off completely to where he can't and don't need to use them

He chewed on one of the leafs, feeling a strange numbness spreading in his mouth along with a light mint flavor. Then a soft sleep slowly descended on him, wrapping him gently like fog.

Kamui didn't dream that night though his sleeping mind wanted to dream; He wanted to see feathers flying in black void and a glass earth with Hinoto in it. He wanted to see Tokyo in sandy ruins and dragons emerging from star of David shaped red cracks into Tokyo's ground.

He wanted to be in his old world and open his eyes to it the next morning. Yet he knew, as he slowly digested all the information he gathered that day, that it wasn't going to happen….ever.

* * *

Kamui opened his eyes and saw a moisture patch on the ceiling way above him. The ceiling was like nowhere he's ever woken up to and so Kamui began quickly scanning his mind looking for what might have brought him under this new roof.

When he remembered everything he cringed and rolled to his side and resume sleep. The shinken by him was reflecting his body heat and its metallic feel was making him slightly sick.

He rolled to the other side, facing the rest of the room.

He saw Alex sitting on his bed crouched over his work; he was sunk into sowing Kamui's old clothes. They were clean now, without the grass stains, dirt and soot that clung to it during yesterday's adventures.

Kamui took his time at looking at the man in his work. Why was he mending his clothes? Out of kindness of course, Kamui remembered the pajama he was wearing now. It was strange to see a heavily built man like Alex so sunk into a gentle work such as sowing. Still, as Kamui noticed, Alex didn't have the rough big hands Kamui expected a man his size would have. He had relatively small, gentle, almost feminine hands and Kamui realized that maybe somewhere along this man's past he was small bodied, maybe even effeminate, and not so rough looking.

Alex wore a black tunic with complicated red patterns sown into the light fabric around the V shaped collar and the bottom of the shirt. The long wide sleeves with red patterns at their edges somewhat dimmed the size of Alex's strong arms as Kamui remembered them.

His pants were simple and black as well with no special decoration or design.

For the first time Kamui noted a small tattoo on Alex's right arm, right in the middle. After focusing a bit Kamui made out a five digits number crudely printed into the white skin in dark blue ink. It made Kamui wonder for a while, and then Alex noted his awakening.

"Good morning" he beamed at him happily "have you slept well?"

Kamui nodded silently, rubbing his head against his soft pillow.

"Good, are you hungry?" he seemed ready to hop to his feet and fetch him something to eat.

Kamui didn't answer. Instead he stared at the sowing hands "Why are you fixing my clothes?" he asked after some time of staring.

Alex looked back down at his hand as if he just noted what they were doing "Umm….I thought you might want to wear them today and since they're all torn up and all….we can get you new, well, _other_ clothes if you like, later in your patrol, if you want" the green eyes of a Fuma hung at Kamui hopefully.

Kamui stared back at them. His view was half obscured by the pillow he dug himself into. He didn't feel like getting out of bed. "Thank you for fixing my clothes, you shouldn't have" he said, looking away.

"Nah, don't be silly, it's easy, you know…are you hungry? You didn't eat anything last night" Alex put the fully mended shirt aside and got to his feet.

Kamui thought about it for a while, if he got out of the bed it'll mean he'll have to start a day in this world and that means he'll have to start accepting where he is…..he _really_ didn't want to do that.

Then again he was hungry….

Most unwillingly, he dragged himself out of the bed and followed Alex past the living room to the little kitchen.

His pajama was a little bit big around his shirt's collar which fell diagonally from his neck to his left shoulder, his sleeves past his fingertips. He had to tug at his pants from time to time to keep them from falling off.

Somewhere at the back of his mind he noted Alex kept darting his eyes to these pieces of exposed skin, then dart them back quickly before it'll be noticed. A full fledged mature lust flickered in the green deeps as he did it, making Kamui feel paralyzed as he realized it.

Alex pulled out a bowl from a cupboard fixed into the wall of the kitchen. He lit a small fire in large blackened pot that looked like a primitive version of a gas cooker without the gas. He pulled out a pan and poured a trickle of oil into it. Then he spilt some of a thick bright creamy liquid from the bowl into the pan after hanging the pan above the fire.

Kamui sat on a chair by the dining table and watched Alex through the door to the kitchen. Soon the air filled with a sweet smell of Kamui's breakfast.

Driven by the wonderful smell and his churning stomach, Kamui got up and walked to Alex's side looking at what was cooking in the pan. "What are you making?" he asked, his curiosity overcoming his slight awkwardness.

"Pancakes! It's my specialty!" Alex beamed at him proudly. He reached out and pulled a large jar out of a different cabinet "Here, you can put some honey on them, this one's almost ready" he handed Kamui the jar.

Kamui stared from the jar to the pan, now taken from the fire to a plate nearby on the kitchen table. Alex poured some more of the pancake substance into the pan and resumed his former position.

Kamui noted that the pan's handle had no kind of heat resisting substance covering it while Alex held it above the fire. Was he immune to the heat? Then Kamui remembered Alex mentioning he wasn't human….strange.

"How many do you want Kamui?" his voice cut through Kamui's thoughts.

"Uh…I don't know…in Japan pancakes like these (he sized up the thick large pancake) are found in restaurants served with ice-cream and some whipped cream on top…this is really…."

"Look, I'm making you three, you don't know how busy we might be in time for lunch so, dig in while it's hot" there was something disturbing Alex.

After some frowning and switching his weight from one foot to the other he shot an apologizing glance at Kamui "I know we don't have ice cream here or whipped cream or anything and I know, you think that I can make some like I made your bed but….well, it's just not fair because food isn't very common here and it's not fair for us to have a large breakfast while other people here might not have a breakfast at all…" Alex hung desperate eyes at Kamui, hoping the boy won't scold him. "I….I'm not trying to keep you from eating or starving you or anything…" he began mumbling to himself.

Kamui sat at the dinner table, pouring the rich honey on his pancake. There was something very logical and very honest about Alex's claim about his breakfast. Then again he didn't actually expect him to make whipped cream and a ball of ice-cream on his plate just like that. "It's all right….and I think three might be too much so…" a second pancake landed on his plate by the first one, Alex returned to the kitchen as if ignoring his request for no more pancakes on purpose. At least he managed to stop Alex's self bashing mumble…

After the third pancake was made and Kamui began eating his second one Alex sat down on a chair opposite to Kamui's and observed the boy's eating as if making sure he was to consume everything on his plate.

"It's delicious!" Kamui managed to say. It was, it was better then any pancake Kamui ever ate. He made sure to cover his mouth as he spoke with a bite full of pancake and honey in it, he didn't want to be impolite with a stranger….not this stranger.

Alex beamed at him proudly "Good, then finish everything that's there. Say, your English is really good for someone who's not an original English speaker"

"Thank you" Kamui swallowed and dealt some more honey to his next bite "it was the only thing I got the hang of at school before I started skipping it completely. When I didn't go to school anymore I'd sit in front of the television and watch foreign channels, CNN and BBC World sometimes I'd watch Star World(1), do you know what I'm talking about?" he had the second and third bites in his mouth by the end of his sentenced.

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about. though I didn't watch a lot of television back in my world, it was a bit too modern for me" Alex finished it with a nervous little laughter, looking away from the suddenly terribly young boy that talked about school and television so freely.

"What year was it in your world" he hurried to change the subject.

"1999" Kamui poked at the third pancake, he really began feeling too full for another one. It saddened him to think of his old world and what he left behind, so much at stake…."what year was it in the world you were in?"

Alex leaned back on his chair and looked out the window to his left "In my original world it was about 2006"

"Wow!" Kamui stopped his unwilling pouring of honey on the third and last thick pancake. "How was it like? Were you on earth?"

"Yeah, it wasn't that much different then 1999 in my world, a little more technology and a little more inter-country conflicts, same old shit…sorry"

Kamui shrugged, mildly amused. "What do you mean your original world? You weren't in it when you came here?"

Alex took a deep breath and sighed it out, still looking out of the window "no, I was in a heaven dimension…."

"Oh….did you die?" Kamui hoped he wasn't digging into a painful past. In the meantime he was trying to fold the thick flattened pastry to minimize the bites he took but the pancake was too thick and too rich to fold neatly. Kamui wondered whether Alex made this extra thick to stuff him as much as possible, considering his earlier guilty mumble about not trying to starve him.

"Yes and no. I was traveling dimensions at the time and in one of them I sort of died only to sort of travel to a heaven dimension" Alex's tone meant that he was looking at his past bitterly, there was something painful in his past.

"Oh…okay…" Kamui stabbed his fork into three pieces of pancake stacked one on the other. "Forks are strange to use" he mentioned.

Alex returned his gaze back to Kamui and the present, they brightened and a brilliant smile appeared on his face "You're used to chop sticks?" Kamui nodded and Alex laughed a little "I'm sure we can find something here but I'm not sure we can find dishes you can eat with them"

Kamui glanced at him, trying to smile with a mouthful of pancakes. A little honey dripped from the corner of his mouth and he hurriedly wiped it off shyly making Alex snigger a bit. "I'm eating like Sorata does" he said once he swallowed the huge amount.

"Who?"

"Some guy from my world, he eats like a pig and keeps dragging other people to eat with him. He dragged me and this other girl he keeps chasing after to a Korean barbeque restaurant!" he began stacking more pieces of pancakes to eat them next.

"What's wrong with Korean barbeque?"

"Well….I don't know but not everything that's Korean is acceptable in Japan, they're looked upon as inferior so their food is kind of awkward too but _he_ doesn't mind, its _food_"

Kamui noted that Alex's face dropped a bit as he stared at him eating, suddenly disappointed with Kamui.

"Do you think they are inferior?" Alex asked gravely.

Kamui shook his head, shrugging. He swallowed the last pieces of his pancake and leaned back against the chair pushing his plate away. It was finally over.

"People see them that way but I don't know about what I think of them. My mother never told me anything against them or anything so I never thought about it…..it's just something you soak from the people around ….I never met anyone Korean so I don't know what to think of them" he looked back at Alex hoping to have said the right answer.

Alex brightened up a bit, smiling almost tiredly at him "That's a good way of thinking" he got up and, looking out the window at the sky above, said "it's going to be noon soon so you better hurry and wash your face in the well and start getting ready to the patrol".

"How do you know what time it is?" Kamui noted his wrist watch was showing it was 3:24AM which it surely wasn't _here_.

"according to the sun, you'll get used to it, time here is measured by the sun and moon's position in the sky and, the moon's shape tells the months are passing, run along now Kamui"

Kamui nodded, thanked Alex for the breakfast (which Alex brushed off looking away shyly) and ran back to his room.

With his stomach full he felt a little better, now also knowing he had some sort of a friendship with this new person looking a lot like Fuma. He still had a pile of questions and wonderings about his own world without him but he supposed he could ask Alex about that during their patrol.

* * *

The patrol started when Kamui and Alex, after standing for about (according to Kamui's attempt to evaluate time by his wristwatch) half an hour at the doorstep of their common house, waiting for the previews patrol to return.

Ace and Spike finally arrived, lively talking as they walked. Their patrol passed in silence at first, then as Ace began shyly explaining the various things to note and incidents that accord in the city and its surroundings, Spike began opening up as well.

Spike was smoking, the little smoke puffs making the two look like a train climbing the hill before the two heads and their bodies followed to show what it really was.

"Now they're going to tell us what they saw and what happened and we'll start our patrol" Alex turned to Kamui with the first explanation of the patrol.

Alex never did this really; he was a new member once but never a tutor to one. He tried to remember the explanations Lestate and Charlie gave him at the time in their different patrols together and mend it with whatever lessons he ever gave to anyone during his life. He never went to school which was quite a problem when it came to educational role models and different tutoring techniques to use. He figured that if he just told Kamui what he knew and tell the boy to ask questions whenever he didn't understand anything things will basically go smoothly.

Kamui nodded and turned to look at the man and the hologram stepping closer to them. He liked the idea of having to spend the next few hours with Alex and his curiosity made the upcoming tour of the city an ensured enjoyment.

"Well, nothing happened really." Ace began his briefing "people are fixing whatever damage the fire monsters caused last night. There is a heated debate between the cow farmers and the sheep farmers as to which will put the next meat sacrifice by river from now on.

"Something happened last night that the sacrifice was not given, hence the attack so now blames are swapped with several brawls but nothing we should bother with. We explained the casualties in body and property to them and that seemed to make some sort of a change of sprits."

By now Ace began darting his eyes from Alex's ignoring face to Spike as if to recall the patrol's incidents while looking away from what cause him pain. "Then nothing much happened after that. Mouse's funeral should be during your patrol, I saw David preparing for it and the Noters starting to move from their bases to the graveyard" after that Ace shrugged and walked into the house, not waiting for questions and brushing against Kamui a little bit. Kamui wondered about that.

Alex and Kamui officially began their patrol.

Their first stop was the infirmary. They will go past it three times during their patrol. The infirmary, as Alex explained, was the start point from which they headed out to three different directions for inspection and presence around the city.

But the real reason why they walked straight towards the infirmary, and not through a longer route that was the first line they should cover, was Mouse's funeral.

Kamui got his chance to take a good look at these strange people called Noters, their behavior, their language and their outfits. Not many attended the funeral, those who did were the commanders of the various bases (as Alex pointed them out to be), the soldiers Mouse commanded and Lion; the commander of all Noters.

Not many words were spoken but the short religious burial prayer and a short speech by Lion who didn't seem very keen on reading it out.

Kamui and Alex stood away from the funeral within hearing shot. Kamui scanned over the faces and the different helmet shapes trying to figure out what they were until he fully understood it.

Then he examined Iceman who was busy trying to listen to Lion and scan the little crowd in search of anyone chatting or misbehaving. Kamui wondered what the strangely dressed man was doing with the uniform clad people. He asked Alex in silence and received a short explanation during which they were approached by David.

Kamui scanned the bare-chested man with the crow-like wings and realized it was him he saw last night thinking him to be the angel of death. Suddenly, with his hands dirtied by the earth he dug and little beads of sweat covering his forehead and chest David looked pretty normal, besides his wings.

His eyes, though, were something that set him off as abnormal. It's not that they were cold, they were stony; hard, lightless, cold and lifeless. Kamui looked into the small foggy-grey eyes and received a reprimanding stare back.

The undertaker was introduced to Kamui (who took an unaware step backwards then shied away a little) then sunk into a fluent conversation with Alex in a language Kamui couldn't recognize. From time to time David's eyes would glance at Kamui but returned to Alex's immediately. Kamui noticed that David too had that number tattoo on his arm only his was longer and with different digits. Kamui noted himself to ask Alex about that sometime.

Their conversation charged with disagreement for a while and by the body language and gestures Kamui realized several things about the it's topic: A) it was about him B) Alex was in favor of something while David was against it C) Alex was probably asking David for something because the conversation didn't end until David muttered something and looked away in a grudged agreement.

David looked away at Kamui, with eyes that almost burnt with anger now, suddenly they filled with emotion! For a moment or two Kamui stared at David staring at him and probably thinking up things he might do him. Kamui tried to figure out of David's expression meant anger or sadness.

Then the eyes moved to Alex and David shrugged, gesturing he was throwing something behind his back as he walked away from them. Kamui saw David had a large tattoo of a red cross like the organization's symbol between his shoulder blades.

"After the funeral we'll go get you other clothes if you'd like some, David agreed" Alex informed him, smiling at him happily.

"Where from? I don't see any shops here…" Kamui was quick minded enough to get some vague idea of where clothes could be got here. If his pajama's condition was anything to go by as an example and the undertaker's connection to it all Kamui _really _didn't want to wear that pajama again tonight.

Lion and Iceman walked towards them and Alex used the opportunity to avoid answering Kamui's question.

"What are you doing here Alex?" Iceman grumbled containing his obvious anger. His whole body language meant that he was ready to attack Alex anytime. It also meant Iceman considered Alex as something inferior that can be commanded about.

Alex didn't budge at the threatening hints; in fact, he raised his chin up as if to challenge Iceman who was calmed by Lion's hand on his shoulder.

The slightly stumpy man who was about a head shorter then Iceman stared at Kamui and smiled at him. Surprisingly he reached out and cupped Kamui's chin roughly.

Big violet eyes stared at him in surprise and alarm. Kamui never had any father figure to do that to him. He saw Mr. Monou do that to Kotori once or twice, Kotori always beamed back at him so it must mean something positive and parenting.

"My, how young you are" Lion smiled at him, for the first time Kamui heard it and did not sense any patronizing in the words.

Lion noted his shinken now and frowned a little "and what a unique sword you have" he was handed it most unwillingly by Kamui who found himself unable to refuse the man after that first gesture.

Lion scrutinized the shinken, reading the Hebrew engraved into the gilded stripe along the blade and examining the Star of David at its hilt. "The phrase here is mixed up" he said finally, running his finger down the engraved line showing Kamui what he meant.

"It's cut in the middle so that the end of the phrase is the beginning and the real beginning is half way through, it doesn't make sense if it's read this way, have you noticed?"

By now both Alex and Iceman looked at the engraving too, reading what it meant and nodding in agreement.

Kamui found himself suddenly lost and miserable around these men who could tell him something about a sword born from his own flesh and blood and brought from his own world. "Um….I can't read what it says… I never noticed it….I didn't get the chance to really look at it so deeply…" he mumbled, a blush creeping up into his cheeks.

He noted, at the corner of his eyes, that Alex examined him this way and that his eyes lingered on his face meaningfully.

"You're not Jewish?" Iceman asked him, his voice cold and deep. Kamui could feel an icy breeze coming from him like an aura.

"No…I'm Shinto I think…I know a Buddhist and a catholic but not anyone Jewish….I never knew there was something written in this engraving" Kamui tried thinking up what religion Aoki and Subaru came from and whether Saiki was the same religion Aoki was since they were family members.

"So why do you have so many Jewish symbols on your sword?" Iceman's voice was applying some kind of a pressure on Kamui, a one that was real or a one Kamui imagined in his state, but it was not very pleasant.

"Don't pressure him he just arrived here, give him some slack" Alex answered for him. It lead to a silent exchange of cold glares between Alex and Iceman only to be stopped by Lion breaking him off almost physically. He handed Kamui his shinken and stepped back beaming an encouraging warm smile at the suddenly frail looking boy.

"So why are you here Alex? In the funeral of the very man you murdered" Iceman definitely had a lot of scorn and anger in his voice now; he began a glare war with the other man again.

"I don't really blame him to be honest" Lion said suddenly after a long sigh. Kamui perked up his ears to collect as much information about what he saw last night as possible.

"What do you mean!"

"I mean that Mouse was a man of many ideals and many words but frankly he messed up here and there in base life management, he made his soldiers angry and bitter against him, let alone Alex. Maybe he had good intentions but he had bad ideas of how to carry them. As for Death here" he gestured with his head towards Alex who bowed his head in response and shot a nervous glance at Kamui "I think they tormented each other to death" and with that he patted Alex and Kamui simultaneously on their shoulders and departed, Iceman trailing after him like a puppy, shooting small angry glares at Alex.

"How did he call you?"

"Death, it's what I am, I'll explain it to you later Kamui, now we have to get you some clothes"

* * *

Kamui stood inside the large cooled shed looking at shelves over shelves of clothing and fabrics. Everything was so piled up and pressed that Kamui had no way of finding out what was what in to choose his new clothes. He had to choose the items by color at first then yank each item out of its pile to see what it was and if it fits him at all.

All the while Kamui could hear Alex and David chatting in their language monotonously, standing outside the shed. He wondered where they knew each other from whether they were related or from the same world. They had that language they both knew and they had those tattoos and the wings (different in shape but still wings).

After about an hour and a half of yanking, examining and fitting Kamui came out of the shed with a pile of clothes he hoped he won't be scolded about. He realized David did not like the idea of this shed used and hoped that Alex didn't mean only a single shirt instead of his torn one.

He walked up to the two men who were crouching strangely against the wall of the shed, his head bowed and his hands holding the clothes as if on a tray.

He looked to Alex who stood up to see what Kamui chose. "Did I choose too many?"

"Nah, this shed needs emptying from time to time anyway, show me what you picked. I wondered what a guy your size might find there"

The powerful silence coming from David who still looked away resentfully meant more then a thousand words.

Kamui spread out one piece after another, shyly turning them from one side to another, mentioning little tares here and there, damaged which Alex immediately offered to fix.

Finally he spread out an item he very much craved for but was most timid about, might it be denied of him as too expensive or too fancy.

It was a theatrical long black cape with the silk on the inside dyed bright violet. It was almost undamaged but a few strings pulled out here and there at the bottom and it matched Kamui's old cape which he brought with him to Tokyo and lost somewhere along the road to the Seals.

Alex merely nodded and mentioned Kamui found a really cool cape and that it would look great on him, he was sure.

Kamui stepped into the shed again to change into his selected items for today: a black tank top with a black pair of pants and the cape.

He loved wearing black because it made his skin look even paler thus making him look unique in the beach city Okinawa with it's mostly suntanned residents.

Most of all he liked how it gave him a kind of 'stay-away-from-me punk' look and how his mother often frowned at it.

When he looked pale and fragile and the black would narrow his already slim figure the bullies in Okinawa used to think him to by weak and effeminate, an impression Kamui enjoyed shattering.

He stole his original cape from his school's theater club and wore it on dark nights when he snuck out of his bedroom window to walk the silent city trying to frighten passers by, feeling like he was a ghost or a vampire.

His mother knocked into him on one of those strolls and gave him a long lecture about it. On the end of the mostly scolding lecture she hugged him like he was made of gold and mumbled something about how she should actually be grateful that she has him. Thinking back at it now, Kamui should have seen the signs of her future departure.

When Alex saw him fully re-dressed he smiled and told him how great his cape looked, his eyes meant that he could eat him up when he said he looks beautiful in it. Kamui blushed and kicked himself mentally for not being able to stop himself from feeling happy about it.

Alex went in and dug out a black belt to help hold Kamui's pants from falling almost down to his mid pelvis. But Kamui politely refused it, liking the way the low figured pants and the slightly shorter top flashed out a stripe of his immaculate alabaster skin.

* * *

The sun was nearing it's setting stages, the sky above them began to darken through the thin layer of clouds covering them, now burning with the leaving sun's last rays. Kamui had managed to see most of the city and its sights while maintaining a fluid conversation with Alex who's eyes darted almost nervously from what was before them and Kamui's various parts.

The part of their conversation which busied Kamui's mind the most was about his world.

"What happens to my world when I'm not there anymore?" he asked again after fully explaining Alex the whole Battle of the Apocalypse, a process that took out most of the patrol's time.

Alex mused in silence for a while before answering.

He made Kamui nervous "I mean, I'm afraid that if I'll ever return there I might find myself the only human around….without me the DoEs will win"

"Why would they win? Because you're not there? Wining by default? It sounds unlikely to me. _You_ started it all by _your_ choice to be a DoE or a DoH so without _you_ I believe the whole process won't happen at all"

"Won't happen at all? You mean time would freeze?" Alex's words began making sense.

"No, I mean the whole event would pass without happening because you're not there. Look, I don't know this world you come from or the powers in question but from what I know of destiny it seems unlikely for something as lowly as 'wining by default' would happen once you're not there"

Kamui walked to stand in front of Alex, in his path "You mean nothing will happen without me?" suddenly optimism gushed into his head like warm water, making him dizzy and lightheaded.

"Yup, according to my theory anyway. The year 1999 will come to pass and life will go on…."

Kamui's face was filling with happiness's light and a large smile spread on them. The inner side of his cape was enhancing his violet eyes until Alex found it suddenly difficult to breath with the sudden vision of beauty standing before him.

He coughed, clearing his head, and looked away smiling shyly back at Kamui.

They continued their patrol pretty silently as Kamui's thoughts ran too fast for him to manage a conversation in the meantime.

He was free! Free here, whatever or wherever he was! Free! No more duties, no more choices, no more annoying monks and shrine maidens he never met in his life nagging him to be their friend and saying his name without any honorifics as if they knew him all their lives. No more dreams, no more preordained fate, no more 1999!

Too bad he didn't have Kotori and Fuma with him……Kotori was dead but….and this is where he looked up to Alex, he might still have Fuma here. Kamui smiled to himself and looked away slowly blushing.

"Hand over your sword for a second" Alex cut through his chain of thoughts. He made Kamui suddenly get a memory flash of Fuma with his shinken at his hands piercing Kotori's chest with it.

He shook himself and handed the shinken to Alex's hands. Alex stopped his walked and examined the sword again. He tested the blade, ran his hand through the hilt testing how handy or uncomfortable to hold it was. Then he weighed it lightly with his palm, checking its point of balance. Kamui had the somewhat awe filled feeling that his shinken was examined by an expert at these matters.

Then Alex took a few steps back and began swinging the sword, testing different maneuvers; long slash, short slash, stab, push, hilt butting. Finally he raised his eyes to Kamui, half worried and half suspicious "Have you ever used this sword" he asked doubtfully.

Kamui shook his head in answer. How did Alex know this?

"I could tell by the way you hold it all the time, it looks like you don't know what to do with it" Alex resumed his test moves.

"I sort of know how to use a sword … the little kendo, I mean fencing lessons I had once. I know a little from movies and anime too…"

"And what?"

"Anime…"

"Anim-ation?"

"Yes, Japanese animation, do you know?"

"Ah, yes, giant robots and stuff?" Alex obviously had no idea what Kamui was talking about here. He suddenly seemed like an old man trying to understand the latest youngsters' crazes.

"Sort of" Kamui said after wishing he could sweatdrop and have his patrol partner understand what it meant "but I never got to use this shinken"

"Shinken?"

"Holy sword"

"Ah, I see. It's a very difficult sword to use you know" he kept swinging it here and there, drawing invisible '8' figures in the air.

"Why?" oh, not more of these talks about things from _his _god damn world like they know what they're talking about….

"You hear this 'whoosh' sound?" Alex was referring to the sound of the shinken cutting through the air, Kamui nodded. "It means that as the sword moves through the air it's collecting a lot of resistance from the air blowing against it. Its length is the problem, it makes it harder to move, heavier. When you hold it it's in one weight but when you swing it it's in another. Let alone the fact that this sword is almost your body size and you have to keep holding it up uncomfortably and impractically. Swords should be adapted to their user or they'll end up their user's bane"

That explanation made sense to Kamui. But what could he do? He could only wonder why on earth destiny gave him a sword he might have difficulties in using.

He thought of Fuma's body size and his athletic shape; the shinken would be much better in his hands. It seems he was _made_ to mismatch the shinken against his own good, or the other way around.

Alex handed him his own sword; a medium sized thick yet reasonable sword that curved a little at its end. The metal had a strange gleam to it under the light. The hilt was simple besides a small charming ruby fixed into it's base like a small burning red sun.

A picture was engraved into the blade by the hilt: it was a drawing of men in various activities. Some seemed to be brawling while others piled human bodies on a large cart. Those that fought and worked were dressed in things resembling striped pajamas and matching hats while those they were fighting and those that commanded the working men wore uniforms with hats that rang a bell somewhere at the back of Kamui's mind.

"Try it" Alex cut his train of thoughts once he noted Kamui was staring at the engraved picture for too long.

Kamui test-swung the sword, noting how light it was in relations to its length and thickness. He ran his finger along the tip of the blade noting how sharp it was. The wind blew his cape's corner and when it connected with the blade the fabric cut like butter. Kamui stared at it, amazed at the sheer sharpness.

They switches sword taking a few testing moves at each other, checking each other's capability with their different swords. Finally Alex shook his head "Kamui I want you to leave this sword in the house when you're in patrol. It's useless in general and it'll take time for you to carry it around and try to respond to any sort of incident with it.

"I know you have other powers, powers that are obviously of better use to you then this clumsy sword" he saw Kamui frown in disappointment "I'm sure it means a lot to you but right now it'll only cause you more trouble to try and react quickly with it and that's what we need here, you saw what we have to deal with here, this sword isn't build for this place or for you"

He explained Kamui of the other perils coming out of the river. Huge mud-made monsters often emerge from the river, charging at the town whenever something went wrong according to their primitive motivations. The monsters were spirits rather then actual living creatures like the fire breathing crocodile like creatures Kamui saw, so killing them was the only option.

"Imagine yourself charging with this awkward thing at a mud creature the size of a three stores building, your blasting powers would be of much more use. Trust me on this; I have some sort of an experience in what's going on here"

After a great amount of moping, Kamui finally shrugged and nodded, hanging his head down. It is better that he's here instead of facing this DoE, 'Kamui' Fuma, one day with a weapon that basically works against him.

"Tell you what" Alex said after noting how Kamui found this new information so saddening "we'll think of a way for you to carry it on your back like the Noters do with their riffles so that you'll always have the opportunity to use it if you wish" with this he began positioning the shinken diagonally across Kamui's back while creating a sheath to it with a wide band Kamui could carry across his shoulder.

When he was satisfied with the result and Kamui was at most comfort with the band they resumed their patrol.

"You know what else I can do?" Kamui looked up at Alex, then took off in that characteristic high air jump so typical to his kind in his world. He set himself on the very tip of a tree nearby. He looked down at Alex, feeling extremely smug and the utter surprise on the man's face. Alex beamed a delighted smile and flew up to hover near Kamui.

"Wow! Can you fly this way?" he asked, spinning around Kamui in the air saying praises at how elegantly he balanced so effortlessly on the very tip of the tree and how easily he posed himself there.

It made Kamui fill with warm feeling of pride; no one ever praised him for his powers like that, they never knew about them, cursed at them or had similar powers therefore found nothing special in them. "I can sort of hold myself still in the air but I can't fly completely"

They began advancing through the air; Alex in complete flight and Kamui in long bounces keeping himself in the air as long as he could. Alex flew in circles around him, looking most amused at his up-and-down movement. Alex's flight was far more flexible and elegant, a pure flight, that didn't seem to depend on the huge bat wings Kamui saw last night.

As the night rolled closer and closer they were playing in the air. They started laughing as they chased each other, showed off their different aerial capabilities and mocking their little slips and mistakes. They played so much they were late for their patrol exchange and found a slightly amused and impatient pair of vampires back at the main house, when they finally reached it...

Lestate looked from a most amused and light Alex to an equally cheered and slightly breathless young man by him. "Did you enjoy playing together?" he teased, noting gladly that a thought saying 'p…plays?' ran through Kamui's mind making him blush deeply all of a sudden.

'Play' in Japanese also meant 'having sex' and that was just a little too much for Kamui at the moment.

Yet it didn't spoil Kamui's suddenly light mood. He couldn't remember a time like this, when he played and laughed like a child, in a very long while. Maybe that was another good thing about coming to this world; he laughed and smiled and acted silly as if he was a child again in the back yard of the Tugakushi shrine with the Monou siblings, and he could do it as much as he wanted, even do his duty while at it!

Later that evening Kamui crushed on his bed, exhausted and light headed. He won't have trouble sleeping tonight.

Alex walked into the room asking Kamui what he wanted for dinner because Tara's making some for everybody. Kamui rolled off the bed to go to the kitchen and do something in benefit of the cooking followed closely by Alex.

* * *

And so began a routine, lasting for weeks until Kamui lost count of time. The more this world unfurled before him the more Kamui found it interesting, releasing and exciting then the old one he came from.

He connected with others, with Tara whom he chatted, with Blue Fairy who kept petting him on the head affectionately like he was a child, and with Lestate who always looked kindly at him and sang softly into the wind enchanting Kamui with the melody.

But most of all Kamui bonded with Alex. Now they were fixed patrol partners as well as roommates. They'd take long walks all over around the city after their patrols, exploring the forest and it's lake near Dimitri's house, climbing down to the small canyon before Dragon Valley or simply sitting under a tree on a lonesome hill with the glittering blanket of stars above their heads to stare at and muse silently.

They spoke of this world and of their own, Kamui going into small details over his history while Alex skipped parts in his, giving Kamui small snippets here and there and bluntly bypassing other subjects.

It annoyed Kamui when Alex chose not to tell him things about himself. Though he realized these things were probably painful for Alex to remember or too far away for him to recall, he still insisted on knowing this man to and through. The sheer length of Alex's lifetime amazed Kamui.

Once during patrol they passed by the graveyard where David was preparing some nameless body for burial.

Kamui watched as the undertaker dragged the body by it's hand as if it was an object, all the way to the grave's side while munching on a sandwich he held in another hand.

Then as the undertaker began stripping the body Kamui turned his gaze away feeling sick to his stomach.

All that while Alex looked at the sight pretty carelessly, slowly getting that far off air to him that made him look about as old as his real age (when Kamui heard that Alex was born in 1839 he almost choked on the tea he was sipping at that time, Alex seemed to him to be 25 years old, no more no less).

"Why does he have to do that?" Kamui whined silently.

"It's not like he's stripping them completely and you knew it when you chose your clothes from his shed" Alex folded his arms on his armored chest, feeling an uncomfortable subject coming up.

"Yeah but he's doing it so….so….carelessly, like he's not dealing with a human body at all" Kamui snuck a few glances back at the undertaker and the now half buried body.

Alex was silent for a long while during which the wind blew gently through his cape and his black hair, giving him a somewhat mysterious aura. "That's how he's used to do it…."

"Was he always an undertaker?"

Alex looked away, getting more and more uncomfortable by the minute. Kamui was a smart kid; he knew how to turn the conversation's subject over and over again to the very topic he wanted to avoid the most. "No. I think he was a farmer of some sorts"

"Then why did he become an undertaker?"

Kamui received no answer, instead Alex turned to head towards the rest of their patrol.

Kamui chased after him, taking fast steps as much as he could to keep up with Alex's pace "You knew him didn't you? You came from the same world didn't you?"

"No" is all the answer he got. Alex was getting very upset, yet he couldn't bring himself to stop the boy or lie to him.

"You have similar tattoos, the number on the arm, you did come from the same place" Kamui stated, making his voice as demanding as possible. He was tired of hidden truths that might hold within them something to tarnish his feelings towards Alex. He had had enough of friends revealing to be something much darker and crueler, like the other man who looked like Alex.

"In a way we came from the same place but we were in it each in our own world" Alex hurried his pace, finding himself mentally pressed against a wall. Memories began flashing before his eyes and that was never a good thing.

"Do I have that place in my world?"

"Probably, it exists in most worlds. Maybe you read about it in history classes if you attended any lately" he hoped the hidden insult would shut Kamui up or switch the subject.

Kamui did indeed fall silent for a while, trying to find a new way to investigate the subject. The only place where people could be given numbers like that would be some kind of extremely citizen-controlling country or a prison…a prison!

"Was it a prison?"

Alex sighed, taking a sharp turn towards the change of route that Kamui, in his feverish investigations, forgot to notice "Yes Kamui"

"And….and….the tattoo you have on your chest, does it has to do with it?"

Damn it, he was too smart this kid "Yes Kamui…."

"What does it mean?"

"Kamui…."

"What does it mean?" he tried to make himself sound like a curios child rather then an investigator of some kind so that Alex won't be too angered by him.

"It means what I was imprisoned for"

"What was it then?"

"Being gay Kamui" he hoped the boy would stop on his stand and react in a conservative way and turn to cancel and reject that fact like some people he knew might, maybe that would make him change the subject.

But Kamui didn't, instead he chased Alex further, completely ignoring the statement.

Alex kicked himself mentally for forgetting about this Subaru friend Kamui spoke of who was in love with another man.

"And David, the tattoo on his back is the same thing?"

Why was he so clever, he'll have to stop this questioning soon "No Kamui it's a sign of his work there"

Noting, in the corner of his eye, that Kamui was preparing for another question Alex sharply stood in Kamui's path grabbing his shoulders and looking deeply into his eyes "Look Kamui, to say this is a painful subject is a _major_ understatement. Also, I don't want to tell you everything because…." He started feeling lost in those beautiful violet eyes again and hoped his suddenly rising emotions won't be picked up and cause alarm in the boy "Because it will hurt you, it's a very painful story and I don't want you hurt as well"

Kamui was suddenly drowning in the depths of Alex's green eyes as well, in the words Alex was telling him and in how suddenly strangely good it would feel to be held by those arms while hearing caring words like that.

That night, near morning, when Alex his memory flashes that controlled his actions (and had for as long as he can remember himself after his imprisonment), Kamui rose to stop it feeling it somehow connected to what he discovered today.

When Alex completely awoke from his daze he looked at Kamui still holding his face gently. He took the delicate hands in his, clasping them together warmly.

At first he wanted to kiss them but debated whether the boy will recoil or, by what his mauve gems filled with, lean in for more. Instead he held them tightly in his then wrapped his arms around Kamui.

"Thank you" he said, digging his nose into silky hair smelling of intoxicating vanilla, coconut and a spot of cinnamon.

Kamui found himself suddenly drowned in those arms and the heat between them.

Mostly he drowned within his own emotions. He liked this, wanted more of it, he liked Alex and maybe….beyond?

* * *

When Alex told Kamui he had dreamt about him before Kamui came to the Lost Dimension he meant it.

Alex often had dreams about his future and of special occasions or important things about to happen in his life. Of course these things were never fully understood until reminiscing or until the very event came to be.

When Mouse began thoroughly avoiding Alex and when meeting him would plague Alex with flashes of images and information, Alex would enter states where he wouldn't be able to control his own anger until he needed medical interference.

At the time there were three medics in the infirmary who came from a planet where herbs and plants from which substances could be extracted to act as medicines for the creatures of the like of Alex, Iceman, Gala and the rest.

Whenever Alex would flip into his violent moods he would receive an injection of sedatives that would send him hurling into numb sleep for a few good hours.

In one of those violent rages one of the medics decided to mix some moderated LSD into Alex's sedatives.

When Alex caved into chemistry he opened his eyes and found himself in his destruction camp, buzzing and active around him like in any other day.

Suddenly the air filled with lovely singing of women and time began rolling backwards around Alex. As the wonderful voices sang the camp slowly un-built itself and emptied of all prisoners and wardens. What was left behind was a vast field of grass loaded with flowerbeds in which Alex knelt in a stupor.

He looked around dazed at the singing of the women as it swirled around him like a magical wind.

Then he saw them; the four women who sang the song.

First was a red headed with a tight black dress under which she was wearing garter belts and other fancy, frilly, sexy outfits.

The second was a Roman times looking woman in a traditional white toga and a small complex Roman hairstyle.

The third, holding hands with the fourth was a young woman about the age of sixteen with short cropped black hair and a simple yet elegant somewhat Chinese pajama who sang out most energetically.

She was holding hands with an older looking woman seemingly made of porcelain. She had long straight black hair streaming down her body. She was wearing a white kimono decorated by falling sakura. Her right hand was covered with blood yet she seemed completely oblivious to it.

That was the first vision. Alex woke from it with the magical singing still echoing in his ears like powerful bells. He wondered what the dream could mean. Whatever it was it was optimistic or he wouldn't see the wonderful sight of the camp un-building and seizing to be.

Then he discovered the LSD in the tranquilizers and brushed it all off (not without a great deal of disappointment) as a drug induced hallucination.

The second dream was not inflicted by any foreign chemicals in his blood so Alex had hoped that it was a true one.

In his dream he was up to his knees in corpses, piled one on the other in the small room that was told to be a shower yet gave off no water.

He began crying as the bodies disappeared giving off to the remains of those rooms as they were in modern times.

He collapsed to his knees on the old stones. Weeds began growing in the cracks of the long concrete floor, showing how old this place is and how old Alex is.

Suddenly the first woman from his dream came to him; her high heals making crisp knocks on the old stones. She crouched by him, her garter belts showing off through the large slit in her dress's skirt. She had a huge neckline Alex paid no attention to and a long rosary of small black bead with a gilded cross on its end.

She raised his chin to meet his gaze with hers, smiling softly at him. Her bright cherry colored hair framed her face nicely.

"Why are you crying?" she asked him softly.

Alex whimpered back, tears rolling off of his eyes.

"Is it because of where you are now?"

Alex nodded, closing his eyes with the intensity of the pain he was feeling. He was wearing his old stripy uniforms.

"My leader will heal you" she said, raising to her feet and offering him her hand to take and follow her.

They walked away from the ruins and into that wonderful flower packed field from his first dream, then into an endless black void where the woman left him.

Alex saw a mass of wires forming a sharp metal-made spider web. Within the wires a boy was trapped, naked and bleeding from numerous cuts inflicted by the vicious looking strings. He had long thin bat wings which drooped around him, entangled and wounded by the wires as well.

Alex looked at the boy and his head spun; he was so delicate and so beautiful even in his miserable state, Alex felt the horrible urge to free this magical creature from his bindings and protect him forever.

With this thought in mind Alex pulled his sword out and cut the wires one by one until the boy was released, grabbed and cradled by him.

Then the wires were gone and the boy was dressed again. He was still in Alex's arms, now raising his perfect delicate face to him, hanging beautiful large mauve eyes at him. As they stood in this void looking at each other, Alex's outfit changed from the cursed stripes to his usual black.

All Alex could think of was that amazingly beautiful boy in his arms, looking at him and smiling so wonderfully. His heart overflowed with emotions.

When he walked past a corner and met that boy in real life he was sure the dream had promised Kamui to him.

Every move he did around Kamui, every word and every act was thought of twice in advance to try to appeal to Kamui and become as close to him as possible.

It was back in that dream that Alex fell in love with Kamui.

Whatever it was, even if Kamui would have never given in to him, Alex could have lived from now on, happy as ever, having this magical and beautiful boy by him to watch and admire forever more.

* * *

Lestate had noted the bond between this strikingly beautiful youth and his Death long ago.

He also noted that at some point there was always some sort of a wall between them when it came to taking their friendship further.

Lestate knew why, Alex had told him once of his 'curse'. He began trying to see what he could do for one of his best friends amongst the Rescue Team.

The boy himself was obviously torn by the situation; at one point Alex would act around him almost as a suitor, bringing him everything he needed even if he didn't ask for it and always being an ear for the boy's problems. Then the next, when the boy would try to get closer to Alex or find what was it that troubled Alex's sleep at nights, Death would gently push him away closing himself might he reveal something that will hurt the boy.

The boy understood Alex's interests at not letting him onto everything and still a fire burnt in him, it seemed, to know Alex's ins and outs.

Lestate could tell, by the way the boy looked at Death that Kamui too had feelings towards his roommate.

Lestate spent several patrols pondering the issue, wondering what he might be able to do. The answer was very obvious and easy.

He wondered if Alex might find it a bit too extreme.

The boy had some respect towards him, a shy and timid one but definitely respect. They didn't get to meet that much since Lestate was on patrol the times the boy and Alex would be back at home. When they did occasionally meet the boy would give him a shy smile and cower a little behind Alex.

A few nights after the incident when Kamui woke Alex from his early morning memories Lestate walked into the boy's room at early evening time. At the time Alex was visiting Jacob's house.

Kamui raised his big pretty eyes (Lestate found them quite entertaining with the way they could capture the light in small dots on the exquisite violet irises) in surprise at the unexpected visitor.

He was sitting on his bed trying to copy a simple pattern Alex had sown into his cape. When the vampire entered the room somewhat powerfully Kamui rose to his feet sensing that something was afoot.

Without a word in advance Lestate charged at Kamui faster then the boy could percept it, restricted his arms with one hand and tilted the small head sideways thus exposing the main artery flowing down Kamui's neck.

At first Kamui tried shrugging the grip off of him in panic but he had found the hands that held him were cold as stone and strong as iron against his skin. His breath raced as fast as his thoughts, his eyes darted around the room as if in search of help.

"What are you doing Lestate?" he managed to whimper when he cleared his mind enough to speak.

"Do you want him?" is all that came back, a hoarse whisper blowing air at Kamui's exposed skin. Later on Kamui came to understand the whirlpool of feelings Lestate felt while being so close to fresh human blood.

"What?" he whimpered again, tears forming in his eyes as he thought how pathetic this might seem. He wanted to blast Lestate off but knew such a thing would upset Alex who's closest friend was now about to kill off the other.

"Do you want Death?" Lestate neared his lips to Kamui's ear under the unruly black bangs.

The vague intention Lestate was working by slowly became clear to Kamui. "Y…yes…" he whispered, afraid his own voice might trigger his nerves, ready to fire, like a spring waiting to be released.

"Then you must become one of his" Lestate released his grip a little, feeling the body he was holding soften from its earlier resistance. "Do you agree to that?"

"Will he be mine then?" Kamui's head was clear now and his thoughts sharp, looking forward for all the things to come.

"All yours like he wants you to be his" the vampire was smiling, flashing his fangs at the corner of Kamui's eyes.

"Then I agree" Kamui turned his head to look directly (as much as he could) at Lestate's bright blue eyes, slightly veiled by a thin layer of blond hairs disrupted by his capturing.

Lestate's smile widened. Clever boy.

He slowly tilted Kamui's head sideways again, feeling no objection anymore. He sank his teeth into skin so perfect tha,t for a moment, he wished this boy was to become his. Then the blood began flowing in.

Through the blood Lestate peered deep into Kamui's soul and the things it hid inside.

He saw a woman engulfed in flames, her long hair strands dancing in the hot air coming from her own funeral pyre. The woman resembled Kamui and Lestate realized this must be his mother.

He saw a girl hanging down from a small child's hand and below her a ground so far away.

He saw that girl again, now grown into a teen, hanging from a pale bleeding and below her a mist filled void.

He saw six people in various ages and outfits and he saw a kneeling woman with long white hair and red eyes.

He saw a young man playing basketball in an empty court at evening time. The young man was terribly similar to Alex and in a sense it sort of roused Lestate's suspicions.

Before he had the matter deeply investigated Kamui's blood began running out and the heartbeats began slowing down from their earlier mad pace.

Kamui, held by Lestate so strongly, felt his body slowly draining. A numbing fog covered his senses. He wondered what will be in store for him next. What would it be like to be a vampire and why wasn't it hurting him, not even the bite which felt like nothing but a mere gentle nip at his skin.

Somewhere in his mind he could vaguely hear the beatings of the undead heart feeding on his blood. Somewhere, as he too gazed into the soul of his soon to be brother in Dark Blood, he saw images too.

Two ancient statues sitting on pedestals in a heavily decorated room; A man and a woman sitting next to each other. A beautiful little girl with vicious, cold and mature eyes, snarling at him.

Then the world began darkening and Kamui's mind was a void.

Lestate let go of his grip and cradled the boy in his arms. The thin body crumbled softly like a rag doll dropped from its owner's arms.

He climbed out of the large window and walked the walls to the rooftop where Kamui could start seeing things through eyes in which dark magical blood flowed and see how glorious it all was.

He stabilized the limp boy on his feet and grabbed the delicate face to pin its eyes to his own. "Kamui, can you hear me?" he asked, making sure the boy wasn't as fragile as he feared he might be. If this boy dies Alex would be more then upset.

To his relief the boy nodded faintly. Good.

Lestate exposed his wrist under the tight velvet jacket's sleeve and the fringe of fancy lace hanging out of the cuffs. Biting two holes into his own flesh and quickly drawing them to the boy's mouth he began the transformation.

Without questions or doubts Kamui took the now heated flesh of the white wrist in both his palms and let the blood flow into his mouth.

It was strange, feeling the metallic blood in his mouth, but Kamui guessed that this is how it's going to be always from now on so he better get used to it.

It was stranger trying to grasp how mechanically he did this all, how calculative he was in his acts which might seem terrifying and doubtful to other people. He didn't care as his goal was clear before his eyes.

Slowly he became engulfed in a pleasure like he never felt before. He closed his eyes and saw in his mind's eye how the heat and of dark blood was filling his body with light. His head spun and reeled without moving, his body floated above the ground without his feet actually detaching it. His whole body became tense then limped, then tensed again with new strength. But the pleasure was what stunned him the most; somewhere in the back of his head he knew this was bordering the sexual.

He vaguely heard Lestate's suddenly harsh and pain stricken voice somewhere far, far away from him but he couldn't make out the words said to him and the wrist with its delicious blood was yanked away from his mouth. Kamui wiped at his mouth involuntarily though he didn't spill a drop.

He saw Lestate back off a few stumbled steps looking at him with pain in his eyes. But as he looked at his source of strength, Kamui noted the wound in the vampire's skin closed and healed before his eyes.

For a moment Kamui had complete silence in his mind as he stood in the suddenly freezing night air. His mind was blank as if a vacuum sucked out all thought and ponder out of it.

The moment lasted a fragment of a second as immense pain tore through Kamui far worse not even when a pole pinned his leg to concrete, the shinken did the same to his right palm and glass shred tore through his flesh.

Kamui caved under the mind numbing pain not bothering to even attempt any kind of struggle or relaxation against such a torment wrecking through his body. He collapsed to his knees on the dirty floor of the rooftop, curling into a ball around this gape suddenly opened inside him. His mind screamed for help against this new nemesis not recognizing who exactly he was calling.

He was calling Alex, out of knowledge of his comrades in this new world or out of his forming vampire's instincts.

* * *

Above a field of daisies and under a starry sky in a suddenly arctic cold, Alex felt a sharp sensation in his mind telling him a creature of his was in peril. He pinpointed the sensation and recognized it to be the one of a new vampire in his world.

He rose to his feet and followed the invisible signal; it came from the Rescue Team's main house. He apologized to Jacob and Venus for his sudden departure and shot off to the house noting, as he flew, that the air filled with snowflakes.

What he saw on the rooftop turned his mind red with anger. Whatever it was, for whatever reason, Lestate had hurt his Kamui. He changed him into something that might alter the already perfect boy Alex so adored.

He landed violently by Lestate and grabbed him by his shirt's collar, lifting him off of the ground. He made no effort in hiding his anger or restraining the growing violence in him; the idea of hurting Kamui intolerable to Alex. "**Why did you do this!**" he snarled into Lestate's face.

"So that you can have him" Lestate answered calmly, a smile creeping into the corner of his mouth as he knew his gift is yet truly unwrapped and discovered.

Kamui couldn't see this exchange since his head was somewhere near his belly in his curled-up state. Now the pain subsided and disappeared so Kamui could think clearly again.

He heard Alex's landing and his snarling angry voice. Alex whom he could now have was angry at Lestate for hurting him. It was so clear to Kamui now that his mind could work twice as fast as it could before.

He raised his head to stand up normally, about to stop Alex from any further damage to Lestate. But the moment he laid eyes on the view before him his breath hitched in his throat and his mind stopped racing.

The city spread before him, lit like a Christmas tree in full glory. What view Kamui once saw as dull and depressing now he saw as brilliant and mesmerizing.

Colors were enhanced for the darkness no longer served as an obstacle to his eyes. Every candle twinkling in every window danced magically before Kamui's all perceptive eyesight. Every moving thing, object or living, was captured completely and brightly like never before.

Kamui felt like a veil was raised from his eyes; that suddenly he could see the world as it really is.

He could hear everything around him so clearly that at first it was a horrible cacophony of noises gushing into his head until he pushed his mind to filter things and rearrange them according to his new enhanced senses.

He could hear the fabric of Alex's cape behind him moving as one fold's fabric rubbed against another's. He could hear Lestate's hair moving on his shirt's collar, dancing to the icy wind's whims.

He could hear the gentle scratching of small nails on stone as the gecko with strange bright green dots and dark red lines who started inhabiting the corners of his room's ceiling moved. He could hear little drops of water dropping from the rope of the house' well as a fresh bucket was reeled out of it.

He could hear Tara's heartbeats as she walked from the well into the house with a bucketful of water. He could hear little waves of water banging against the wooden walls of the primitive container in her hands, swaying as she walked.

"**Have you even ASKED him before you did it!**" Alex was not convinced; he was so steaming with rage he began planning out ways to punish Lestate after deeply apologizing to Kamui and taking the dark blood away from him.

Suddenly a silver bell clear voice he recognized was Kamui's answered his question instead of Lestate's voice.

"He did"

The vampire Kamui stood up and walked towards him, his newly enhanced rich shiny silken hair blowing gently in the freezing air.

Calmly, he walked up to Alex, watching the storm of emotions washing across Alex's face as he noted the changed him.

Alex's face was awe filled and frozen completely in awe. He saw the eyes blazing up in emotions, many of which Kamui was happy to recognize as warm and encouraging.

But what Kamui most focused on was the way he suddenly saw Alex. As he raised his eyes to the two men he saw Alex as Death on Earth in his full glory. He had an aura of turquoise like thin fog beaming out of him. He had silver horns curling gently and elegantly out of the side at the top of his head. His large wings stood curled majestically at his sides. He had a crown around his head: a simple black stone crown with a point above the middle of Alex's forehead and a small turquoise symbol at its center of a dot with a circle around it.

Kamui felt like a prince walking towards his princess, or was it the other way around?

Anyway it was he felt honored and excited as if he was chosen especially for this honor amongst many others.

As he spoke to Alex he laid his hand on Death's fist clutching the vampire's collar.

The fist loosened and Lestate was free. He landed on the floor elegantly, watching the two stare at each other. He waited until they'll start talking then left, giving them their privacy.

"Kamui" Alex's eyes were wide, taking in as much details of the spectacular sight before him. If Kamui's beauty was breathtaking before, now it was mind numbing and magical.

Kamui smiled up at him "I said yes because this way I can be with you…." He lowered his head, trying to hide his deep blushing. He felt Alex grabbing his shoulder gently with one hand as another gently cupped his chin and raised his head to look at him better again.

They stared into each other's eyes for a while.

Snow flakes started hovering around them.

They kissed for the first time.

* * *

Life, or death, or whatever they call the life time of a vampire, unraveled into a magnificent chain of brilliant adventures for Kamui since that night.

Their nights would be spent on patrol on days when Lestate and Victoria would take the night off. Alex would be on patrol on noon alone then with Kamui at night or just noon alone in days the two other vampires would be on duty.

Their patrols were exciting and adventurous as the sights Kamui saw so far in day time became enhanced and improved with his vampire senses. They'd do more now that they were both on a similar level of capabilities, chasing danger and excitement across the City.

At nights when they didn't have duty they'd travel around the city's area discovering new places mortals couldn't explore.

When they didn't feel like an escapade they'd stay in their room, making love on Alex's large bed and talking endlessly in the rest breaks between one thing and another.

Kamui found himself swapped on a new and powerful wave of freedom; the sensations his senses opened up to him, the delight of drinking blood, the things he and Alex would come up with.

But most of all he loved how Alex gave him freedom as much as he wanted, not complaining whenever Kamui would take off into the night to explore things alone.

He succumbed to Death's passionate kissing and caresses at times they'd stay indoors or in times they'd find a place secluded enough to fool around in. That too swapped Kamui on waves he never felt.

Their most favorite thing was to practice fencing. More like Alex training Kamui to use his shinken better now that his body was inhumanly athletic enough to swing it without hassle. Kamui would attempt to attack Alex and get brushed off by Death's supreme experience, and then succumb to his tutor's 'other lessons'. Or Kamui would manage to inflict some small scale wound to Alex (who would never try to hurt Kamui) and get 'punished' for it, not before he was outdone in training.

There was a clearing in the forest they used for these games, a clearing Kamui stumbled into months after when he was with Fuma.

At the time Kamui shuddered without knowing why and dragged Fuma away quickly.

Suddenly Kamui could be as badass as he wanted to be, as wild and restless as he wished; he could do anything he wanted for he had nothing to fear of anymore.

He found the very essence of this sensation one night when he stood on the cliffs before Dragon Valley.

He looked down at the abyss-like drop below. An idea flared in him like fire and, as he became accustomed to, he followed the idea without hesitation.

He walked a few steps back then raced towards the cliff edge at full speed. He took off the cliff and allowed himself to fall down, relishing on the speed of the drop, on how he had no reason to fear the crush below due to his powers, on the wind blowing wildly at him as he fell and the sense of absolute freedom in this semi-flight downwards.

He landed elegantly and unharmed on his feet at the bottom, looking upwards to where he stood at just moments ago. He wanted to do it again, over and over again, then once more just for laughs.

A dragon crawled out of its cave, sensing there's something out there. The huge blue dinosaur like creature sniffed the air and scanned Kamui's mind. Recognizing the young vampire to be Alex connected (as Kamui made sure he did by centering his thoughts on that subject) the monster turned around and left Kamui to be. It made Kamui laugh out loud; he was fearless and unstoppable. He loved it, everything about it.

That night Alex was helping the Noters and their Dragon Valley base settle yet another dispute between the human citizens and the lizard ones. The dispute started with an attack of the dragons. Lion was wounded during the Noter's comeback and now the Rescue Team was called in to help. It was Alex and Kamui's night off but the first was still called for duty due to his ability to communicate and appease the dragons.

When Kamui walked into the city no one noticed him coming; he had just mastered the art of walking amongst shadows (taught to him by Lestate) and so he managed to sneak all the way up to where Alex sat at Lion's temporary sickbed.

When Alex sensed him he whipped his head angrily at where his young lover stood and almost growled "Kamui! Come out of there, what are you doing here?" he got up and grabbed Kamui by the shoulders once the boy was near enough "It's dangerous here, the dragons can breath fire and you know you're extra sensitive to it now".

Kamui looked up at him with glittering wide mauve eyes filled with innocence and surprise "I wanted to see you. I want to be with you wherever you are" he knew how to press Alex's buttons, such a statement would surely slip him out of this little mischief.

Alex made an unpleased face and looked away, giving Kamui a quick hug and kiss.

"Lion's hurt, I was just about to give his burns some treatment. He has several internal injuries that I'm afraid I don't know how to deal with"

He walked to Lion's bedside looking at the comatose man in bandages.

Alex cared for Lion; the man was one of a few who could look into his soul and see his true self through his appearance and behavior. Kamui knew that as an orphan in his past, Alex strived to keep every father figure he came across.

"How will you treat him?" Kamui clung to Alex, his arms circling his waist, his head leaning against the broad strong chest.

"Blood, vampires' blood" Alex began showering the top of Kamui's head with short kisses enjoying the smell and texture of the boy's hair and the ability to do it.

"Like the one I feed off of?" he raised his head to meet Alex's lips with his own.

"No" another short kiss, Alex just couldn't stop with those once he started, it was addictive "you drink normal blood, this is vampires' blood with the ingredient that makes you heal from your wounds quickly" he looked into Kamui's eyes, his own clouded with love.

"What is that ingredient?" Kamui's gaze started crawling towards Alex's neck where an artery from which many vampires drank pulsed; he was starting to get hungry.

"I don't know. Are you hungry?" his mind focused on his usual fussing around Kamui thus shutting everything else out.

The young vampire prince nodded, now not taking his eyes off of the dark red line in the pure white skin. He stood on the tips of his toes, letting go once Alex's arms circled him holding on to him completely. The gush of blood into him erased any coherent thought out of Kamui's mind.

When he was drinking blood from Alex the sublime sexual elements in it would often prepare him for other activities. As soon as he realized the awkward situations that might spring out of such a reaction, Kamui learned to calm himself and control his body.

Focusing on anything while drinking was still too hard, thoughts were redundant and often abandoned.

One thought lingered on, he tried passing it onto Alex through the bond of blood.

'Tell me Alex'

'No'

'Why not! I want to know everything about you, I love you'

'I love you too Kamui but….I don't want to hurt you, and you _will_ be hurt once you hear it'

'Then show me'

'**No**, that's even worse. Leave it Kamui, please'

That's when Kamui broke the connection the last time they started this conversation, nights after that, in their room. He grabbed Alex's face in his hands like in that early morning, pinning the green brooding gaze onto his searching violet one. "When you get sad and depressed, when you suffer from your memories and need consolation, how will I be able to help you?"

Alex stared at him for a while, creases creeping into his forehead in worry. He looked away, holding the boy to him. He pressed his head to Kamui's bare chest, feeling the heat of the blood emitting from the fragile body and listening to the steady undead heartbeat. When the boy asked him enough he always gave up.

Eventually Alex told him, it took about a night and a little to finish in the end of which Kamui had a vacant haunted look in his eyes, which Alex knew he'd have, and feared most of.

The night after that, the moment he woke from his coma-sleep Kamui crushed into Alex's arms crying endlessly for his lover's pain.

It only served to strengthen the bond of their love. Though Alex knew it he never forgave himself for telling Kamui something which made him cry, even if Kamui brought it upon himself.

He spent the day after that trying to make something to cheer Kamui up. After ditching most ideas due to his lack of imagination he created a pen and a sheet of paper, preparing to write down a song for his prince.

When that was finished he took his guitar from under his bed and walked out to practice it, away from the sleeping beauty in his coffin.

That night they were on patrol duty. When they reached a small hill with a tree Kamui loved sitting under; placed on a hill looking over the graveyard to one side, the lonesome far off cliffs on another and a third view to the river and the riverbed, they stopped.

There, under barren branches, Alex set Kamui down and positioned himself by him with the guitar in hand.

He began strumming a soft beautiful rhythm on the instrument and in a voice he didn't use for ages he sang his song for Kamui.

"Like_ an angel without a sense of mercy  
Rise young boy to the heavens as a legend_

"_Cold winds, as blue as the sea  
Tear open the door to your heart  
But unknowing you seem, just staring at me  
Standing there smiling serenely_

"_Desperate for something to touch  
A moment of kindness like that in a dream  
Your innocent eyes as yet have no idea  
Of the path your destiny will follow_

"_But someday you'll become aware of  
Everything that you've got behind you  
Your wings are for seeking out  
A new future that only you can search for_

"_The cruel angel's thesis bleeds  
Through a portal like your pulsing blood  
If you should betray the chapel of your memories  
The cruel angel will enter the window of your soul_

"_So, boy, stand tall and embrace the fire of legend  
Embrace the Universe like a blazing star"_

Kamui sat listening to the lyrics and watching Alex's singing face. He liked Alex's singing voice, deep yet light as the wind of sounds. He knew Alex hardly sang at all and that when he did it was on a special occasion. Even if it was a simple song Kamui would be touched by the meaningful gesture.

When Alex finished he put the guitar away and gave Kamui a deep kiss, wrapping his arms and (as Kamui liked it very much) his large black wings around the slim vampire.

"Did you like it?" he asked, his nose touching Kamui's, their lips touching from time to time as his mouth moved to pronounce his words. Already he found it difficult to concentrate around a thing like Kamui in this position.

Kamui smiled brightly and nodded. It was his special song, written especially for him by his special someone.

* * *

When Kamui asked for something enough times and with enough intensity he got what he wanted. And so wherever Alex went Kamui went, even if it was into extremely dangerous situations.

They'd ride a large black horse Alex would revive from the ground, two on a saddle moving as one body. Kamui loved those rides, the wind blowing at him and the feel of Alex's arms around him as they held the reins.

They rode like the wind, shouting and hollering like two wild boys on a rampage. On rides like that Alex would often spread his wings and took off with his lover and the horse. Kamui would produce such shrills of joy and excitement Alex wished those night lasted forever, just to please his lover.

The last time they rode like that was towards the Doctor's little house.

The Doctor was a professional time and dimensional traveler coming from a race of humanoids dealing only with that. He brought himself into this dimension willingly; completely ignorant of its content.

The moment he arrived an incident happened which left him without his sidekick who was killed almost immediately and a time and dimension traveling machine that was almost destroyed beyond all hope of repair.

The Doctor worked day and night to fix the malfunctions in the complicated mechanics and soon he managed to fix the machine completely.

That night he had put the finishing touches into his machine and was just about to take a night's rest before the next day when he'll round up all the citizens of the dimension to bring them, one by one, back to their original worlds.

This was to be stopped by Jacky who was tracking his advances for a long time now.

Jacky was Blue Fairy's sister and her exact opposite. While Fairy was a semi-divine magical creature who worked for the happiness of the city's people, Jacky was a mind manipulating, fire casting demon who plotted day and night to abuse the citizens as much as she could for amusement.

Before Kamui came to the Lost Dimension Jacky noted Mouse's strange ability to send images and ideas into Alex's head along with the core of those images, and plotted a way to drive Alex into miserable insanity.

She lured him over, binding him with her words of magic and manipulation, so that he listened when she told him that his happiness lies within Mouse.

Alex began chasing Mouse around thinking himself in love with the man while Mouse, terrified of a _man_ (and what a man!) as his suitor, ran away using those images to drive Alex off. This too drove Alex closer to insanity, just as Jacky plotted it to be.

Now she snuck up to the Doctor's little cottage where his lab lay, walking over to the machine sitting, complete, on a desk in the large room where Doctor's bed also lay.

She started a rampage of alarming explosions and fires which woke the Doctor.

At first Doctor managed to fight the demon away while fiercely defending his machine. But he was facing an enemy he could not defeat.

The fire and the explosions were noted by Alex and Kamui who were on patrol that night. Immediately they rushed over to help the poor man.

Alex asked Kamui to get off of the horse because Jacky was far too dangerous and fire breathing for a vampire to tackle. Besides, he had a little bone to pick with the little bitch anyways.

Kamui refused, arguing that he wanted to be with Alex wherever he went and that he's perfectly capable of defending himself.

Finally, after a lot of whining, arguing and several worrying explosions coming from the Doctor's house Alex gave up and Kamui went towards the site ahead of Death.

Without Jacky even noticing it Kamui flew at her, his eyes burning, his powers charging and focusing on the demon woman.

She only had enough time to look behind her shoulder and see the boy coming before her body was torn apart by power sharpened with dark blood.

Kamui now stood in a humid mist left behind by steaming water released from their capturing vessel. He looked around through the tiny drops of water and saw the Doctor half unconscious on the ground with the machine in his lap, safe and unharmed.

He watched as the golden box glowed and changed shape before his eyes into a tall thin woman clad in a figure hugging sparkling red dress. She smiled at him kindly, her eyes large and thankful under the flashy makeup.

"You saved me" she told him, her voice rich with warmth.

"Yeah, it's my job you know" Kamui struck a pose, flicking an unruly bang from his vision. He could hear Alex's horse coming down the little hill separating the rest of the city from the cottage. Soon his knight will be here and see how his prince can take care of himself and other troubles all alone!

"I shall thank you by returning you to your original dimension as the Doctor programmed me to" the machine woman said, already starting to scan Kamui for information only she could read.

Kamui was too busy thinking about Alex and being proud of himself to take notice of what was just said to him.

When he did he whipped his head towards the machine glaring at her in shock "You **what!** Oh no, don't do that! _Don't you dare!_ I'm perfectly happy here!" but it was too late; the woman grabbed him by his legs and started pulling him towards her.

In the middle of her body a line of bright light opened, widening to become a large portal into another world. Kamui tried to struggle and tare the hands off of him but to no avail; he was already starting to feel the pull of the portal at his limbs.

Alex's horse was abandoned, its master now flying as fast as he could towards the portal and his quickly kidnapped lover.

Kamui's body was engulfed in light; all that remained in this world was his head and his arm, helplessly reaching out towards his knight in desperate attempt to save his freedom and new self.

"**Alex!**" He screamed reaching out desperately, tears forming in his eyes as his mind began grasping the full meaning of his return to his world.

He saw his knight's face desperate and stubborn to get him back and an idea sprang into his mind. He knew Alex would walk to the edges of the world to have him; surely nothing would stop him from following him to his own world. "**Alex! Come get me, find me!**" he watched as Alex's face showed that he understood the message.

"**Alex! I love you!**" that's all he managed to say before the light consumed him and the gate shut down forever.

* * *

Then next moment he was thrown on grass in daylight, rolling on it with the force of his entrance into the world. He landed in a patch of sunlight and received a full mental shock. The reason he feared sunlight was something he quickly began forgetting.

Kamui lay staring up at the form of the leaves of a tree and the light shining through them. He felt like he was trying to desperately hold onto something. It was running away from him like sand through his fingers. He was losing something and didn't even know what it was anymore, only that he missed it.

Soon Kamui found himself with his memories of the last few months completely erased from his mind.

He lay on the grass trying to understand where he was and how he got here. The last thing he remembered was getting sucked into the floor at the Heart of the Divine Protection, now he was under a tree on a patch of grass.

The shinken was making him uncomfortable as he lay on his back and it under him. He looked down at himself, at the strange black clothes he was wearing and the strange new band that held his shinken across his back. He lay there realizing that he had lost all memory of whatever it was that brought him to this state and wherever he was last time he remembered himself pulled into.

He got to his feet and began walking out of the tamed 'forest' in one of Clamp Campus' little parks.

He was found by the campus' security, who handed him over to the headmaster of the institution, who handed him finally back to his fellow DoH.

With them he came to completely forget that strange time when he found himself rolling on the grass and losing a huge chunk of himself. He returned to his 1999 Battle of the Apocalypse self.

* * *

In his tent, on his bed, Kamui opened his eyes with his complete memories. Outside the dawn was rising over the small campsite. He took a deep breath that filled his head with sleep-less dizziness and his chest with the sour pain of lost time, wasted chances and bitter mistakes made.

At least he found what he lost back then, what made his guilt hurt even more whenever he saw Alex's pained face; it was his complete fearless freedom lost forever. Even if he succumbed to Alex now, that pure sensation would always be besmirched by their uglier past.

And Fuma's love was better then any freedom. He realized it now, after gathering all the information he could. Kamui felt warmth spread in him as he rejoiced in his love rediscovered.

Now if only he could keep his guilt from tainting his happiness.

(tbc)

* * *

(1) A mostly English speaking Asian channel. 


	21. Love chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**WARNING:** the mushroom poison test thing is a figment of my imagination; in honest I have absolutely no idea how to tell a poisonous mushroom from an edible one so **don't try this at home kids**.

* * *

**Part 21 – Love (chapter 1)**

Although it seems like the Lost Dimension's main town population was a small one, at the registry office in the infirmary they could beg to differ.

Every citizen had a file of their own including their origins (in one word or a few sentences), their past occupation and their current occupation. A page with a list of family members, those who came with the citizen or those who were added during their stay, was also added to the small folder along with a written copy of a short conversation with the psychologist for the Noters and Rescue Team's eyes only.

To say that keeping up with the updating of these files was a headache would be modest.

Some days Yutu, Seiichiro and the three Noters who worked in the large office would feel buried under the paperwork. Some days they would be _literally_ buried under the papers as piles caved in and collapsed upon them.

There was a large board on one of the walls where they kept the score of how many times that happened and to whom.

So far Seiichiro gained the most points as he tended to accidentally drop his pencil under his desk and bang against its legs clumsily when he bent down in search of it, thus toppling the piles on himself.

He even had more scores then the goofy Noter with glasses so thick they looked like bottle bottoms. She'd bump into just about anything possible and drop everything from hands at least once a day.

Seiichiro just recovered from yet another burial when he decided he needs a coffee break.

Back at home he always prided himself to be out of the side effects of an editor's frantic life. He wouldn't smoke, wouldn't drink coffee to stimulate himself into work, wouldn't chew on his fingernails and pens or develop involuntary ticks like so many of his collogues.

Here he began breaking those habits. So far he began drinking coffee instead of tea…but only once a day! He had to keep _something _of his old self after this world began changing him so much.

Sometimes he would gaze off (usually at Yutu's general direction) and sink into wondering if he could ever imagine he would end up like this; here, living with the rest of the Seals and Harbingers (!) then with his family, and having an affair with another man…..

Seiichiro didn't want to think about it but every time he looked at Arashi's slowly developing tummy his heart would ache so much he would feel like he would do anything he could to bring himself back to his family.

This did not go unnoticed by Yutu who could sense any form of love around him. He brushed it off in panic, clearing his mind from such disturbing thoughts. But he knew deep inside him that what's growing inside Arashi is a time bomb for their relationship.

The wind master got back on his feet and duster his suit off, sending a miserable 'I did it again….I'm so ashamed of myself' look at Yutu who returned a beaming smirk.

The moment she stopped giggling the noter in charge of the score board added yet another line next to Seiichiro's name.

"Anyone interested in some coffee?" the wind master asked, embarrassed at the sound of choked giggles and chuckles.

Yutu raised his hand and sent a kiss through the air to his lover. He could actually make them be felt, which often scared those who received them.

As Seiichiro walked to the coffee corner a man passed him by. Seiichiro was with his back to the man so he couldn't see him, he couldn't see the axe the man held in his hand.

This axe, the man said to himself over and over in his mind, had Love's name on its blade. Soon that name would be wiped off with Love's blood.

* * *

The moment the man walked into the infirmary Yutu could feel something coming; his heart ached like it did when a broken heart was in his vicinity. An unbearable sour taste spread in his mouth as if he bit down on a lemon.

Yutu raised his eyes to the door as the man opened it, he could tell something was about to happen.

"**You!**" the man barked out, pointing at Yutu with his axe "The one so called 'Love upon Earth' **HA!**" He took big heavy steps towards Yutu as he spoke.

"What seems to be the problem?" Yutu quickly scanned the area for any water to aid him as he got up to speak to the man. The only water was half a cup sitting on one of the Noter's desks, it wasn't enough! Damn it, he forgot his ninja whip in his room this morning!

The man didn't give him much time to think onwards as he began roaring again "You call yourself Love, protector of all those in love and with love BAH!

"You married me and my wife, remember? You know where she is now? **With another man**, that's where she is, the little **bitch**!".

He swung the axe towards Yutu.

Love evaded the blow elegantly, working his power at the pathetic amount of water near by him.

It merely served to hit the man in the face and blur his vision for a few second.

But the man was burning with anger and eaten by hatred. He closed down on Yutu and thrust the axe's blade against the water master's neck with one hand, holding said neck with the other.

"Now" he snarled into Yutu's face, informing him that he was inebriated beyond logical thinking "you'll feel the pain I feel, now you'll regret you didn't protect **my **love!".

He raised his arm to aim a hit at Yutu when wind razors slashed through the skin of his palm, another one slashed under his left eye and another at the palm holding Yutu's neck.

The man turned his gaze to an enraged Seiichiro standing at the doorway "Let him go!" he commanded.

The man did as he was told, examined his wounds, and snarled readying his axe to attack Seiichiro.

He was engulfed by wind again. A mini tornado roared around him, trapping him in a cone of fast moving air and the papers it swept with it.

Charlie burst into the room carrying a syringe filled with sedatives. He politely asked Seiichiro to create a hole in the spinning air gesturing for his syringe.

Once such a hole was made, Charlie fumbled inside the wind until he successfully injected the man with the sedatives. He watched the man through the hole for a while until he turned to Seiichiro "It's alright now, you can let him go".

The wind died down and the man flopped to the floor like a pile of discarded rugs.

"Phew that was close" Charlie theatrically wiped invisible sweat from his forehead, it was a hard night before today and he regressed into his Chaplin behavior. "I haven't used that technique in a long time…." He walked out without another word, bypassing Seiichiro as if he wasn't there.

Seiichiro hurried over to Yutu's side, the water master crouched on the floor holding himself tightly while rocking back and forth gently. His face was pale and expressionless. The bitter taste lingered on in his mouth.

Seiichiro wrapped his arms around Yutu, helping him back to his feet "Are you alright Yutu?"

Love nodded faintly "But that was close….I forgot that love isn't always hugs and kisses…no, it's jealousy, betrayal and pain…." He snuggled into Seiichiro's embrace.

* * *

Kakyou went for a walk with Meeeh and her new calf, Beeeh. The calf was born about a week ago and still wobbled a bit on his fragile little legs.

Kakyou took them on a walk everyday to build the baby's muscles up.

He picked up two ribbons from the now abandoned clothing shed and decorated his pets; Meeeh had a big pink ribbon and Beeeh had a smaller, light blue one.

Dimitri carved long walking stick slightly taller then Kakyou with a decoration at its end that looked a lot like Japanese art styled clouds.

Clouds, Kakyou thought, must be the closest thing Dimitri could find to dreams and his dreams were the only thing that Dimitri clearly knew about him.

The three walked deep into the thick forest, enjoying the bright day heating the pines under their feet until they released a pleasant refreshing smell.

Kakyou loved this east european forest. It made him feel like a character out of those western fairy tales, roaming around a magical forest looking for its hidden wonders and treasures.

This time he found mushrooms! A large bed of mushrooms in various shapes and patters, some brown, some white, some eggshell with dimples, some black with cracks through their hat.

Kakyou knew mushrooms were edible but knew that some could also be poisonous. He tip toed across the tiny forest of mushrooms, picking one of each kind to take it back for further examination. He had to gently hop back to stop Beeeh from nibbling at a random unidentified mushroom, thus discovering that he too could leap like any other Seal or Harbinger.

At the sight of the mushrooms Dimitri rose from the little table he was carving at the time and emitted a long impressed whistle, making his lover beam with happiness.

He tossed some mushrooms away at sight, some he sniffed for a long while before putting them in a basket they used to collect nuts and berries in the forest thus deeming them edible.

One type he seemed to be unsure about, he forgot if it was good or bad.

He took his carving knife and sliced the mushroom in half then smelled the freshly exposed flesh. He walked into the house and returned with half a lemon which he squeezed above the mushroom until a few drops of the juice landed on it.

The pale gray mushroom flesh blackened in seconds, Dimitri nodded at this and tossed both halves of the mushroom away.

By then Kakyou began feeling uncomfortable; his palms began itching madly.

Dimitri noted this and examined the delicate small palms; they were reddening, white spots began covering them between the deep red rashes. He shook his head sending an educating glance at Kakyou. One of the poisonous mushrooms he picked made caused an allergic reaction on his delicate skin.

By the time Dimitri returned with some herbs and a jar of butter, Kakyou's palms were burning and tears wallowed in his eyes. He still held out his palms, despite the pain that made him want to dip them in ice water.

Dimitri ground the herbs into a sticky paste, mixing it with some butter from time to time. He handed Kakyou the new paste's jar and returned to his carving.

Kakyou found himself a log to sit and treat himself on. He felt like a child who went out, did something stupid and now his mother told him to deal with it himself as a form of scolding him.

He sat there, rubbing the paste into his skin and pouting at Dimitri's back turned to him.

He pouted at Meeeh who was too busy fussing over Beeeh to note him.

No one here listened to him!...nah, Kakyou smiled to himself.

They had beef and mushroom stew that evening, a fine meal indeed.

It was the kind of meals that would stuff Dimitri into happy, domestic goo. The carver would put down his spoon and pet his belly gesturing the meal was most satisfactory. He'd smoke his pipe a while, shooting malicious looks at Kakyou, then drag the dreamgazer into bed to burn their newly gained calories off.

Not that Kakyou complained, oh, not at all. He snuggled up against the man in bed and let the afterglow sweep him into peaceful sleep.

Only this sleep wasn't peaceful.

The moment he opened his dreaming eyes he realized where he was.

The dark empty void around him, the heavy sensation of a prophetic dream; he was gazing at the future after the long break he had since Death began his war on Justice.

The squiggly multi colored blur that was Destiny stood before him wordlessly. Oh how he hater her sometimes.

He bent his head to the non existing floor feeling a depression ruining his wonderful afterglow. "Why am I here? Why am I here after I begged you not to give me dreams anymore? I had a nerve breakdown, I tried to kill myself! Isn't that enough to tell you that I don't want to be your Oracle anymore!" he raised his teary eyes to the blur before him.

"I do not remember releasing you from your duty" she said simply, her voice changing in tone and octave a few times as she spoke but still keeping the feminine quality to it.

Kakyou laughed to himself silently. "Releasing is a good word for it, it means I'm trapped"

"Do not be insolent Oracle, your personal business are none of my concern. Now look carefully upon this dream I bring you"

"What's it about?" Kakyou bettered his sitting position, understanding that looking like a rag doesn't work anything on this Destiny.

"Love was attacked today. It is something I will not accept. It has been long before I was able to find anyone capable of being Love so I intend to keep him alive. Now watch, Oracle, and spread the word"

The void changed before Kakyou's eyes in the usual 'T.V screen affect' as he called it.

Two men appeared on the screen: Love and Death.

The wind blew around them in the darkness, harsh wind like in a wild storm. It seemed that only one man was bothered by the wind; while Love winced and struggled to keep on his feet in the roaring wind, Death stood stable and undisturbed.

Death handed Love something. It was a strange looking huge gun; longer then probably necessary and a revolver rather then a pistol type. "This would protect you from now on" Death said as Love took the gun from his hand.

The dream ended.

Kakyou opened his eyes back into reality. He lay awake for a few hours, trying to analyze the dream to see if there were any signs of upcoming dangers he should hurry and warn someone about.

Obviously he had to tell this to Yutu because it was a dream about him getting something due to his attack today. The question was if it was such an important message that he had to convey it to Yutu _right now_ and leave the warm bed he was snuggled into. Dimitri was splayed half across him and getting up would only bother the both of them.

After some thoughts Kakyou decided it wasn't that important and returned to sleep. He'll tell Yutu tomorrow.

* * *

That night, while attending personal business, Love and his partner fell to the floor straight through their beds.

When they entered the room they had two separate beds and since free furniture were not so common around the city they simply joined their beds to one when they became lovers.

This falling down right through the middle happened from time to time and they got used to it, even joked about their being deeds so passionate the beds couldn't take it anymore (Seiichiro would shush Yutu's mad laughing down, blushing at the idea that the whole house might hear what he was laughing about).

Since it was a nerve wrecking day today they decided they had had enough of this nonsense.

The next morning they took a day off from the office and headed towards Dimitri's cottage.

Dimitri was a carpenter, making furniture in exchange for food as an occupation in this world.

They wanted him to make them a new double bed they won't fall through.

They borrowed two horses from the nearby Noters base and headed towards the forest.

"Yutu…." This was going to be uncomfortable to ask, but the question was bothering Seiichiro's mind for a while now.

"Yes darling?" it embarrassed Seiichiro when he called him that but Yutu loved seeing the man blush too much to stop himself from doing it.

"Were you….I mean, did you ever….what I mean to say is….were you always….you know….with men…." His face was on fire but at least he got the words out of his mouth.

Yutu's smile widened "Well, not really. I mean, I had my early years' experiments and experiences but I never really had a _relationship_ with another man. I sort of tried it once or twice and kept it as an option"

"A sexual option?"

"Not only that. You see…oh it's a bit of a long story but we do have some ride before us so I guess I'll tell you anyway.

"Maybe you haven't been dating around enough but Japanese women, and especially Tokyo girls, have this tendency to change themselves on the outside. They think their bodies aren't good enough compared with the western women they see on television and on Hollywood films so they do all sorts of crazy things to change their appearance and appeal to men.

"I'd often bring home a nice looking girl and find that she is wearing hair extensions, cushions in her bra and at the back of her underwear, heavy makeup and high heels. Of course that by the time she's home with me I wasn't sober enough to care about such things but I didn't like it when I woke up the next morning by to something that looked more like a sixteen year old boy then the woman I remembered bringing home.

"it's not that I didn't like them this way too, it's just that I felt like I'll never find anyone that's going to give me what they showed me the first time I see them. I came to the conclusion that if I was in a state to make love to something looking like a sixteen year old boy I might as well make love to a real one….well, not necessarily a _sixteen year_ _old_ one but…you catch my drift.

"That's when I told myself that if it's a girl I specifically like then it's the girl I'll be with and if it's a boy that I specifically like then I'll be with him"

Seiichiro was in silence for a while "So you didn't care?"

"No, I was more concerned about my love then what I'm in love with. I couldn't care less about what society had to say about it, if I was in love and happy then that's all I should care about.

"It's the same thing here with couples I help. Sometimes people approach me asking me why I married a couple from two different species. I tell them that all I see is the love within their hearts and not the body those hearts belong to. I always saw things that way"

"I see why you are Love"

Yutu smiled at him, Seiichiro was so cute sometimes. He wanted to kiss him.

* * *

They arrived at Dimitri's cottage at evening fall. By the time they arrived it was pitch black and the other side of the magical forest was revealed: blinding darkness and unfamiliar voids gaping between the suddenly somber looking trees.

The horses under them began taking slower, softer paces, shaking their heads in discontent at the unknown environment. Their riders were just as nervous as they too fought to see something in the dense and dark forest.

They arrived at the cottage weary and agitated.

Kakyou served them warm cups of tea with a merciful face "I suppose I got used to this forest after a while. I do remember how frightening it was when I first walked in it at night".

"Kakyou-san, are there any wolfs here?" Yutu asked, giving nervous little glances to the cottage's windows and the forest outside.

"Wolfs? No, non at all….there are some deer and hares but no wolfs…not a single predator in this forest if I'm not mistaken….but I'll ask"

he turned to Dimitri who was examining the sketch of the bed they wanted Seiichiro handed him. "Dimitri, volk?" he asked pointing at the doorway.

Dimitri screwed his face and shook his head "niet, niet" then he said something about Kakyou and wrapped a large arm around the dreamgazer's fragile shoulders.

Kakyou looked down hiding his reddening face from his guests "I don't understand everything he says but I'm starting to learn a few words here and there. He already knows how to say 'dream'….well, that's the only thing he knows but…" he raised his eyes back to his guests.

"He said that you're completely safe here and even if something will happen that's what he's here for" Yutu beamed.

Seiichiro and Kakyou blinked at him astonished.

"How do you know?" Kakyou managed to ask.

"Because he was talking words of love, I understand that" now Yutu was really beaming.

Seiichiro was still looking out of the window unsure of the outside which bothered Yutu so much.

After some thoughts he decided that a permanent city dweller like Yutu would be somewhat acrophobic out in the uncivilized wild thinking it to be filled with beasts and monsters.

If he didn't grow up in a temple deep in the Japanese forests before he moved to Tokyo, Seiichiro presumed, he would be just as worried as Yutu right now.

In his childhood he learned the magic of the forest's silence and how much better it was in comparison to the constant buzzing and beeping racket of the city.

Tssk, he thought, and _Yutu _was the one supposed to protect nature…

"Ah! Kigai-san! I just remembered something; I had a dream about you last night!" Kakyou placed his cup of tea on the dining table.

"Death was there and he handed you a gun, said that it'll protect you from now on. Lady Destiny said it was because you were attacked and she needs to keep you in one piece because it's taken her a long time before she found someone to fit the Love position"

Yutu stared at Kakyou in silence.

"What? But that's ridiculous!" Seiichiro spoke up, anger sneaking up into his words "He doesn't need anyone specific to protect him, certainly no one Death has anything to do with. I protected him very well back then and I could do it again, we spend most of our time together anyway" he looked at Yutu for approval.

"You don't come with me when I go visit Venus"

"Well you know why that is" the windmaster looked away, developing a light blush.

"So what if she's running around naked, it's okay to stare you know Seii-chan, I wouldn't be jealous".

It was a funny sight to see; the more Seiichiro edged away from Yutu as if to escape his words was the more Yutu leaned on to have those words heard more clearly. Finally Seiichiro almost lost balance on his chair and had to violently grab the table to keep himself upright. He sent a most reprimanding glare at Yutu who grinned happily back.

A loud crack sound from the outside snapped them all to attention. It was the sound of something big falling through the trees, snapping their twigs and shaking their limbs.

There was no sound of landing on the ground, only the sound of wood creaking.

Kakyou, who recognized the direction the sounds came from as his sheep pen, shot to his feet and out the door. Dimitri and the two visitors followed suit.

A few meters above Meeeh and Beeeh, who were just cuddling in with each other for the night, a man hung from a tree branch. He looked down at the four men who ran up to him and waved his hand awkwardly "Hello" he said in English.

"If he'll fall he could hurt my sheep!" Kakyou hurried into the pen and herded the sleepy beasts away from under the newcomer. He sent a few glares at the man hanging above him as if to reprimand him for landing _here_ of all places.

The man was wearing a long coat in a flaming shade of red with multiple black straps and buckles which surely acted as decorations rather then having a real practical purpose. His left hand was covered in black strips of leather like a long glove up to the middle of his arm. He had a bright blond spiky hair with three straight bright bangs that fell gracefully down to his face. He had big bright turquoise eyes and a beauty spot under the left one

As Kakyou herded the sheep away he stepped on something that crunched under his foot like a dry leaf. Now he raised it from the ground and saw it was a smashed pair of sunglasses with broken yellow lenses.

The man looked down at him and made a pained expression "Oh no, and I loved those glasses so much" he grieved, shedding a small dramatic tear.

Next a gun came falling down from the man, a large gun that made quite a painful thud when it hit the earth. If the sheep were not moved they would surely be hurt by the weapon.

But Kakyou didn't think about that; he stared amazed at the gun from his dream. He picked it up (with much effort for the gun was way heavier then he had imagined it to be) and stared at it.

"Errr, that's my gun there ma'am, I hope you won't try to shoot me with it" the man laughed nervously.

He received a death glare from Kakyou who knew enough English by now to understand that he was just mistaken for a woman….again.

"What is it Kakyou? What's with the gun?" Seiichiro called out from outside the pen.

"Ah! Japanese eh?" the man said, swinging his legs like a child on a swing set "wait, wait, I know this….." he straightened his body, clasped his palms together as if in prayer and bowed as much as he could in his position "Ko….konichi-waaaa".

Yutu burst into wild giggles. Seiichiro shook his head mumbling something about the stupid gaijin.

Kakyou still stared at the gun. He was joined inside the pen by Dimitri who examined the complex set of branches on the tree above them until he found a branch close enough. He half climbed the tree and began dealing heavy blows to the start of the branch the man hung from.

The man stared at him and whimpered (!) like a puppy. Finally, after a good few blows, the newcomer came crushing down on his rear end.

Instead of getting on his feet, saying something or trying to contain his pain, the man arched his back and grabbed his behinds squirming and rolling on the floor while squealing.

Kakyou pushed him away with his foot the moment he was close enough. He couldn't keep the annoyed disgusted expression off of his face.

The man got to his feet and limped out of the pen with the most painful expression on. "Where am I?" he asked looking around at the dark forest and his new companions.

"You are in the Lost Dimension that took you away from your original dimension into itself. We all came the way you did. Welcome!" Seiichiro answered looking the man up and down "What's your name sir?"

"Vash" he answered "can I have my gun back now, it's not good for people who don't know how to use it to handle it" he asked Kakyou who just stared at him back.

Yutu translated it for Kakyou and the dreamgazer returned the gun to its owner "That's the gun from my dream Yutu"

"Wait; did you just say Lost Dimension?" Vash turned back to Seiichiro, some recognition in his eyes.

"Yes, why, have you heard about it?"

"I sure did! From Alex, he told me he came from there, do you know him perhaps?"

Things started to click in Seiichiro's mind; this must be a man who knew Alex when he was looking for Kamui.

"Indeed we know him, how do you know him?" Yutu began leading them all back to the cottage, the night around them began chilling and it was better to sit and discuss things inside a warmer place.

Once they were inside the little house again, sitting to another cup of tea each, they began talking again.

"You knew Alex when he traveled worlds to find Kamui, is that correct?" Seiichiro turned his cup on the table.

"He did that? That's how he got to our world isn't it? Ah, that makes sense now…" Yutu nodded in understanding. The Harbingers didn't know the story of how Alex got to their world in the first place so Yutu and Kakyou were all ears now.

"You're Japanese right? Kamui, according to Alex, was Japanese too. Is he from your dimension? This Kamui that is" Vash gulped his cup of tea in one go and now began attacking the small plate Kakyou prepared with home made cookies and biscuits. He was stuffing his face with them, gaining some reproving stares from Seiichiro and Kakyou.

"Yes" Yutu answered, bowing his head a little.

"Oh wow! So he's here again now? Did he get Kamui back?" Vash's eyes were glittering with excitement, only he was talking about a somewhat uncomfortable subject.

"Well…..it's a delicate matter really…" Yutu looked away, feeling his chest ache whenever he thought about the broken heart involved.

"Oh he loves that boy" Vash didn't seem to have heard the last words judging by his tone "he went on and on and on about him endlessly! He could spend a whole day just talking about this Kamui kid.

"How his eyes are like this and his face is like that. How cute he looks when he does this and how clever he is to figure out that so soon….sometimes I could scream if I heard him say that name one more time. But I let him rave on, he really loves that boy so who am I to…."

The silence and the uncomfortable looks around him began giving Vash hints on the delicate matter ahead.

"What? What's wrong? He didn't get him? Was he too late? Was the Battle for the….what was it?" he spun his finger in the air as if to reel his mind into finding the right word "Earth thingie lost?...what?...did he get him in the end?"

"He did…..and then didn't….it's a long story…." Yutu answered with a sigh.

"So you knew Alex and you have this gun….you're here to be Love's protection…." Kakyou mumbled after sinking into thoughts for a while.

"Eh!"

"What! Him!" Seiichiro glared at Kakyou, gesturing at Vash who still had cookie crumbs around his mouth "He's….he's.…well look at him, he's worse then Sorata-san, surely she couldn't mean _this _would protect Yutu!"

The men around him were talking in Japanese again and Vash couldn't understand a single word they were saying. He stared at Dimitri who simply shrugged and left the tableside to look at the sketch of the bed again, leaving the other men to their business.

"Can someone please tell me, in English, what this is about?" he asked, sounding weary. At least he was serious for once. A sneaking suspicion began crawling at the back of his mind and he didn't like what it meant one bit.

"You're here to be my bodyguard, that's what he saw in his dream" Yutu answered, gesturing at Kakyou "He's an Oracle who foresees the future, he saw you coming here to be my protector".

Vash stared at him for a while, refusing to agree "Listen, I heard about this place and how people are brought here for purposes and stuff but….I can't be here, I have much more important obligations to do back home"

He was answered by uncomfortable silence. Seiichiro glared at him.

"No, honestly" he went on "I have things I have to do, things I _must _do or else….you really don't understand…I have to get back…my brother…."

"You think we want to be here!" Seiichiro snapped "We were taken away just like you! I was taken away from my wife and young daughter, don't you think I want to go back to my family too!"

Yutu clutched at his chest, feeling his own pain now.

Vash stared at the windmaster with a pained expression then bowed his head in defeat.

They stayed over at Kakyou's for a little while longer to get some things cleared about their bed with Dimitri, then left.

Vash had to be registered and relocated before he could start his new occupation so they headed towards the infirmary.

Before they left Vash took one last glance at Kakyou and frowned "Wait a moment!" he said, he was standing in the doorway with Yutu and Seiichiro already outside the cottage.

He pointed at Kakyou who leaned against the door wondering what it was now. "They said that you were a 'he' dreamy-thingy…..you're a _he_!"

The door slammed on him, pushing him out of the cottage and making him stumble to the ground.

Seiichiro looked away covering his face with his hand. This is going to be such a headache.

* * *

Seiichiro didn't like Vash to say the least. The man was a tall goofy clown who hung around them like silly a shadow.

Even if it was for Yutu's safety Seiichiro still didn't like the fact he wasn't thought of when Destiny looked for Love's bodyguard.

He had special powers, what did this blond idiot have that he didn't?

Vash was loud, foolish, clumsy, silly, gluttonous, annoying, mildly lecherous at times and often babbling to the point of extreme annoyance.

He stayed at the Rescue Team's main house and was kept as reserves there due to his unique speed at times of need and his weapons.

Besides the strange gun (Arashi mumbled something about it glowing with power she didn't like) his leather covered arm was in fact a fake one holding yet another small automatic rifle within it.

He was housed in Alex's old room. The story he heard of where his old friend is made him silent and sad for a while.

The reactions to Vash in Yutu's home were split in half: those who thought him rude and intolerable, and those who loved him to bits.

Arashi, Seiichiro and Karen (who swore that if he stares at her neckline and drool one more time he's toast, literally) couldn't stand his roaring laughter, the way he hung over whoever cooked dinner like a vulture waiting for his meal, how he'd gulp up those meals like a pig and how his size and clumsiness would disturb the wa (1) in the house.

Sorata, Yuzuriha and Kazuki loved Vash immensely. Sorata seemed to have found his true soul mate when it came to talking about women, food and joking around. Yuzuriha loved the way Vash was so clumsy and foolish at times. He cheered her up and made her feel a little less lonely now that Victoria wasn't around her.

Kazuki was probably the person who loved Vash the most; he could read her mental age off of her and the two would spend hours on end playing like little children in the back yard (they played in the house once, broke a chair and got scolded for an hour and a half by a seething Arashi).

Fuma, who was hanging around the house like a ghost even after both his arms were completely healed, had one conversation with Vash which was quite enough for him.

He walked into the house after an attempt to do court work.

Vash was in the living room playing cards with Yuzuriha, Kazuki and Sorata.

Karen watched over everything from time to time after she gave up trying to learn how to cook from Arashi.

Fuma stared at the new man in the house, puzzled at the strange looking clothes he wore. It's not like it was Vash's first time in the house nor the first time he was within eye contact with Fuma.

The teen was not himself lately, sometimes he simply didn't see things, or saw them but failed to fully register them. He had countless black and blue bruises on him from banging into things, including walls sometimes when his mind was in a complete daze.

Vash stared back just as amazed to see Fuma.

Karen was suddenly hit by a premonition of what might happen yet found she was frozen when it came to doing something to stop it from happening.

Vash got to his feet and walked closer to Fuma until their faces almost touched. The bright turquoise eyes examined Fuma's face close up.

Fuma stared back puzzled.

"You look like Alex" Vash said finally, pointing at Fuma victorious at his revelation.

Everyone else in the room, besides Fuma, cringed painfully.

Fuma glared at Vash and stormed away back to his room without a word.

Sorata banged his head against the card table.

Karen walked out to the back yard to have a cigarette.

Yuzuriha bit her bottom lip.

Kazuki stared slowly revising her knowledge of the house's social connections to figure out what happened. When she managed to get it right she sighed a little.

"What? What did I say?" Vash was looking from one face to another trying to understand what was going on.

He forgot about it two seconds later when the smell of Arashi's cooking hit his nose. He ran to the kitchen to look at the cooking process over Arashi's shoulder.

He received a nasty blow to the forehead from the wooden spoon the woman held at the moment.

He limped back to the card table's side with a nasty sauce covered welt starting to swell on his forehead.

Yuzuriha and Kazuki had to work hard to stifle their giggles.

Sorata sighed deeply "My honey is so strong" he almost wept with pride.

Vash only dug himself deeper into the wide collar of his red coat.

* * *

Dragging noises from the hallway woke Sorata from his afternoon nap before his upcoming night patrol. It sounded like four men were dragging something heavy down the corridor towards a room on its end. Several harsh scolds said in Seiichiro's voice told Sorata that Vash had something to do with it.

This morning he was woken up by similar noises as Yutu and Seiichiro rid themselves of their two single beds. These noises must mean they were dragging a new bed in.

it was a bit strange for Sorata to think about Seiichiro with Yutu, or any other man to be exact….or thinking of the windmaster with anyone who wasn't his beloved wife in general….but this dimension changed them all and they were both happy so why should Sorata object?

He got off his bed and dressed. He took the time to examine Arashi's sleeping form still in the bed. She was getting bigger. Sometimes when he thought about it Sorata's heart could explode with love and pride.

He opened the door and saw the moving job itself was finished. A line carved into the floor leading from the end of the staircase to Yutu and Seiichiro's room showed the bed they were dragging was a heavy piece of furnishing. Why didn't they call him for help?

He walked into the room and saw Yutu, Seiichiro and Fuma sitting and panting on the bed frame while Vash was struggling to keep the large mattress he was holding from falling on the three men.

"Hey guys, why didn't you call me to help you?" he managed to catch the mattress before it flopped down on the bed and its inhabitants. Vash made an apologetic expression at letting the thing slip.

"Don't be silly Sorata-kun, you were taking your rest with Arashi, we didn't want to bother you" Yutu waved it off happily, starting to beam again.

"Oh ha ha ha! It's not what you're thinking! We were only sleeping!" Sorata roared making Fuma and Seiichiro start moving about awkwardly, each from their different reasons.

"That's alright. You know you can do more if you want to, it's alright"

"Kigai-san!" it was probably the first thing Fuma said after a long period of silence he had since Kamui's kidnapping. He glared at Yutu "That's enough"

Yutu had a flash of the Dragon of Earth Fuma for a second there and shut his mouth immediately.

The rest blinked at the youth, shocked at the harshness in Fuma's voice. Seiichiro noted how suddenly old and bitter Fuma seemed.

"So where did you get this bed from? It looks brand new!" Sorata ran his hand on the smoothly polished wood of the bed frame.

"You know Kakyou's boyfriend Dimitri? He's a carpenter so we ordered a bed from him. He sort of feels like he owes us since the time Kakyou tried to kill himself"

Kakyou having a boyfriend, on the other hand, did not surprise Sorata one bit. In fact, he was surprised when Arashi told him that Kamui told her that Subaru told him that Kakyou was once broken hearted over the death of Subaru's sister who was apparently his _girlfriend_

"Wow….so, how did you get it through to him what you want from him?"

"You bring him a sketch with measurements and about two or three days later it's ready! You only have to write a few types of measurements because I'm not sure which he works by"

Sorata was deep in thought now. He was staring at a delicate little carving on the headboard. It was an intricate set of intertwining lines that wove amongst each other to form a heart shape. It was an impressive work of art.

"Did he carve this too?"

"He carved it but he didn't design it" Yutu ran his fingers lovingly on the wooden grooves. "A noter in our office doodled it and I loved it so much we added this to the sketch of the bed.

Fuma left the room without a word. The room seemed to have lightened up after his departure.

"So he can do things like that…." Sorata was talking to himself "Well, thanks anyway, tell me if you need any help okay? Don't be shy now!" he walked out of the room waving Vash goodbye.

An idea came to his head shining like a star the way that all his ingenious ideas came to be.

So far he and his honey didn't do much to prepare for the baby. Sure, it was due to some time from now but it still needed preparing for didn't it?

Arashi would be so proud of him if he started making things for the baby to come, wouldn't she? She would be happy to see that he's already preparing a nest for their child.

The room earlier belonging to Kusanagi, Nataku and Fuma was now empty and free. The inhabitants of the house all agreed without hesitation that this room will be the baby's future room. Right now it was an empty room with three unused beds, no cabinets or cupboards.

The baby would need a cradle, and a little cabinet to keep its clothes in, maybe some space where they could change its diapers on. A chair for the mother or father to sit on while watching the baby or while breastfeeding….so many things to take care of….

These furniture probably cost something, surely Dimitri didn't work for free…never mind, Sorata would save up and get the furniture one by one until this room would be full and ready for their child!

But there's a problem: he and any form of drawing were worlds apart. He couldn't even write kanji properly! He was often mocked at by his fellow monks that when he drew the markings they always ended up looking like something completely different.

So how the hell would he make a _sketch_ of the furniture he wanted to make!

As he walked with his head heavy in thoughts he passed by the girls' room where he caught a glimpse of Kazuki. She was sitting on the floor with pages and crayons scattered in a little chaos all around her. She was literally bent over a page working feverishly on her art. She even stuck her tongue out with the effort.

Without thinking Sorata walked into the room and sat down by Kazuki, pulling out a crayon he accidentally sat on. "What are you drawing there Kazuki-chan?" he lowered his tone by the end of his sentence when he saw the page. It was covered by blotches of red in various tones. Was she drawing something she remembered from her Nataku days? He dreaded the thought.

She raised two big proud eyes to him and yanked the page from the floor. She nearly slammed it into his face, stopping inches from his nose "LOOK!"

"Y…yes….ummm….what is it?" he tried to sound like it wasn't so gory and revolting in appearance, it was far too close to him to notice any specific details anyway.

"It's a sheep giving birth!"

"Ah!" he sighed with relief inwardly and yanked the page away from his eyes enough to see the details.

Sure enough, there was a sheep with in various stages of birth drawn there. The page was in fact not a still picture but a square-less comics of the sheep in various stages of birth. The details were actually quite well drawn so that Sorata could tell what was going on.

First the sheep was seen with its mouth open as if saying something. Then it was sitting down with a pool at its rear. Then the red blotches started showing the birth itself and the sheep bending its head backwards to look at herself. Finally, after several other reddened panels, a little lamb was drawn sitting with its head upright and its mother by it. The physical details, as often sickening as they were, were astonishingly well made and exact.

Sorata examined the drawing with an impressed expression.

"Kazuki-chan, you have quite a gift for this you know? I've never seen a sheep give birth but now I know how it looks like. You really know how to draw"

She beamed a huge proud smile and blushed a bit. She took the page from him and re-examined it, adding a line or two here and there. "It's not finished yet" she frowned at it.

"Never mind, it's very _very_ good" he ruffled her hair fondly. It was long enough to reach down her face in soft long white bangs.

An idea came to Sorata, perhaps she could help him!

"Kazuki-chan, could you help me with something?"

She turned eager eyes to him, awaiting his words.

If there was one thing that Kazuki loved it was helping people about. Helping made her feel like she's not completely useless.

The realization that the Battle was over and that she, who was literally _made_ for the Battle, is left redundant hit her harder then she let it show or realized it herself. When she first came to this world she felt like a great big empty void on two legs and nothing more.

After the incident with her possessed dress her self esteem fell so low that she seriously considered suicide, though she never conveyed it to anyone including her shrink. Working as the vets' assistant was her lifesaver.

She worked all her energies into helping whenever she could.

Once she accidentally even worked her powers on the kitchen towel while dishwashing in order to dry the wet dishes. She scared Seishiro, who was in dishwashing duty at the time, half to death.

If Subaru hadn't laughed and praised her for it she would have spent that evening in her bed crying about being reckless and useless sometimes.

"I want to make a gift for Arashi but I don't know how to make it and I'm not good at these sort of things so…." Sorata hung hopeful eyes at her.

Kazuki nodded enthusiastically before he even finished his sentence.

They sat in the room planning and drawing drafts until dinner was done and the two were called downstairs.

Kazuki hid the final sketch under her mattress like a treasure so that Arashi might not accidentally see it if she was ever to enter the room. She overly fussed around the task like the child she was really.

They came up with a rough sketch of a cradle with a detailed carving of Arashi and Sorata holding a baby at its headboard. The two were drawn inside a big heart, their faces smiling as they looked down at their precious child.

Sorata looked at the drawing and his heart overflow with love. Tomorrow he'll take a day off and go to hand the sketch over to Dimitri along with measurements he'll take today while Arashi was busy with dish washing and couldn't see him plotting about.

* * *

Kazuki, who was _very_ exited about her part in the surprise Sorata was planning for Arashi, babbled about it endlessly to Anthony's ears.

"And they are holding a baby in their arms, and they're both looking very happy! Oh it's going to be so beautiful! Arashi-san will be so happy! I can't wait to see the look on her face!" she clapped her hands excitedly. She was standing up to her heels with reeling chickens she was supposed to catch and assist Anthony with.

The aging man sighed deeply and shook his head. Kazuki was always helpful and efficient but when she was swept up by something exciting she was almost deaf dumb and blind to the world around her. Gladly that didn't happen very often and when it did he knew how to handle it.

"What's the expression on the baby's face?" he asked, picking up a chicken and dealing it with the vaccine they were here to give.

Kazuki rolled her eyes to the sky trying to remember "….The baby is sleeping soundly I think…." Her expression suddenly darkened "Do you think I should have drawn him smiling too?" she was honestly worried now "Sorata-san already took the sketch to Dimitri and change can't be put in anymore!" her eyes started tearing.

Anthony smiled kindly at the panicking bioroid "If the carving is on a cradle then it's obvious the baby would be sleeping, that's what they're supposed to do when they're in a cradle Kazuki"

Kazuki's face brightened again and a great smile cracked out "Yes! Then it's perfect isn't it? but I should tell Sorata not to give the second sketch to Dimitri yet so I can make a new one with the baby smiling" by now she was out of her cloud of thoughts enough to pick another chicken and hold it to Anthony for treatment.

"Another sketch? He wants more then just a cradle?" he brought his wrist to his mouth to suck on a fresh scratch the chicken carved into his skin with her claws. "Hold their legs better next time, they might seem stupid but they're devilish little bastards when they want to"

Kazuki nodded, blushing deeply at the language, and picked a new chicken so that its claws were securely held "Yes, Sorata-san wants to make a whole new room for the baby. Next is a cabinet for baby clothes and diaper changing and then there's a rocking chair…." She released the now vaccinated chicken and grabbed another one.

"That's a lot of furniture, is he sure he has the currency for it? You guys get your food from the Rescue Team fond but you're all eating off of it too, right?"

Kazuki nodded, released the chicken and picked the last one.

"Do you still get the food for the people Death took away?"

She shook her head.

"No….I thought so, food is getting scarce now….as much as making a room for the baby is important I'm sure keeping the mother and father from starvation is equally important…." He wiped his hands on his working apron and sank into thoughts.

They received their pay from the farmer and walked towards their horses now. Anthony was slacking behind Kazuki's fast skipping pace as his mind slowed his legs.

Kazuki turned to look at him questioningly "What's wrong?"

He reached to the food basket the farmer handed him as pay and checked its content. There was a dead plucked chicken, three potatoes and four small corn cobs; these should do for at least one of the future furniture.

He walked to Kazuki and clasped her palm on his basket's handle "Here, give this to your friend to pay Dimitri with" he was stroking her palm as he spoke.

Kazuki stared at him, then at the basket, then at him again "Are you sure? Won't you be hungry?" her eyes were already tearing with gratitude and happiness.

He shook his head and smiled, pressing both hands on her palm warmly "We've been busy lately with the sheep's lambing season and I have piles of food at home. I won't starve without this. They need this more then I do, they have a baby to prepare to, I'm a lonely old man. And please tell him not to thank me too much, Japanese people are too polite for their own good sometimes" with that he mounted his horse and rode away.

He left Kazuki behind, standing by the farm swooning with joy.

When Blue Fairy drove her canoe by, attracted by the mental warmth emitting from the bioroid, she received a shower of information as she gave Kazuki a lift to her home.

Kazuki stormed into Sorata's room the moment she entered the house, startling Arashi and the monk from their midday sleep. She had to contain her happiness to whispers when she told Sorata about Anthony's contribution so they won't wake the sleeping priestess.

She didn't manage to contain herself from jumping up and down with excitement though.

* * *

Two weeks later the cradle was ready. There were several misunderstandings about the measurements due to translation problems between the monk and the carpenter, but finally Sorata had his first gift. The day he came to pick the cradle up he brought with him a sketch of the diaper changing cabinet, also decorated with the same carving only with a smiling, well diapered baby.

He leaped his way there to get there fast; he had other things to do today after all.

That evening it was Sorata's turn to make dinner and it was already getting late. Arashi climbed the stairs to wake him from what she presumed was a lazy afternoon nap stretching into the early evening time. Sometimes Sorata could be just as lazy as he was loud and enthusiastic.

She didn't find him in his room. Strange.

"Sorata….Sorata, where are you?" she had to walk by the deserted onmyoujis room as she looked for him. The gaping empty space gave her the creeps and she became angry at Sorata for making her do this.

Her lower back began complaining about her body's change of balance and she preferred not to walk unless necessary.

"Wait a minute honey! Don't come in yet!" came her husband's shout from the spare room.

They wedded just a little before the whole Justice/Death war began, in the days when the house wasn't so silent with tension and sadness that seemed to be oozing from Fuma wherever he walked.

It was a humble little ceremony, carried only due to Arashi's conventional opinion that if she is to bare a child then she should at least be married to it's father even if no one from their temples (the closest thing they had for families) was here to see them.

Times like these, when Sorata would come up with some silly romantic surprise that mostly ended up in embarrassment or discomfort for Arashi, made her regret her new title as his wife sometimes.

There was the attempt to make a romantic onsen for two which nearly led to a fire in the whole house.

There was the romantic covering of their bed with flower petals but the only flowers around were Venuses' daises that for some reason made Arashi sneeze until she nearly lost her balance and fell…so many romantic attempts….so embarrassing….

"You can come in now!" his voice tore her from her uncomfortable thoughts.

Oh god, what was he up to now? By his tone it's another one of his silly little plans…what now!

A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the empty room, a second hand covered her eyes.

Oh no, it's one of _those_ surprises….can't he tell she wasn't in the mood for things like _that_….and in an empty room of all places….oh god…

Her mind froze in shock the moment the hand covering her eyes was removed and she could see the real surprise.

She couldn't move her limbs; she was far too amazed to command her body.

There, in the middle of the room, stood a perfectly _new_ baby cradle. The future father stood by it, beaming with pride and moving nervously awaiting her reaction.

She knew that if this is going to be their child's room then it's going to need a bed for the baby and the thought of getting a used one disgusted her horribly. But this….a new one…..god….

She walked towards the cradle feeling like she was in a dream. Oh let this not be a dream!

She ran her fingers on the smooth sweet smelling wood, on the soft newly made mattress (feathers courtesy of the farmer Kazuki helped with his chickens, mattress case courtesy of Karen's sowing, patience to find a decent fabric courtesy of the firemaster, Ace and Spike who helped her in the crowded shed) and her head spun. This was _real!_

She raised large fogy eyes to her husband "How did….where….oh Sorata" she whispered, covering her mouth with her hands ashamed of her sudden lack of words to thank him. Her palms were shaking, her eyes welled up with tears.

Sorata walked towards his wife and circled his arms around her, gently bringing her body close to him. He buried his nose in her hair, planting a kiss at the top of her head. "I promised I'll do all I could to be the best father. A cradle is a start ne? The guys helped out too…" his mouth was shut by a kiss from his wife.

Smiling into the kiss, he ran his fingers across her cheek, wiping away tears shed in joy. She didn't really need words to thank him, this was just enough.

* * *

Downstairs Yutu took a deep breath feeling the wonderful rewarding warmth spread in his chest.

He was stocking food from his lunch for the past few weeks to help the couple with their future furnishing.

He helped Karen break into David's well locked shed to get the fabric for the mattress case.

He married this couple off, he put a guarding Love spell on their relationship through the future hardship of child bearing and raising.

This little moment of happiness was his reward for a job well done.

It was evening time by now and though the living room was darkening no one was around to light any candles yet. Yutu's shining suddenly illuminated the room as if a hundred candles were lit all at once.

Vash walked in with the two coffee mugs he was making them and smiled as he saw his Love in this condition.

"What's up Yu-Yu? Who's rubbing fuzzies up there?"

Yutu only smiled back at him without a word, choosing to preserve the moment with silence.

(tbc)

* * *

(1) The sense of domestic peace and harmony which is an essential part of Japanese families. 


	22. Kamui's Companion

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

A.N: another not-planned-in-advance chapter. This came to me after reading Hellsing 4. I never knew there were ukes in shonen manga ;p

* * *

**Part 22 – Kamui's Companion**

Seishiro went to the forest to hunt.

Their traveling had brought them next to yet another forest. This one was huge, spreading across the horizon like a deep green rug all the way to the feet of a distant chain of mountains. Little lush bright green meadows dotted the forest here and there, dotted themselves by little flowerbeds in a rich colorful mix.

The air was clear here, fresh with the smell of often falling rain and sweet-smelling. Several small lakes scattered around the forest, some of which were hot water springs.

These the Japanese in the group enjoyed to no end. The moment steam coming from the ground was spotted by Subaru he wildly turned his horse and, once his suspicions were confirmed, rode back to camp with only one word in his mouth: "onsen!".

They spent the next three days basking in the warm water doing very little beyond that.

This served Alex nicely because it was the thing that made Kamui first walk out of his tent to attempt with others.

Kamui mostly sat boiling in the steaming water with Subaru or lying in the sun to dry off after a long soak. They spoke a lot, slowly mending the holes torn into their friendship.

Seishiro couldn't tolerate it.

In his world he watched as his Subaru-kun found a new friend to share his pain with. Back then there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind; Kamui might distract his Subaru-kun from him until he wouldn't care about him anymore.

The thought came back; it nagged even more because Seishiro became so much more involved with Subaru. It was open jealousy now.

Whenever Kamui and Subaru spent too much time talking Seishiro would stomp into their conversation and take Subaru away. Sometimes he was just about to do that when Alex walked over and distracted him.

Hunting was his suggestion of a better way to spend time.

Hunting was a brilliant idea. Seishiro didn't know how much he missed everything about the hunt itself until he killed the first deer all by himself.

Once, in his world, he hunted humans and saw his strength in that. Here, without a tree to kill humans for, he felt himself weakening.

He had almost forgotten the thrill of the chase, the intellectual stimuli of observing the hunted animal, the joy of the kill.

Alex once taught him how to use a bow and arrow they set off together, returning with the evening's meal across their shoulders.

Once again Seishiro had blood dripping down on his hands and it felt great. What was even better was that Subaru wouldn't be able to scold him or hate him for these kills; all he did was to bring everybody their dinner meat.

Seishiro went hunting alone more and more, discovering that when he didn't have the all powerful source of help beside him he felt himself becoming better. If a wild boar would attack them when Alex was there Seishiro would need to do nothing to help himself survive. When he was alone it was all up to him and it felt great.

Amongst these thick green walls is where Seishiro discovered himself anew. Where he learned that his own strength did not come from a tree in Ueno Park but from the magical power and spells he learnt for years. Here he finally came to a realization that he was not half a man without the sakura, as he thought so far, he was complete and strong even without it.

All this time he walked amongst people feeling like a captive soldier whose weapon was taken from him. He tolerated everything, worked hard to fit in with the rest because he knew he had lost his ability and reason to keep hiding in the shadows aloof. Here he learnt he was himself again, he had his weapon back.

His thoughts were torn back to reality when he heard a soft crushing sound under his foot. He looked down at the soft forest bed and saw that, as he walked around sunk in his thoughts, he stepped on the skull of a small mammal.

Remembering Alex's words he began carefully looking at the ground to see if there were any others like this. Death had told him that where there's a gathering of bones from different animals, a predator's resting place or den is.

Seishiro has yet to develop a true forest hunter's eyes and so he had to examine the area for a long time before he could see the great picture come out of the little details:

The broken and bend branches slowly became trails of the predators' steps towards his cave. The gathering of bones became the exact spot where the predator would sit to feast. The holes in the ground and the pile of earth heaped sloppily into a little mound became the den the predator dug for himself.

Seishiro blinked at this big picture and felt a small surge of delight at the thought of how he gained yet another hunter's skill.

His thoughts were distracted by another cracking sound. This one was of a broken twig and was not caused by his feet. He wove a maboroshi around himself and moved smoothly away from the den to perhaps get a glimpse of the incoming predator before it entered his domain. He hid himself behind a thick bush from where he could observe the den clearly.

But the predator could still sense him and made no move. The mere disappearance of the intruder wasn't enough.

Remembering that most predators have a good sense of smell and the simple maboroshi he wove did not conceal this, Seishiro switched to a different illusion. This one was ancient and served his ancestors back when their pray was often guarded by dogs.

Finally the predator sensed the danger passed and walked into his den.

Seishiro saw a boy with a dead wild hare in his hand stepping carefully into his home's territory.

The boy's steps were far better then what Seishiro will ever achieve in forest secrecy, he seemed to be a forest animal himself rather then a human as he appeared. Seishiro wouldn't give the boy more then Kamui's years by the delicate body frame and good skin condition.

The boy had a mop of mucky wheat colored hair, dirt, leaves and small twigs clinging to it at the edges. To the sides of his head, laying flatly and aimed backwards a little, a pair of fringy black ears like a dog's stuck out.

Seishiro blinked at that, a human with dog ears…strange. He was definitely the predator to whom this den belonged. He wasn't, to Seishiro's disappointment, this session's kill due to his human appearance and lack of edibility. Still, observing this boy would surely prove fascinating.

There was a somewhat disturbing thing about the boys' outfit though, something that rang a dim bell somewhere at the back of Seishiro's mind.

Though dirty and torn here and there, the brown color of the boy's short sleeved shirt and short pants was obvious, it was what rang the bell and made Seishiro scrutinize his outfit onwards.

He had a black strap from his right shoulder to the left of his black pants. The hare in his hand was strangled by a black tie around its neck, a tie that surely once belonged to the boy. He had long socks that almost reached up to his knees with a white stripe before their end.

He wasn't wearing any shoes; he tip toed across the forest letting his feet tell him about the ground he was stepping and choosing the soft padded sole of his feet over the hard senseless sole of a shoe.

Alex would do the same when he was hunting, it helped him make no noise and sense when he might step on something dangerous.

Seishiro didn't know exactly where to place the boy's mucky outfit until the little dog-eared youth crouched to the floor by his den to smell his observer's footprints. It was then that he placed both his hands to his side and, on one raised arm, Seishiro could see a broad band wrapped around the bottom of his left sleeve.

The color of the ribbon was black. The color of the circle on the ribbon was burning red. The background inside the circle was white. The swastika inside the circle was black.

A vicious smile slowly spread across Seishiro's lips. True, he couldn't bring this boy as a juicy meal like the various deer, boars or birds he had brought before. These would be accepted with praise in the camp.

He couldn't bring this boy as a trinket of the forest like a cast away deer horns he found once, or the colorful large feather he found in another time. These trinkets he'd give Subaru as a present.

This boy was indeed a juicy prey, but not _his_ prey. He would gain great praises for this boy and many thanks too. He'll bring this boy to Alex and David, surely they'll know what to do with him better then he ever will.

As the boy noted his observer's smell trails disappeared half way across his den he shrugged most humanly and began preparing the hare in his hand for eating.

Seishiro placed an arrow on his bow and entered the right position. He stretched the sinew made string, feeling that little jolt of excitement from power gathering to one spot preparing to be launched, and released the arrow at the youth.

The arrow hit the boy right through his shoulder, staying there still wobbling a bit with the force of its release. The boy screamed and whimpered something in german.

Seishiro's smile widened, thinking of how perfect the boy was of his kind and how even more delighting it would be for his Death to torment.

The youth grabbed the arrow and tried to pull it out screaming in pain when he found he couldn't.

Seishiro waited for the moment for his prey to put himself into enough panic to be weakened mentally as well as physically before he'll step into the scene.

The boy got to his feet, stumbling here and there as he tried to look across his shoulder at the other end of the arrow. When he collapsed to the ground in pain he heard, again, the footsteps of another man near his den. He smelled this stranger to be his den's earlier invader.

Through the disrupted hairs falling across his face the boy looked up and saw a tall Asian man in a neat black suit smiling down at him. The man had one blind white eye and one golden beaming with malice. He saw the bow in the stranger's hand and the quiver hung across his back. He cringed.

Suddenly he was under some sort of spell. Fog spread inside his head, sending him into sleep. The boy closed his eyes and collapsed on the ground completely. A sleep spell to quiet him while Seishiro carried him to camp.

Seishiro raised the limp boy to lay him across his shoulder. He was surprised at how light the boy was and how thin his frame. He must have come from a world where he wasn't out in the forest, and though he had good animal instincts, he was not raised in his natural environment so now that he lived here he hardly caught enough food and starved a little.

Whoever he is, whatever his strange black ears meant it didn't matter for long did it? Alex would probably have the boy dead after a long torture so why bother with questions about something that's as good as dead?

As he walked towards the exit of the forest he saw David walking out of the forest towards the camp as well. The undertaker had a huge pile of twigs tied across his shoulder. He seemed oblivious to Seishiro's steps nearing him. Not until he beckoned him did David note Seishiro's existence, he was somewhere in his own world.

"David! Hello!" Seishiro waved his hand in the air beaming brightly. It was most uncharacteristic of him to do but he couldn't wait to see the look on the fire keeper's face when he sees the boy, it'd be a preview to Alex's reaction.

David merely stared at him raising one eyebrow in question. Then his eyes focused on Seishiro's unusual prey. The quiver that hung to Seishiro's left hid most of the boy's outfit but from the human legs dangling on Seishiro's front David could see it was something other then tonight's dinner.

"What is it you brought? You found a person?" he walked towards the hunter who stood grinning happily.

"Look what I found" Seishiro couldn't hold the excitement and glee out of his voice when he turned himself around so that David could see the band on the boy's left arm.

David's face froze from all expression but his eyes slowly began burning. It seemed he was trying to skewer the symbol itself with his deadly stare. "What are you going to do with it?" he asked in a voice cold and hard as steel.

Seishiro cringed inwardly at the powerful cruel glare turned at him now "I'm going to bring him for Alex to see too, then you can play with him as much as you want"

David nodded and began walking with Seishiro towards Alex's tent.

The boy was awake by the time his capturer met up with David. The other man's name told the boy to shut his mouth tightly and keep playing dead.

* * *

Alex added yet another bright green cloud-like shape to the map he was making.

He thought it his duty, as someone who still saw himself as Ace's friend, to keep on making the map the hologram worked on so well.

Ace loved strategy and maps so when he traveled he couldn't help making a map of where he's been. This war/journey was a perfect opportunity for him to extend that map until most of their world was revealed and known. When he'll return he'll show him these new maps and together he and Ace could make a full globe map of this dimension.

The thought of sitting together with Ace sent a small shiver through Alex and he brushed the thought away quickly.

Seishiro and David burst into his tent like a storm just as he dipped his brush in a bright shade of blue to represent the various springs and lakes they came across. A shout of his name from David made Alex almost drop his paintbrush on the carefully dyed map.

He turned around hoping that what he's done this time wouldn't be too much of a hassle. The very fact that Seishiro and David, two very different and most unsocial men, walked into his tent _together_ made him happy. He hoped to work on the social bonds between the various camp members and apparently something worked.

He forgot about it all when Seishiro dropped the boy to the ground where he lay on his belly, his band arm splayed so that Alex could see the symbol on it.

Just like David's eyes, Alex's burned green fire at the very sight of it.

"Where" he growled "did you find it?"

"In the forest, apparently he was living there for some time; he had a den there and…."

"It doesn't matter, it's as good as dead" David growled, sending a kick to the boy's groin.

The boy whimpered and curled a little on the floor.

"**Shut up!**" is what he received from Alex and another kick to the ribs.

"He has these funny black dog ears as you can see…." Seishiro hoped to get some sort of a descent conversation from the two who seemed to be sunk in their blinding rage.

"Yes….he's a werewolf, a cub at that" Alex circled the curled boy who had given up on any hope to receive anything more then blows.

"A werewolf cub you say? How do you know that?" Seishiro crouched by the boy's head taking his time to examine the ears while they still had blood pumping through them.

"I saw werewolves in some of the worlds I traveled through…none of them where like this though." Alex pulled his sword out, poking the boy in the ribs with it. "They were more hairy, not so….esthetically human"

Seishiro took one ear and raised it a little, noting the soft silken fur covering it.

Sensing a soft harmless touch, the boy raised his head to look into the eyes of the man who captured him. Something about him wiped the smile off of his capturer's face.

As the boy's eyes made contact with Seishiro's and his dirty face was completely seen by Seishiro, a numbing shock spread through his mind.

True, the boy's hair was wheat colored and not raven but under the dirt was Kamui's face staring back at him.

"Oh my…." Is all he managed to mumble 'this is going to cause some trouble' he thought.

Noting there was some sort of an effect to his face, the boy filled with hope. He noted the man he was brought to, the man with the mucky turquoise boots, was these other two men's obvious leader so he aimed his pleading to him.

He crawled to where the boots now stood and grabbed them forcefully. He raised his eyes to the man glaring fire down at him. Tears gathered in his eyes, tears of despair. "Please….." he whimpered, begging for his life. The number on the man's right arm made him heavily doubt his pleads will work something but he still begged "Please, don't kill me….."

Alex stood frozen with the boy crying at his feet, not making a sound or moving. All he could see was Kamui with blond hair and black dog ears….and a swastika on his armband…..but _Kamui_, crying to him…..and…._that_….symbol….

His head spun madly, his vision fogged around the boy's face. Nothing like this ever happened to him and the storm within him threatened to destroy him. He focused himself on the harsh nausea that spread inside him to pull himself out of the storm.

Now it became so bad he shook the boy off of him and stormed out to spew everything he had in him out.

* * *

Kamui picked Seishiro carrying something human across his shoulder at the corner of his eye. He stopped to frown at the sight of David tagging along like a puppy and the two men walking into Alex's tent together.

Who was it that they brought for Alex to see? The brown of the boy's clothes rang a bell in Kamui's mind and so he walked over to the tent to investigate further.

He hadn't spoken to Alex in a long time. His memory returning fully in view of their last conversation only made Kamui wish to limit their time in each other's presence to as minimal as possible.

Something told him to investigate this boy and so he walked to the tent despite the knowledge that he'll have to start a conversation with Alex.

Seishiro's presence there didn't help Kamui's awkwardness. The more Kamui spent time with Subaru was the more he hated Seishiro and dug into his opinion that the assassin should be killed.

Just as he was about to enter the tent he was almost knocked off his feet by Alex storming out and brushing against him. Death crouched by the tent and violently threw up this morning's breakfast. What on earth made Alex react so harshly!

He walked into the tent to another unusual sight. David was pacing the room cursing under his breath while mentioning his name and Alex's here and there in his language.

Seishiro stood awkwardly near the entrance, rubbing the back of his neck with a confused expression on his face.

On the floor sat a mucky boy about his age with black ears and clothes that explained Kamui why he was brought to Alex and why David followed the assassin like a puppy dog waiting for his meal.

Kamui sighed deeply, whomever, whatever this boy is he's going to be dead very soon so he better leave before they start shedding blood.

He didn't mind the boy's punishment. His memory's return meant his memory of Alex's story returned too. He had no mercy in him.

But what about this boy made Alex hurl his meal out? The answer came very quickly. The boy raised his eyes to Kamui, getting the same reaction from him as he got from Seishiro.

Kamui's resemblance to himself aided the boy's hope. He crawled to Kamui's feet, grabbing his pants bottoms as he did with Alex's boots. This time it worked, Kamui crouched by him, examining his face.

This boy looked _exactly_ like him! Kamui felt disgust mixing with his surprise as well and for a moment he wanted to storm out and join Alex in his activities.

But the boy was crying desperately, miserably. There was no malice or anything in him now, he was a condemned man begging for his life.

"Please…please…..help me….zey…..zey vant to kill me….." the boy wept, burying his face in his dirty hands.

Kamui swallowed down his disgust. He had to clear his mind in order to help this boy. There was something to him beyond the clothes he wore, something that, if Kamui insisted upon it, could save his life.

He embraced the boy, sitting traditionally on the floor in preparation for a long conversation. The boy curled up into his embrace, digging his head under his arm like a frightened dog. Of course, he must be something like that with those strange ears pocking out of his head.

The boy was shaking under his embrace. His tears soaked into Kamui's shirt.

"Listen, whatever you do, don't talk, your accent will only upset them, let me do all the talking" he whispered to the boy, monitoring David's proximity to them.

The boy raised his teary eyes to Kamui's "You….you mean you'll help me?" he whimpered.

"Yes now be quiet…and get that arm off of me!" he snarled back, referring to the boy's left arm and its ribbon.

The boy lowered his ears in surrender and looked away to David. He cringed as the undertaker discovered Kamui's 'adoption' of the boy.

"**AAAAAALEEEEEEEX!**" David roared in rage.

Alex wobbly walked back into the tent. His eyes were weary, grave and angry. He looked down at Kamui who looked up at him neutrally.

He stared at the two for a while, analyzing the headache about to unfurl upon him.

Seishiro left the tent realizing he was now quite redundant. He wondered if it was a good thing to bring the boy to the camp in the first place.

"Kamui, what are you doing with _that_?" is what Alex managed to say after calming himself enough to sound sane.

"He's hugging him Alex" David stomped over to Death's side "and I know exactly what's going to happen next so don't start talking yet brat" he said, pointing at Kamui who merely stared back in cold surprise.

"He's going to argue about why we shouldn't kill the boy before a proper trial. And no matter what I'll say, this brat, who knows shit about any of this, will make a pretty face and say 'please'. Then you'll melt into a little pool and let him have his way. I know exactly what's going on and it's making me sick! Will you forgive anything if it had to do with this brat?"

A long tense silence spread through the tent.

Kamui stared at David angrily knowing his words were too true to be brushed off.

Alex glared at David, torn between his Kamui interests and his friendship. David's words after he hit Kamui with a shovel still rang in his ears. Those who stab him in the back, those who are his brothers….

The youth shivered in Kamui's embrace watching the two men stare each other down.

"I'm not going to make a pretty face and say please" Kamui cut through the silence his voice clear and mature. "Nor am I going to say that he deserves a trial before his death" he had to soften their hearts before he lands the blow.

Both men turned to glare at him. The boy raised his eyes to the other version of him. He was still shivering and sobbing.

"He _is_ going to die and nothing you'll say will change it Kamui" Alex snarled down at him.

"Why would you kill him?"

"Are you mad or just dumb?" David spat back "Isn't it obvious!"

Kamui brushed the insult off and kept his eyes on Alex, there was no point talking to a man blinded by rage "I can see a crime in a man's heart and this boy is innocent; he never hurt a single living soul, political opinions or no political opinions"

"Oh, a fine judgment from the judge who's here because he gave the wrong verdict" David's snarl was oozing o gleeful cruelty.

Kamui snapped his eyes to the undertaker, they burnt in anger and hurt.

"It doesn't matter that he never killed anyone, it's enough that he chose to be what he is" Alex pointed at the arm band.

"I….I never chose…" came a muffled whimper from the boy in Kamui's arms.

Kamui snapped down to him "I thought I told you to leave me all the talking" he whispered.

"But…I didn't" he straightened his sitting a bit, raising his head to look at the two men towering above him and Kamui "I…I vas made by zem, zey never told me zere vaz anysing else…..I never had ze choice"

David and Alex glare back at him, only enraged to hear him dare to speak to them. "Ugggh, that accent, just hearing him talk is like nails on blackboard" David added in a hiss.

"You see, he's innocent. He never knew another way!"

"**It doesn't matter!**" both Alex and David shouted. David turned his head surprised to see that Alex still kept his line of thought all this time.

"**It does!**" Kamui shouted back. He got up, shaking the boy gently off of him "Look, he never knew another way of thinking and he never _did_ anything about this way of thinking.

"He doesn't know how wrong his way is! Perhaps….." he looked down at the boy plotting his next move and his last effort to save this boy's life.

It would mean great pain for the boy but it was pain Kamui understood and agreed with. It's not that the boy's innocence blinded Kamui to the opinions or the people who carried and taught those opinions to the boy.

He turned to Alex and David trying to sound as clear and mature as he could "Look, without fully understanding how wrong his opinions are there is no way he'll ever feel regret about them and so there will be no way to really change him…"

"We're not here to change him; we're here to kill him!" David snapped, cutting Kamui's speech.

Kamui straightened his gaze at Alex.

Alex gazed back, seeing Kamui was forming some sort of a plan. "Let him speak for a little while David" he said finally.

David whipped his head to his companion and glared. "Oh I knew it, I just knew it! Big Justice Talk, yeah right, innocent or not, blah blah blah. All you did was make a pretty face and here he goes giving you everything you want." He walked to the other end of the tent, turning his back to the four men behind him "My god Alex, how low will this brat bend you!"

Kamui ignored him and continued with the same calm tone "Alex, you told me that if you showed me what you've been through then I would be in great pain, remember? Your memories, David, are just as bad if not worse, I'm sure of it."

He stopped to observe the two, they began listening to him though David was still with his back to him

"If you _showed _him everything both of you have been through then he will both see how his opinions had a horrible other side and it will serve as a good mean of torture"

The boy crawled frantically back to Kamui's feet, clutching the edges of his pants again "Torture! No….no torture….please…." he begged, his eyes running again.

He only met a short icy mauve gaze as an answer.

David began turning to Kamui. Alex's eyes were clear from their blind rage earlier. They were both listening.

"Show him and he'll learn how bad these people who raised him were in the most painful way. You have a chance here to reform instead of destroy. Plus, think of the damage it will leave; the mental scar will surely serve as the best lesson possibly"

"And once we're finished with him? What do you suggest we do with him? Free him back to the wild?" David neared them again. A sneaking suspicious started nagging him; there was something fishy about Kamui's plan.

"Hand him over to me"

"And you'll do what?"

"I'll keep him as a companion" Kamui returned his gaze to Alex.

"What! And let him live _here _with _us_! Alex…." David glared at Death.

Alex remained silent, staring at Kamui looking for the boy's real intentions.

"I'm lonely here, I have no companions, you made sure of that. My only companion is Subaru and that's starting to cause trouble too" it was Kamui's second strongest point and he hung all his hope for the boy's life on it.

Alex stared at him for a while, almost completely convinced now.

"**ALEX!**" David grabbed his friend by the shoulders shaking him a bit. His face was red with the anger, his eyes burned. If he could he would beat Kamui and the boy with one equal blow.

"David" Alex's voice was calm and strong and his eyes, never leaving David's pupils, were powerful "if we kill him now then it'll be it, end of punishment. If we keep him here, imprisoned as Kamui is, with the bunch of our _joined memories_ stuck inside his mind it'll be far more of a better torture"

David stared back, sneaking glances at the boy from time to time.

Kamui looked down at the boy trying to smile to cheer him up yet finding no will in him to do so.

"I thought you vere going to help me…" the boy whimpered, sobbing as he looked at the two ominous men.

Kamui said nothing and waited for the two men's word.

Finally Alex turned to Kamui and nodded lightly "Leave us, we'll tell you when we're done"

Kamui nodded. He had to gently shake the boy off of his leg again. He sent one last encouraging look at the crying youth and left.

* * *

As he walked out he came across Subaru who was just about to light a cigarette. Remembering what might happen soon he ran up to the onmyouji and grabbed him by the hand, leading him along towards the forest.

"Kamui! What are you doing? Where are we going?"

"Come on Subaru, I'll explain it to you once we're far enough from here"

By then the first scream came out of Death's tent and Subaru froze on his spot, digging his heels into the ground "What was that? What's happening?"

Kamui only tugged more at his hand "Come on, I'll explain you later, just come on!"

The second scream, a longer one filled with deep horror and pain, was heard.

Subaru glared at Kamui and pulled the boy closer to him "Tell me what was that, _now_!"

Kamui sighed and explained Subaru, in short, what's going on. "I wanted to take you away from it because I know you're sensitive to other people's pain and you wouldn't like to hear the screaming"

Subaru stared back and sighed "So what are we going to do?"

Kamui shrugged "I don't know…walk around the forest a bit?"

Subaru shook his head and followed his friend, another long scream escorting them into the forest.

By the time they returned evening began falling. Short erratic screams still stabbed the usually peaceful night.

Subaru walked up to his lover who was making himself another arrow instead of the one he lost today. He was covering his ears as he walked and frowned quite childishly, which amused the older man.

"What are you doing Subaru-kun?" he couldn't help a giggle enter his speech.

Subaru removed his hands from his ears and, still frowning, lit cigarettes for them both "I didn't hear you well, what did you say?" just as he lit his cigarette another scream pierced the night, making his hand shake with the flame in it.

"You know who this boy is and still you cannot tolerate his sounds of pain?"

Subaru looked at the tent, where whimpers now came from, low and miserable "I…I just can't stand hearing _anyone _in pain, never mind who it is…"

Seishiro merely smiled his all too familiar soft grin and purred "My Subaru-kun is so kind"

His lover glared back at him "Don't you start that now!"

Seishiro laughed softly and resumed his carving.

* * *

Alex's three years and David's year and a half of imprisonment ended flashing before the boy's eyes, leaving him in a nervous breakdown stupor.

He lay on the ground on his side, his arms stretched out limply before him. His eyes were wide open, their stare glossed and frozen. His mouth was limply open, shaking from time to time with broken syllables his mind tried to from words from and failed due to the overload of information and emotions.

From time to time he did mutter a word or two in his language.

Alex and David stood above him, staring down at the mess.

David couldn't understand the boy's language, he never bothered learning. "What's he saying all the time?"

"He's calling out to some major, asking him something or trying to anyway"

"Asking what?"

"'why' something, he never finishes his sentence. I think we really tortured him here, I don't know how long it'll take for him to get over it really. He might be like this for some time"

"Good, let him suffer. I still think we should have killed him" he turned his back to the boy, folding his arms on his chest.

"Look at him David, wouldn't you like everyone that ever hurt you to be this mess as payback?"

David merely snarled and turned to the boy again. He kicked him lightly in the stomach "Oi! Get up! Come on scumbag, **get up!**"

The boy only looked up at David, turning his gaze-less eyes to the man above in a slow shocked movement.

"I said" the undertaker bent down and picked the boy by his hair, twisting it a bit "**GET UP!**"

This time the boy didn't whimper or start crying. He stood there limp and lost, staring forward pointlessly.

"Take off your clothes, all of them. Come on hurry up!"

The boy did as he was told.

"Now this is what we should have done" David smiled cruelly at his friend.

Alex smiled back. He began missing his map and his paintbrushes now that most of the thrill was over.

Once the boy was naked David pushed him out of the tent violently, almost making the boy trip. All the boy did was cover his loin and walk slowly towards where David let him.

Where David dropped his pile of twigs a fire burst out to life with a violent beastly roar. The undertaker pushed the boy further towards the great fire.

Lestate, who was examining one of the twigs and leaped away elegantly once the fire was started, now stared at the sight intrigued.

"Throw them into the fire" came the next command.

The boy turned his head slowly, his face breaking out with a small plea.

It fell on deaf ears "I said put them on the fire or I'll push you into it along with them!"

The boy hung his head and cast his clothes into the fire, leaving himself naked and defenseless against the harsh cold evening air around them and the harsh cold man behind him.

Lestate watched David's behavior carefully, noting there was a tone of familiarity to the way he spoke to the boy. It seemed he must have heard these words once before. He caught a glimpse of the ribbon that once hung on the boy's left hand before the fire consumed it. He nodded to himself. This would prove most interesting.

Alex walked out of his tent with a small pile of clothes and turned to Kamui who stood at the entrance to his tent.

He handed the clothes to the boy's new owner, hardly making eye contact. "Give these to him. I don't want to hear any complains or demands about him, I'll give him nothing! You take care of him from now on, he's yours!"

Kamui nodded silently.

Alex made a brief, harsh eye contact "You have no idea what you asked for Kamui" he began walking away, his shoulder hunched the way they were when he was violently angry within.

"Thank you"

He stopped dead, turning his head to look at Kamui, and then resumed walking to Victoria's tent.

Victoria stared at the boy before the fire, wincing as she tried avoiding the strong light's irritation of her eyes and focus on the boy himself.

"He's from your dimension Vicky" Alex smiled down at her. She could see that when he looked at her he also scanned her face to note if she was hungry for blood or not. Such a mother hen he was, but as a child without a mother like she was she didn't mind at all.

"My dimension?"

"Yeah, he mentioned a name from an organization that attacked Hellsing in your world"

Victoria stared at him for a few seconds "H…how do you know? I never heard of any _organization_ attacking Hellsing….the Vatican thingie you mean?"

Alex began moving uncomfortably, frantically breaking their eye contact. "I visited your world once when I looked for Kamui…." He finally said, lowering his head a little.

Victoria nearly jumped a mile in the air with happiness. She turned to Alex, almost leaning against him trying to make eye contact "Did you see Master?"

Alex remained silent and turned away from her face looking for something else to talk about. "Yeah…I met him" he muttered

Luckily for him David signaled him he was done with the boy. He patted Victoria on the shoulder lightly and walked towards the boy, leaving their conversation unfinished.

As he walked towards the young werewolf Alex's uncomfortable and somewhat shame filled stance changed into the powerful slightly violent way of carrying himself.

The boy hardly noted it; he merely gazed at the fire and the ashes that were once his clothes. His mind was blank now and empty from even the tiniest of thoughts. He was in a level of shock that erased any other sensation. It erased the heat coming from the fire or the cold forming from the evening around his bare body. It erased the pain of bruises from his punishers' blows. It even erased the searing pain coming from the arrow still stuck in his shoulder.

"Now you listen and listen carefully mutt!" Alex growled, tearing the boy's attention from the shock back to some focus on reality.

The purple eyes turned to Alex were empty. That's how Alex liked them; shocked to the core just like he and David once were. Kamui had a very good point.

"Kamui is your master now, you belong to him. Don't you move from his side, not even an inch! Whatever he tells you, you do! As for the others it's up to them but don't you even _dare _get slightly close to me and David. One wrong word, one wrong move and you're dead! Got that?"

The boy nodded faintly.

"Now _get out of my sight_!"

The boy walked away, limping a bit towards Kamui beckoning him over.

As the boy passed him by into the tent Kamui tried saying something but the youth didn't seem like he was in any situation to talk.

* * *

The boy was now sitting at the foot of Kamui's bed staring down at the food bowl in his hands.

Kamui smuggled it as his dinner's seconds knowing that while their rage was still burning Alex or David wouldn't let the boy eat or enjoy anything at all.

The boy was wearing his pants only. A pair of sack-like black pants that had to be tied around his waist by two strings attached to the fabric to keep them from falling. Those must have been some spare pajamas Alex got at the oriental market as Kamui recognized by the fabric's quality and style.

The boy's new loose dark purple tunic shirt he couldn't wear yet. It was the arrow that still stuck out of his shoulder on both sides that kept him from covering himself more. Kamui was completely helpless as for that and feeling rather stupid because of it. He was afraid that if he did anything to pull the arrow out he'll do even more damage. He knew the boy couldn't stay like this forever but he gathered that while the boy ate he'll think of something.

The boy didn't really comply with that. He just stared down at the bowl as if he was a toy running low on battery power.

Kamui sat down on the floor by him, shaking him a little by his healthy shoulder "Say…what's you're name?"

The boy raised his head slowly and turned his vacant stare at Kamui "Varrant officer Schrodinger". His tone was monotonous and emotionless, it also showed a great amount of fatigue.

"Hmmm….that's a very long name and it has a bad ring to it that you better not have around those two….how about…." Kamui tried to find a piece of the name that would sound good to him. "How….about…..Din? Dean? No, Din sounds better…Schro? Nah, it still has a bad ring to it….don't you have a first name?"

The boy stared for a while before answering "Vilhelem"

"No, that's no good either…how about Will? Yeah, sounds way better then 'Din'. I'll call you Will from now on, can you get used to it?"

The boy nodded and returned to stare at the food bowl. He stared at it for a while looking sadder and greyer by the minute. "I lost my appetite…." He mumbled.

"Yeah but you have to eat, you're not healthy you know…" Kamui hated how he started sounding like Alex suddenly.

The boy now called Will stared at Kamui again then nodded and began eating slowly, forcing the lumpy broth down his throat.

Kamui examined his new companion noting his little quirks.

Besides the black dog ears, the boy had many other signs that he was half wolf. As he chewed on the various components in the broth Kamui noted the small sharp teeth in his mouth where most people had flatter teeth moderated for eating vegetables. The two relatively big canine fangs were unavoidable.

He had a line of short, soft light brown fur running down his spine starting at the mop of mucky wheat hair atop his head.

Kamui noted, when the boy had nothing on himself, that he had a short canine tail. It had thick black fur with a bright brown tip and grew right from the end of his back where most humans only had an evolutionally repressed tail bone.

When he first saw Will he noted no such existence as the tail despite the fact that his shorts were rather tight on him. He must have spent most of his life with his tail tucked in to keep the humans around him undisturbed by its abnormal existence. Kamui cut a hole in Will's new pants which allowed the tail its freedom. So far the tail was still tucked well between the boy's legs as its owner was in a very low mood.

Will's finger nails were slightly darker then usual. Kamui figured that if he didn't clip them to give himself a human appearance they'd grow into powerful claws.

What stroke Kamui as most shocking were not the non-human features in Will, but the human ones and how horribly he resembled him:

They were exactly the same in height, weight and shape. Kamui's hands were long and delicate, so were Will's. Kamui's feet were relatively small and gentle and, despite the logic that a wolf like creature would have bigger or at least furrier feet, Will's feet were exactly like Kamui's!

They were equally thin and frail. They even had beauty spots in the same locations on their body and a same small birthmark right above their left ankle. Kamui had mauve eyes that changed in brightness as the light played with them, so did Will and Kamui never met another person with purple eyes.

The hair difference between raven black and wheat blond, Kamui presumed, was the result of the people who created Will's 'genetic preferences'.

There was a very, very disturbing thing about the way Will resembled him; to think that in another world he wore _that_, being a part of _that_. Kamui shuddered and rose to sit on his bed, away from Will.

He'll change Will, set him free and teach him how to see the world in a better way. After all he was Justice so teaching the boy truly good values was his duty.

As if reading his mind about Kamui's Justice abilities, Seishiro casually walked into the tent carrying his veterinarian bag. He hardly paid Kamui the slightest attention, and crouched by Will who finished his food by now.

"What are you doing here?" Kamui growled not bothering to hide the absolute hate he felt towards the older man.

Seishiro gave him a short mocking glance with that annoying sly smile on his face "This boy is half wolf. I happen to be a vet"

"I thought that was just an excuse to get into Subaru's pants"

Seishiro's smile only widened a little as he turned Will's damaged shoulder towards him and tested the arrow's location. The wound was red and swollen now; he assumed there would be some stitching needed.

Hearing Kamui bitch and hiss while he did it would be a nice background noise. He sniggered a bit, knowing anything he says will trigger his condemner into more anger and inconvenience.

He broke the arrow gently and pulled it out, noting the young werewolf made no reaction, not even wincing. Whatever it is Alex did to him, it was pretty bad.

Kamui watched as Will complied every request Seishiro gave him, how he didn't fight or whimper or make any form of showing pain. He was stitched without anesthetics, the arrow was taken out of his flesh, and the inflated flesh was cleansed with alcohol; all that and no sign of pain. Will's face was blank and empty; all they showed was little signs of exhaustion.

Next Seishiro examined Will's ears, pulling little black bugs out of them one after another with his tweezers. He flung them into the small bowl of alcohol he used to clean Will's wound with. The ticks and mites twitched madly in the burning stuff until they seized.

When he was done with both the boy's ears Seishiro moved to the fur line down his back and to the tail. There he stopped and examined the boy's hair. He shook his head and gave off a deep sigh.

He dug into his bag and pulled a large bottle out. He nearly threw the bottle at Kamui, almost hitting him in the stomach if Kamui didn't catch it.

"Here, give him a good bath with it once every month to keep all the pests off of him or they'll crawl on you too" and with that he dug deep into his suit's sleeve and picked a tick out, swearing under his breath.

"You'll also need to clean his ears with this" he handed another smaller bottle and a small pile of gauze to Kamui's brief angry hands.

"And these" he handed a pile of larger gauze squares and a long strip of gauze "are for bandaging his shoulder. Clean it with alcohol (he handed him the bottle) three times a day and come to me in two weeks time to get the stitches out." He got to his feet, carrying his bowl of alcohol and dead ticks by the very tips of his finger in pure disgust.

"The bandaging would be the easiest part for you I presume, I remember your boyfriend gave you plenty of bandaging experience back in his good days" he said just before he left the tent, sniggering to himself when he was completely out.

Kamui sat seething atop his bed, cursing at Seishiro. He hated that man so much, oh so much! mostly for what he did to Subaru. If only the younger onmyouji could open his eyes and see how evil this man is he'd surely give him up and move on…..

Move on to whom! Kamui shook the thoughts out of his head and focused on the werewolf still sitting at the foot of his bed.

Will was struggling to wear his shirt with the painful stitches in his shoulder. Kamui helped him, giving him short encouraging pets from time to time.

He cleaned Will's ears as Seishiro ordered him to until the skin inside was white and shiny again. He never had a dog or a cat before and this pampering and caring was starting to feel fun.

Will still didn't show any signs of recognition or care about anything. He sat there and allowed his look-alike to do with him as he wanted. Finally the fatigue and his full stomach took over him and he collapsed into sleep on Kamui's lap.

He sunk into a whirlpool of nightmares and memories he received today.

All along a face repeatedly appeared before him as if the man was really there. With his usual grin some saw as revolting and some saw as victorious. His eyes still held that look of confidence and fire in them behind their glasses. But as Will looked into them he knew now that what this man showed him was not the complete truth, it wasn't all the parts of the story.

In his sleep, swapped over waves of one nightmare after the other, slightly feverish, Will mumbled to the man over and over again "Major….why…why did you lie to me?"

* * *

A few days afterwards, once Will got over his pains and shock, he gathered enough courage to go out of the tent on his own. So far he only did it following Kamui like a baby chick after its hen, refusing to move anywhere sideways.

Kamui washed him in a small pond they came across until all the ticks and flees jumped off or died. Now his fur was clean and shiny and his hair shone of gold in the sun. He still looked miserable.

Kamui tried cheering him up but to no avail. He tried talking to him but there was only little to talk about.

Kamui didn't want to know about the people Will came from and his forest living time mostly consisted of making a den and scavenging for food.

Kamui spoke of himself, explaining the Battle of the Apocalypse in short and explaining how he had got here. Will stared at him.

But those days passed and Will became a little more responsive, enough to properly start becoming Kamui's companion. They could talk about anything but their own pasts. The silence that was once the result of shock slowly cleared away from Will's life.

Subaru mostly shunned Will out, staying loyal to Alex's anger and out of his own knowledge of history and his small experiences.

When he and Kamui hung out Subaru would give Will a reprimanding glare. The boy would leave them to their talk and sit aside, a little away from the two, sulking and musing.

Victoria tried talking to him once, asking him of what he knew of her master. He knew quite a lot actually, even a little more then she knew. They spoke for some time until Alex came over to feed her and Will was literally kicked away.

He avoided David at all costs, hiding behind Kamui as much as he could when the boy and the man walked past each other.

Lestate was quite amused with Will. He was clever enough to pay attention to his senses when he spoke shortly to Will and made sure Alex was not in ear shot or wasn't about to come near. Mostly Lestate observed Will rather then talked to him and their chats consisted mostly of "Taking dinner to Kamui then?" or "Was your walk in the forest pleasant?"

He sat on a rock a little away from the pond where Kamui gave Will a bath the first time. Lestate had just woken up and sat to play his newly carved wooden flute to the moon and whoever else came within ear shot.

When the two boys walked up to him, drawn by the sweet music, he lay his flute down and examined the werewolf, smiling softly.

"So this is the boy Alex was getting so worked up about." he smiled kindly, running his eyes from one boy to the other "How much he resembles you Kamui. That must have caused some troubles"

Kamui waited Will's deeming.

Will tried hiding behind Kamui. The beautiful man with the flute was giving off a strange aura in the moon's light and his sharp eyes unnatural scanning his body unnerved him.

"I've never met a werewolf before. I hate wolfs yet mortals intrigue me endlessly, you should prove as very interesting"

No answer from either of the boys.

"Do you want to listen to my music? Very well then" he returned the flute to his lips and resumed his playing.

The boys sat before him and listened. Both began feeling tired of constantly tip toeing around people afraid of their reaction, so having this simple quiet time with someone not hostile was just what they needed.

Lestate's music had a quality to it, surely nothing a mortal could conjure, that relaxed and soothed any tense nerve and muscle in its listeners.

After a long time Lestate put his flute down and rose to his feet preparing to leave.

"V…vhy did you stop?" it was the first thing Will dared to say to someone other then Kamui.

Lestate smiled wanly "I have to go. It's not your company that exasperates me puppy" he sent a short disappointed glare at Kamui "I dislike traitors, that is all" he turned and left, working his abilities to mingle in the forest's shadows until he disappeared.

Kamui stared after him solemnly. His jaw was fixed forward like it always was when he was stubbornly insisting over something.

"Kamui, vhat vas that about?"

Kamui gave a long sigh and explained things in more details. So far he didn't tell Will about his own history with Alex, only the Justice-Death war.

That knowledge didn't leave Will undisturbed. It only explained him why Kamui could be slightly rough and careless towards him at time.

* * *

Roughness was something Will began getting used to here. Little aches and pains, little fears and worries began imbedding into his daily routine. When he mumbled something about it to Kamui his counterpart reminded him that at least he is alive. Will couldn't argue with that.

And Will did feel a great deal of gratitude towards Kamui. Despite their great resemblance, Will saw Kamui as his superior and master. He'd get up early in the morning and fetch Kamui his breakfast, endangering himself by getting close to the big cooking pot where Alex stood monitoring everyone's proper feeding accompanied by David.

He himself was left to eat scraps and take whatever insult or abuse dealt to him while he licked the pot clean. Many times his stomach complained over his new diet making Kamui bring him to Seishiro to be looked over.

The unnerving tension between his master and his doctor made Will fight whatever uncomfortably and nausea coming over him and keep himself from making Kamui come anywhere near the vet.

Actually Seishiro was the only one, other then Kamui, who ever showed him any sort of softness. After each checkup he'd ruffle his hair or tickle behind his ears sending a small smile at him and telling him that he's a good boy.

Kamui hated Seishiro with all his heart but Will still thought the man wasn't bad at all, even if he was a vet.

Alex and David were something that Will feared the most. He couldn't really feel anything towards them but fear. Kamui told him that he should feel guilt but Will had to know something good about them to feel guilt over them. So far all he knew from them was pain and misery.

David, as Will learnt in pain, was the one who lashed out hardest on him.

once when he and Kamui were playing 'fetch' in the forest Will accidentally ran straight into David, earning such a slap from the undertaker that the whole right side of his face ached for days more, decorated by a large palm shaped dark bruise. Kamui didn't try to defend him; he merely looked at David apologetically and hurried Will away from the man.

Due to Kamui's presence around Will Alex toned down his anger to mere deadly glares and mute threats. When Kamui wasn't around Alex wouldn't stop himself at all from tripping Will or sending short electric currents when the boy wasn't moving out of his sight fast enough. If Will was speaking to someone other then Kamui Alex wouldn't mind growling him away and glaring at the other person.

At nights Will would lay on the ground at the foot of Kamui's bed where he liked to be the most, and think of his current life.

He thought a lot of his past life and the people he thought he knew.

He was always an underdog but at least now he had someone who was his master and wasn't pure evil.

* * *

Kamui was glad to have a companion all to himself. When he was depressed over Fuma Will would sit at his feet and stare up at him trying to cheer him up. He saw Inuki do the same when Yuzuriha was grieving Kusanagi and he liked the idea that he had that sort of company now.

Will was often clumsy around his new environment, and a hostile one at that. It seemed that no matter how much he cautioned himself he'd still end up in trouble.

The large bruise that covered his right cheek was a disturbing reminder that his companion was not completely perfect.

In the forest they'd walk around Will would show him what berries and nuts to eat or how to catch small quick animals. They could spend hours like that, just walking around aimlessly.

They enjoyed each other's company, Kamui decided; they had a common enemy to look out of together.

But they weren't equals and Kamui recognized it somewhat guiltily. Will was very submissive, eager to serve and please. Kamui caught himself often giving him short commands like fetching something a little away from him that he could have done easily without help.

Owning someone was something almost addictive and Kamui kept himself in check, making sure he won't enslave the boy despite the total acceptance of it from Will.

Will brightened up Kamui's stay in his kidnapping camp and for that Kamui was grateful. Many times, when a short argument would break out between him and Alex, Kamui would run to Will and cry about it, about Fuma and his misery. The comfort the young werewolf gave him was something Kamui needed greatly.

Yet there was a sting to Will's company: his past. Kamui often felt its presence hanging like stale air over the boy and many times he'd find himself contemplating it until he couldn't stand the boy around him anymore. Times like these he'd go for a walk alone, leaving the boy in his tent.

He realized that what Alex gave him in this companion was not a perfect gift. Kamui thought Alex knew it, maybe even did it on purpose.

Just like he would only keep Seishiro from taking Subaru away from him sometimes, now he allowed him a companion only a little short from perfection. Because he wanted to remind him that he's not here to have fun; he's here to suffer and contemplate until he'll break and see things his way.

When he realized that Kamui swore to never forgive Seishiro, ever!

* * *

One night Will was woken from his slumber by the sounds coming from above him; sobbing.

His master turned from one side to the other in sharp sudden moves trying to shake something away from him. His face twitched from sadness to anger to agony. He was mumbling names Will often heard Kamui speak in his sleep, Kotori, Mother, Saiki, Tokiko.

Dreams that made Kamui mumble Fuma's name were usually quieter but just as tear filled.

However this dream seemed to be tormenting Kamui until the boy forced himself out of it. He opened his eyes and sat up in his bed, never stopping to cry and sob. He was shaking violently, sweating and whimpering even after the sights his nightmare played before him remained far away in the realm of dreams.

Will was about to say something and offer comfort when his trained senses warned him that Alex was near.

Sure enough, the flap in Kamui's tent entrance opened and Alex stepped silently in, keeping himself in the dark.

"Kamui" he whispered, his voice unlike anything Will ever heard before. It was soft and silent, so rich with emotions that Will could hardly place it with the usual cruel and gruff Alex he knew.

Kamui wasn't as uncomfortable and angered as he was usually around Alex. He stared to Alex's and kept crying.

"May I?" Alex asked, nearing Kamui until he was within the faint golden circle of light Kamui's bedside candle cast around them. The man wasn't in his armor or in a nighttime tunic. He only wore a black pants and vest that made Will cringe a little as they amplified the man's strong body.

Kamui nodded faintly, a violent sobbing fit taking over him again.

Alex walked a few more careful steps towards Kamui's bed and sat down gently. He wrapped his arms around Kamui, placing the boy's head on his chest and leaning his head on the boy's. He gently ran his fingers through Kamui's hair rubbing Kamui's back encouragingly.

Despite the way Kamui always described Alex as an old lecher, there was nothing sexual or sexually encouraging in Alex's touches.

Kamui melted into the embrace, allowing himself to cry as hard as he could. It seemed this wasn't the first time he did it.

"Shhh. Kamui, what happened? Was it a nightmare?" Alex was rocking Kamui back a forth gently.

Kamui choked a few sobs, stopping to wipe his nose before answering "Tokiko…and Kotori…and mother……Saiki too……all of them…such violent deaths…." He began sobbing again.

Kamui's fingers were digging into Alex's arms, clutching them in tears, but Alex didn't as much as wince, he awaited Kamui's next words in silence.

"And I _saw_ it …." He whimpered finally, sobbing again "why did I have to _see_ it all….why!" he stopped to cry for a good few minutes "so much blood….such horrible sights….why me! I didn't mind all the responsibility of the earth's fate. I didn't mind the battles and the conflicts but the _sights_….why….."

Will stopped paying attention to his master's words and began looking at the bigger picture.

He never saw either of the men like this before.

He saw Kamui crying and depressed, only never that badly. He never saw him so helpless and miserable, so weak and fragile.

Kamui was emotionally magnetic when he was suffering; you could hardly stand aside and not get attached to him when he was weakened.

Although his master's face was exactly like his, Will had to admit that Kamui was breathtakingly beautiful.

Will felt a short sharp pain in his chest for a moment, as he watched and realized he will never be able to comfort Kamui this way. he will never be able to get this close to the boy.

He also observed Alex who now seemed to have become a completely different person.

Never did he see the man, who was usually his tormentor, so kind and caring. How the cruel and powerful Death turned to such a soft, warm and comforting person was the biggest puzzle of all to Will.

There was a glow to Alex when he was like this, when he was protecting and helping someone he loved, an awe-filling aura. Alex himself was quite handsome and a heroic looking man when he wasn't picking on him. Now seeing him in a light like this…

Will had his own aches and depression and he could only wish for someone to love and comfort him like this. There once was a man who did that but from what Will saw from Alex's memories that man was dead; slaughtered mercilessly by Death.

He felt the sharp pain in his chest again, yet another person he will never, ever be able to get that close to never mind what he might say or do.

He waited until Kamui fell asleep. Alex tucked him in left before Will could move again.

Will had to get out of the tent, suddenly he felt out of place. It was the first time he began feeling guilt over his past and origins. He just couldn't stand to be around Kamui or anyone else while it's washing over him.

He ran deep into the forest to curl up somewhere and cry. Cry over his past, over his guilt, over the wounds his first punishment left in him and over his fresh wounds. Though he'll always be around people, he'll always be lonely. It was his bane and his punishment.

The night's cool air blew around him and he looked for sources of heat and warmth. Kamui gave him warmth, limited and often restrained, but still he gave him warmth.

He got back on his feet and began walking to his tent.

He was making a silent vow: he'll always be by Kamui's side as gratitude for standing up for him against those who wished to kill him, for taking him in the first place and for keeping him company.

For that he'll do everything he could for this boy, he'll give his heart and soul, be the best companion as he could, he'll die for Kamui if he needs to.

He began running back to the tent.

Once he was in, he tip toed to the sleeping boy and, most hesitatively, slid beside him on the bed. He curled up against the boy.

Kamui snuggled closer in sleep, attracted to another body's warmth in the cold night.

Just before he closed his eyes to sleep, Will smiled at the sleeping face and planted a soft kiss on the other boy's forehead.

* * *

_**Little extra** _

_(A.N: you might call it a deleted scene if you wish. To fully enjoy this bit, please insert Chobits 'side dish' noises in the right places)_

The next morning no one came out of Kamui's tent to fetch breakfast.

Alex stood by the cooking pot and glared over at the tent.

It wasn't funny, testing his slight obsession with everybody's healthy feeding. If it was Kamui trying to rebel by starting a food strike he'll force feed him if he has to.

If Will is being lazy and won't wake up to fetch his master's breakfast Alex is going to kick his ass so many times it'll go into his body making him look like a hunchback!

The onmyoujis were quietly enjoying their morning coffee with a cigarette, lazing on a flat rock by the cooking pot, basking in the morning sun like a pair of lizards.

David was silently spilling sand on the cooking fire to turn it off.

Having enough of waiting, Alex charged over to Kamui's tent, ready for a rout. He stormed into the tent so charged with anger he felt like he was burning. He walked up to Kamui's bed, ready to pull the boy out of it by his hairs if he needs to.

Yet the moment his eyes adjusted to the slight darkness in the tent he stopped dead on his tracks, his anger extinguished quickly, replaced by shock.

He ogled at the bed below him with the two identical boys sleeping in it.

These two youths were the ideal of perfect beauty to Alex, and now they were together, curled up into each other, painfully close to one another. Their arms were encircled around the other's body, pieces of their fine skin showing through little holes in their tunics or under their duvet. Their perfect sleeping faces so innocent and clear, so close to each other's, their lips inches from one another's.

Alex was too numb to think about anything but thoughts he would bash himself over later. He was too distracted to note a single bubble magically popping out of his head.

Once he collected enough sane intellect within him, he sharply turned on his heels and stormed out of there. By then his head released another bubble.

David, Subaru and Seishiro stared at him as he walked with glossy eyes, back to the cooking pot and his earlier position.

He stood and stared forward passively.

Another bubble popped out of his head.

David frowned.

Subaru stifled a chuckle.

Seishiro didn't bother stifling his.

"What's the matter with you?" the undertaker snarled, a sneaking suspicion of what might have happened nagging him into irritation.

Alex kept staring forward for a while before he answered "They're…." another bobble appeared "sleeping….in the same…" and another "bed…..together…." a third bubble appeared above Alex's head, peacefully hovering up into the morning sky.

David looked away resisting the urge to whack his friend across the head.

Seishiro covered his mouth might he laugh too hard.

Subaru stared at his lover trying to understand the big joke.

Another bubble popped out of Death, following it's previous in their silent course.

Alex shook his head violently, a blazing glare in his eyes "**Oh this is ridiculous!**" he roared. He grabbed a bowl from David's hand, sunk it into the breakfast porridge and bolted over to Kamui's tent again.

"**KAMUI!**" he hollered as he charged, once again, into Kamui's tent "Wake up. You need to eat your break…."

Now the two boys were up.

Kamui sat up on the bed, his hair ruffled, his tunic slipping off of his shoulder exposing a good chunk of skin, his face a bit flushed at the slight heat in his room and his eyes dimmed with sleepiness.

Will just raised his head from Kamui's shoulder, his state the same as his master's, only he was sleeping without a shirt on.

They both stared at Alex in a slight daze too close to pleasure's to be healthy for Death.

"…_fast_…" Alex's voice was so high pitched he sounded like he was on helium.

Two bubbles popped out of Alex's head, together.

Once again, he sharply turned on his heels and retreated.

The boys rubbed their eyes and stared at each other confused.

"Vat's viz him zis morning?"

"I think he was mumbling something about breakfast"

"Oh schyse! I forgot your breakfast!" Will began squirming out of the bed to get it.

Alex's reaction suddenly clicked in Kamui's mind. He hurried to grab the werewolf's arm and stop him "Wait!"

"Vas?"

Kamui smirked maliciously "Let's go out together"

Will blinked at him.

When they exited the tent they saw David whacking Alex over the head with a shovel and Alex passively succumbing to the blows while grunting monotonous "ow" with each blow.

Subaru and Seishiro's faces were red, their eyes tearing as they both covered their mouths to silence their mad laughter.

Kamui restrained the smirk sneaking across his lips and walked towards the cooking pot.

Will stayed behind, too weary of the two men by pot to go near them.

David stopped hitting Alex and glared fire at Kamui.

Kamui brushed it off and serenely took the bowl from Alex's hand. "Is that my break…_fast_" he asked nonchalantly.

The onmyoujis laughed so hard they fell off their rock. They lay on the ground giggling madly.

Alex hung miserable eyes at Kamui. Another bobble appeared from his head after the short break they had while David whacked their inducing ideas out.

David hit Death again, swearing under his breath.

With his breakfast in hand, Kamui elegantly turned on his heals and walked back to his tent, fetching Will along with him.

Will blushed into a deep shade of burgundy when Kamui explained him what happened.

(tbc)


	23. Love Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

* * *

**Part 23: Love (Chapter 2)**

Lately whenever he closed his eyes in the lonely nights, Ace stopped hoping Alex might come in and keep him company.

Instead he began hoping Karen would.

The chances for that to happen, if a normal person would consider it, were very high since Karen seemed to like him so much and the two of them got along very well.

Whenever _Ace_ thought about it the chances seemed grimly low.

Ace is not a man with a lot of self confidence, in fact, he is so shy and awkward that if he'd act it out people would be shocked at the transformation their usually brave and outgoing Ace Rimmer underwent.

As he always did, he fell in love with this person who, he was so sure, will never return his affection. After loving Alex like that and getting nothing back, Ace was pretty used to it and didn't fight the feelings in his heart.

Lately Spike stopped dreaming about a blond woman softly singing to him as he recovers his wounds. He stopped dreaming of fallen rose petals and paper shreds of his letter. He stopped thinking about Julia.

He began dreaming of Karen.

Spike did not delude himself with the fire master. He knew she's not a saint, knew she's far too passionate and full of life to match her kind and soft behavior of a decent lady.

He fell in love with Karen, just as Ace did, and was very much aware of it.

He wasn't the kind of man who would prance around his loved one bombarding her with romantic acts and trinkets. He expected his loved one to hold his hand and walk the path of life with him as a partner rather then a project.

Karen lay in her bed at night and thought of the two men she loved.

Against all odds, against all laws, Ace and Spike got along wonderfully. She got along wonderfully with them.

What started as Spike accompanying her and Ace to encourage the hologram man to open up and teach her how to be a good Rescue Team member has become a tradition.

After patrols they'd hang out together, before patrols they'd hang out together as well.

Soon Karen found the only time she was at home was dinner time, before it if she was on cooking assistance duty, and after it if she was on dish washing duty.

When they hung out together they'd mostly sit in Venus's daisy field and chat, laugh and talk about themselves.

Somehow there was a bond between them that no one looking at them or knowing each of the three individually would have guessed was possible.

With each other they would open up, never concealing anything, share their emotions and secrets. If one of them would cry the others would wrap their arms around them and sooth them with words and short soft touches.

Together they felt at home, they felt safe and well cared for.

All three of them felt like they should advance into something else.

All three feared the consequences of such an act.

Ace feared he might slip his tongue, do something stupid and ruin everything for him and Karen.

He was also very sensitive to other people's emotions and registered the emotions in Spike's eyes when he looked at Karen.

His instinct was to back away with his tail between his legs and leave Karen to the stronger, better man he saw Spike as.

Spike knew Ace too damn well to make an advance at Karen. He cared for his bashful roommate too much to go and hurt his feeling for Karen by taking her as his own.

As for his success with Karen he had no doubt about it, she could be his if he wanted to. But Ace was a problem and Spike was too good a friend to hurt him so.

Karen tore herself between her loves for the both of them. If she took one the other would be hurt equally. But what could she do?

All three cherished the current friendship and the warmth it gave them above all; sacrificing their small selfish happiness for the friendship's sake.

And so, ever since they recognized and accepted their emotions, the three friends ran a funny little dance whenever they were together:

Back – forth – back - forth.

Like magnets constantly flipped from the rejecting side to the attracting side, they neared and backed away immediately.

Every brush of a hand sent by true desires was quickly drawn away and apologized for. Every compliment colored by emotions was quickly joked about and disarmed.

After each short hint or advance all three filled with sadness for a little while.

Oh how lonely they slowly became when they were together, locking themselves away with their emotions.

Yutu observed them like a chess player over his board. He was not satisfied.

He followed the three figures walking away from his house as Karen's patrol began. He shook his head a little as he read the strong emotions from each of the three and the slight pain of their forced detachment.

Vash stood by him, the wind blowing through his large fiery red coat, and observed his Love.

"Something wrong Yu?" he asked in his light American accent.

Yutu didn't answer, choosing to chew on his lower lip as he often did when thinking very hard.

"I must do something about those three"

Vash stared at his master who was deep in thought and admired the man's devotion to his job. Unlike Yutu, who came from a culture urging people to follow their destiny and sacrifice everything for its sake, Vash came from a very laid back crumbles of a culture with really no obligations but to your family or gang members if you had any of the two.

"I have to find a solution for them before they hurt each other and themselves too bad. But it's such a tricky situation…. a tricky situation indeed." Yutu sighed.

"What's the situation?"

"They love each other so dearly but the other is always in the way…and I must help them choose one over the other." He sighed again, a much heavier and sad sigh this time, and walked into the house.

Vash followed him loyally, winking at Kazuki as she stormed past him on the way to her room.

"I'll talk to them and see if I can find a solution in their words" Yutu continued talking to himself, passing by Arashi and Sorata bringing up the scraps left for today's dinner from the pantry.

The sight made him stop.

As much as the furnishing of the baby room project must have took from their food rations, it couldn't have taken _that _much.

He noted the two young Seals stared at the practically empty food baskets with the same worry as he.

"Surely…." He mumbled, turning the two's attention to him "surely there's more food then that…?"

The couple hung their eyes at Love, answering without words.

"We're due to receive the next ration tomorrow so we emptied the pantry completely" Arashi said with sadness.

"I saw the farmer's fields during my patrols, there should be a handsome ration tomorrow." Sorata added, trying to press some optimism into the dark heavy atmosphere.

"Sorata…." Arashi wanted to say that half the crops ended up diseased or twisted and that the farmers themselves would have to save some for themselves so the ration couldn't possibly be so large.

She decided to stop her words there, wishing to keep the light optimism over the heavy frowning worry surrounding them.

In honest the Seals and Harbingers of the house saw this first famine the way all newcomers see it. Almost all newcomers arrived from worlds abundant with food where they didn't even have to grow their own meals.

Used to the plenty of their former life, the dragons worried too much over a smaller meal or a lack of it all together. They did not feel the real gnaw of full fledged starvation yet, unlike most of the city's citizens.

On the other hand the city was indeed facing a third great starvation since its establishment. The fire in the large barn house, the long dark winter, the death of citizens more familiar with farming by diseases and disasters and their replacements by newcomers ignorant at this profession, all lead to the snowball of famine about to hit the city.

This was the third famine in the city's history. The first, set before Charlie arrived and formed the Rescue Team, left but nine families out of the forty families dwelling in the city before.

The second one, during Alex's first year in the Lost Dimension, killed off two thirds of the population, the same relation as the first only in larger numbers due to the city's new security and policing forces.

The Seals and Harbingers knew of the famines; heard the stories of the two previous ones from the citizens and other Rescue Team members, heard the predictions of a third one from those old enough to remember, and still could not fathom the full meaning of starvation until death.

Perhaps there were two of them who knew what clawing yourself out of hunger was like.

Arashi, who was once a plump, rather sweet toothed toddler before her mother deserted her to her destiny in the lonely cold streets of Tokyo, vaguely remembered how to scavenge to survive, how to beg and flatter to receive donation.

But it was so long ago and better times passed her that she tried to push those harsh memories away and pretend they never existed.

Karen was also one who roamed the lonely cold streets all alone skipping meals to gain another work hour and another yen. Her orphanage was not a house of luxury or good treatment and many times she finished a meal feeling still hungry.

Karen was old enough now, and old enough back then, to remember hunger and have confidence within her that she could go through it and survive. Already she prepared the ball of fire within her that was her strength, the ball that kept her alive so far.

The city council, a collection of citizens from political and leadership background who arrived around the first days of the Lost Dimension's city and were amongst the city's builders, had no solution for the sure impending doom of most of their citizens. Already they lost five members in the last two famines. They could do nothing but sit and prepare as much as they could.

* * *

As they passed by the ever sweet smelling daisy field, the three patrollers noted Yutu standing at it's midst waving at them merrily and beckoning them.

Looking at each other puzzled, already half suspicious of Love's intentions interfering with their most secret emotions, they began walking towards him.

Behind their little cottage, in Jacob's vegetable garden, Venus and her husband plucked their magically fertile soil's fruits.

These were the only completely healthy and well grown vegetables in the whole city. If it wasn't for Jacob's experience at guarding and hiding sources of food their garden would have been looted long ago.

Due to that experience Jacob stared with great misery at his food stocks plucked away.

It irked him, like a constant pinch to his mind, this giving away of vital food for the sake of others.

He changed his weight from one foot to the other, fumbling neurotically at the edges of his sleeves and shirt, a thin film of sweat covering his forehead and cheeks.

"Must we give them _all_ our food?" he moaned like a nagging child.

Venus turned a breathtaking beautiful smile at him, a complete negative of his dark worries "Honey, we're both not human; we don't need this food as much as they do"

Jacob opened his mouth to say something more but his wife straightened her back and wrapped her delicate arms around him, taking with her a few long strands of her golden hair as if attempting to wrap him in a cape.

"Darling, there is a pregnant woman amongst them, and Love is amongst them. They need this food more then we ever will. And besides" she flicked her head to glance at the already re-springing plants and roots "with the way the soil is here, we'll have just the same amount of food all over again soon".

Before her husband could say another word, she sealed his mouth with a long loving kiss.

* * *

Karen sat cross legged on a charming little chair, leaning an elegant elbow to support her head. She stared at Yutu who was pouring her a nice warm cup of tea. The steam rose from the dark brown liquid to the violent red and blue struggle of the sunset above them.

After grabbing their attention Yutu ordered the three to talk to him alone one after the other while the other two waited for their turn in the interviews.

They began suspecting exactly what this was about yet hid it carefully might the other two sense they know.

"So, Karen-san" Yutu chirped the moment his own tea cup was full and clutched in his eager for heat palms "tell me about your patrol partners. What are they to you?" he leveled his bright green eyes with her dark red ones.

Karen raised a cherry pink eyebrow and smiled a little. She knew that's what he's going to squeeze out of her and in a sense she was angry at him for snooping into her private business.

But on the other hand she was relieved that she could talk to someone about it. Even Yuzuriha was too young to discuss such matters even though she was indeed mature. Arashi was too inexperienced in love's turmoil to understand what she feels.

Above all that was the fact that she simply could not lie to Yutu about her emotions. About everyday facts she could lie to him until she's blue at the face but about her emotions, about her love, she was physically incapable of it.

It was the magical effect of Yutu's power as Love, just like defendants could not lie before Justice in their court.

"I…" she stirred the tea in her cup trying to cool it before she drank the searing liquid "I…." it was hard to dig up emotions she buried so deeply in her, Love's powers or not "I love them…I love them both" she said finally, giving off a tear drenched sigh along with it.

Yutu smiled at her kindly, noting the single tear streaming down her cheek. He worked yet another power he had within him; a power he used to fill a sad aching person with a sudden comforting and soothing heat wave.

Standing a little further from them with his own cup of coffee (he much preferred the more violently caffeinated drinks over the milder traditional drink of his Japanese friends, they on the other hand always tried to stop him from drinking too much might he become even more hyperactive then he already is) Vash could actually _see_ how the woman's earlier tension and lack of confidence turned into a slow reassured ease as if someone wrapped her in a soft duvet.

"But…." She sighed, still steering her boiling tea "I can't have any of them. Ace is so insecure that if I'll try to go near him he'll shrivel away and whimper for me to turn to Spike.

"And Spike….Spike is far too considerate of Ace to allow himself to be with me….He could but then non of us could stand what Ace would make of himself….He'll probably trail after us like a doormat then disappear thinking that we don't want him around anymore…"

"So you say the issue here is Ace?" Yutu asked, taking the first few sips of his tea and nibbling down a cookie he set in a delicate plate on the table.

"Well yes and no" Karen sighed "he really has a low self confidence but on the other hand I'm sure Spike would have the same reaction if I chose Ace. No one likes to be a third wheel and if I choose someone we'll break up….

"I don't want us to break up, I don't want things to change even if it means I won't be with any of them…" her voice became childish suddenly, choked with tears and despair.

Yutu knew of her emotions to Seiichiro at the time and always felt a little bit guilty for 'stealing' the editor from her.

For a moment he hesitated if he needs to make a change at all, perhaps he'll do the wrong thing and end up hurting them….

Whatever the solution he might come up with he must think it to and through before executing his plans.

"If only I could have them without hurting them as well…" she sighed before she got up from her seat and left the table.

* * *

Spike leaned carelessly across the back of his tea chair.

With it's forelegs in the air and most of the man's weight laid on the furniture's rear legs, Yutu wondered if the delicate metal thing won't cave in under Spike.

Putting his legs on the table and throwing a half canceling careless glance at the blond, Spike placed a cigarette between his lips and began searching for a match to light it with.

"Tea?" Yutu asked, already pouring his second cup. If he drank a cup before each of them they'll get a better feeling of trust from their interviewer and be encouraged to drink and relax as well.

Yutu's bladder was something completely ignored at the moment.

"Do you have coffee?" Spike wondered. Coffee was something that disappeared along with the rest of the small luxuries the food stocks had. Spike itched for caffeine.

"Nope…eh…just ran out of it" Yutu hoped the slight smell of Vash's cup won't reach Spike's nose.

But it did. A sharp glare flared off of Spike's eyes, making Vash cringe. "That blond idiot drank my coffee away?" he grumbled, sending the glare at Yutu as if accusing the man.

"Eh….well….have some tea"

"Nah, leave it. So what's this about anyway?" he found a match and lit his cigarette, blowing the first cloud of smoke at Yutu.

Used to the heavy smoke clouds whenever he sat and spoke to Subaru, Yutu was unaffected. Instead he bettered his posture on the chair and turned a sharp gaze at the man before him "Karen. What do you feel about her?"

A tremendous change passed through Spike. He removed his legs from the table and straightened his sitting on the chair. He kept his eyes low, avoiding eye contact as he crouched over his hands on the table, their thumbs fumbling each other.

"Karen…" he sighed "I really like her, she…." He looked off to the horizon to his left "She's not like any other woman I ever met. She's not full of herself or blinded by all sorts of womanly stupid things…You know. She's strong and kind of…Pure like you know?"

Yutu nodded whenever Spike shot a short glance at him and at each "you know"s, encouraging the man to continue.

"I really like her you know. I never liked women but she….She's….Special" his voice became low, soft and rich with emotions.

Yutu awaited the next words in patient silence. If he spoke he'll only dig Spike into his protective/dismissive silence. If he let the man slowly open up he'll have everything he needs.

"But Ace, you know, he's a nice guy and, really, he deserves someone who would love him. She's very kind with him you know. It's hard to dig him out of his shell but she's doing it, she's really good at it. And he…." Spike shook his head disappointedly "He's like a puppy, he's falling in love with anyone who's a little nice to him, you know?"

Yutu nodded once more, sipping at his tea and feeling his previous cup nagging at his body to allow it to leave.

"So I don't want to touch Karen, I don't want to ruin Ace; Alex did it for him enough you know." He began drawing curving patterns on the table with his nicotine yellow slim finger "So I try to keep distant from her and leave it to him"

"So you would prefer Ace to have her and not you?" Yutu began seeing a path to a solution here despite the fact that Spike's heart was begging him not to.

Spike kept drawing patterns for a few minutes without speaking a word.

Yutu sipped at his tea again.

"I would be lonely if they were together" the man finally broke under Yutu's powers and revealed his true heart.

Yutu ached for the man for a moment, sharing the prospected pain of a future broken heart.

"If…if we could share her…" he mumbled "But that would be…well…I don't know…"

Spike straightened his gaze suddenly at the soft bright green one as if woken from a dream.

He got to his feet, crushing his cigarette butt on the earth "I think I spoke enough" he left without asking if Yutu had anything else to ask him.

* * *

This was not the first time Ace spoke to Yutu.

At the beginning of his Love days Ace came to Yutu asking help with his re-broken heart.

Ace had loved Alex so powerfully and watched the man he loved choose one lover then another over him. His approach attempt ending so violently did more damage to Ace then any abuse ever hurled at him by his ship comrades back in his world.

Now Ace sat before Yutu, hands slowly moving from his knees in a strict army position to between his shins like a shy child. He smiled at the blond nervously.

Yutu smiled his most charming grin and worked his relaxing powers as powerfully as he could. "Would you like some tea?" he asked, trusting the man's British accent to insure a well drunk cup.

"Ah well I can't really drink tea" Ace fidgeted with the empty cup's handle "I'm a hologram and all…"

"Really?" Yutu stopped his own cup's pouring "How?...I mean…no, that's exactly what I wanted to ask, how?"

Ace looked a little less nervous, now somewhat bitter. "I was aboard this space ship, I was a second technician. When there was a radioactive leak and everybody died beside one crew member and his cat. Then when the one living crew member woke up I was created as a hologram to keep him company"

"Why you of all people?"

"I was his roommate, and that's a question both me and him asked ever so frequently" there was a great deal of bitterness in Ace's voice when he spoke about his past.

"He and you….Was there anything….?"

Ace glared at him with shock, then shuddered so powerfully Yutu regretted his words immediately "What, me and Lister! Good heavens no! no no no no no no no no no no no NO!" he shuddered again, looking sick.

"I apologize…anyway that's not what I wanted to talk to you about here. I wanted to talk to you about Karen"

Ace's eyes filled with sadness for a moment, then with light and warmth. They turned sad and distant again a fragment of a second later.

He bowed his head and smiled a bitter little smile to himself "I love her" he sighed.

Yutu waited patiently, sipping his tea.

"But Spike loves her too and he's a good friend of mine so I'd rather have him with her then with me….Karen that is…She's such a warm woman and she doesn't see me as a creep or a dork or a…."

Yutu did not bother to listen to the rest of Ace's low self esteem's ranging. A small light turn on in Yutu's mind as the slip of the tongue hinted him of something.

Ace was like a puppy, falling in love with anyone who showed him any warmth and care. Spike was his good friend before Karen came along!

Just to be sure he leaned a little forward, trying to conceal his excitement from frightening the shy hologram before him.

"Spike, he's your good friend?"

"Yes" there was a small spark in each of Ace's eyes "he's very nice, and don't buy the whole standoffish behavior, he's a very nice person under all his lone wolf crap…I'm sorry about my language"

Yutu brushed it off, sinking into thoughts.

Ace trusted him above all others and Ace was before him now. Karen might not know Spike that well…so Ace was the only one he could ask.

He turned a sharp gaze at Ace, pinning him with his eyes "And if…." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, trying to form the sentence as best he could "And if you both could share her….And each other….So that no one will be hurt?"

Ace was silent for a good few minutes, his mind seemingly seizing to function. He stared at Yutu as if Love offered him a chance to perform a horrible crime.

"Ace?" Yutu had finished his tea by the time Ace stared at him.

The hologram shook itself and looked away shyly, developing a harsh blush. He hid his face as best he could, his blond wig's fringe falling before his face. "I guess so…" he mumbled "I mean maybe…"

He straightened his back and resumed his mature behavior "But Spike would not appreciate it at all" he said, suddenly distant and aching.

"Oh?"

"No, when I told him about what I felt for Alex he shrugged it off and said 'You didn't seem like that sort' as if he was disappointed and disgusted with me"

Ah, a problem. A great ,big, crushing problem. Apparently there was a solution to their love lock but it's only obstacle was not Ace, as it seemed, but Spike.

"I see…well…uh…you can go now. Thank you" Yutu looked away at the red ball of fire the sun had become in the west.

Ace fumbled with his cup a little bit more then shot to his feet and stormed away bashfully.

Yutu remained on his chair, fighting to focused his mind while his bladder nagged him more and more.

Vash neared him placing his empty mug by the two elegant tea cups. "So, what's up?"

Yutu didn't answer him, brushing off the noise to concentrate on the more important issue here.

"I have a plan" he mumbled finally after a few moments of silence.

He stared at the three about to resume their patrol. "It'll be a bit drastic and a bit violent but…it's the only way and he is indeed an obstacle" Yutu glared at Spike distancing himself from them with his patrol comrades.

Like a flash, Yutu leaped away from the chair and sped off after the three figures, making Vash start a chase as well.

Without warning, without a hint of what's to come, suddenly Spike lost his vision as two hands clamped forcefully on his eyes.

"_Eh! _What the f…!" Spike tried to shrug the intruding Love off of him but found he was suddenly unable to.

For a few seconds they stood like that before Love removed his hands and sped away as quickly as he came.

He passed by Vash just as the man ran the opposite direction, making him emit a strange panicking scream and speed backwards again.

Spike stood bewildered in the chilling early evening air and stared at his two patrol partners staring back at him puzzled.

He snapped out of his shock and smiled kindly. Light and happy, he strode towards the hologram and the woman, joining them and moving on.

As he walked them along he wrapped one arm around Karen's waist and another across Ace's arm, pulling both to him.

Karen stared amazed, starting to comprehend what Yutu did.

Ace stared bewildered and grateful for this flash of warmth, completely clueless of the reason for Spike's behavior.

"What…what's gotten into you Spike?" he uttered, trying not to sound too alarmed and make the man stop.

Spike merely smiled on and embraced them closer to him.

Yutu's dash moved past the tea table and into the little cottage's restroom.

* * *

"AAAAAAAH! This is _madness_!" Jacob slammed the door of David's shed as violently as he could, making the shabby structure shake and squeak in it's rusty nails and rotting wood planks.

"He's stocked up enough clothing here to dress the whole damn city!" Jacob spat at the office Noter shivering behind him.

According to his files Jacob was a farmer with Venus, a horse farmer along with the magical daisy field. But now there was no undertaker and bodies began piling by the infirmary's backdoor.

Jacob was unoccupied enough to be called out for extra hours as an undertaker replacement.

Marching past the pile of corpses and into the infirmary, Jacob turned his fury to the other office Noters and Seiichiro, the one who gave him the message toeing after him in fear. "Is this some kind of twisted joke!" he roared at the man and women. "Why do _I _have to replace David" he spat, embedding a few words in his language from time to time.

"No, Jacob sir" Seiichiro rose to his feet, signaling the other Noters that he will deal with this "we merely observed that you, as a horse farmer, is the least occupied amongst the farmers. The rest are too busy fighting the upcoming famine"

The words 'famine' struck a chord in Jacob's heart, snapping his mind out of his rage. He huffed a few unmentionable words in his language and turned to the graveyard again.

Scanning the pile of corpses he turned another angry glare at Seiichiro who accompanied him there, covering his sensitive nose with a napkin. "You better get me an assistant because I never did this sort of things and there's a whole pile of it here" he snarled at the wind master.

Brushing away the use of the word 'it' instead of 'them' at the dead men and women, Seiichiro turned back to his office to scan through the files in search of an assistant for Jacob.

"I'll do it" a gloomy voice for a corner deeper into the infirmary came. Fuma, who had a wound on his shin cleaned and stitched, slowly detached his tired eyes from his wound to the new undertaker.

Fuma bumped into a table's corner violently and received a small gash on his shin. His indifference towards his body's needs led him to neglect the wound leading to it's inflammation and spreading.

He didn't register the pain of the needle the newcomer Japanese doctor used.

"I'm no use to anybody anyway" the young man added with a deep sigh.

Glaring fire at Fuma, the man who took Jacob's good friend's lover from him and made David go away as well, the new undertaker huffed and puffed battling between his hatred and his need of help. "Fine!" he spat at last "But you better keep your head low so I won't look at your face, you remind me of someone infinitely better then you" he turned his back to his new assistant and headed out.

Fuma bowed his head and sighed. The somewhat relieving fact that he was about to become useful was as unregistered and unimportant as the insult he just received.

As he walked in the graveyard, forced to limp a little to avoid putting too much pressure on his new stitches and get the whole thing opened all over again (the gash was stitched for the fourth time now, each as unimportant to Fuma as the other), Fuma noted three figures walking merrily towards the infirmary.

Karen walked with Ace and Spike at her sides, holding each man's hand and smiling like there was a sun inside her belly trying to shine through her skin.

Shrugging to shake off the nagging feeling of someone finding love while he was still lonely and miserable, Fuma turned to the shovel stuck in the earth besides him and yanked it out, starting to dig as violently as his mind raged.

Brushing off the heartache standing in Fuma's vicinity, Yutu watched the trio make it's way into the infirmary.

Vash stood by him, in the wind's way again, noting his Love was beaming.

It made him smile. He was working for a good man.

"And this, Vash, is what we do, it's what we work for" Yutu turned to his guardian, pointing at the trio "the smiles on their faces"

Vash's smile widened.

(tbc)


	24. Love's Violent Side

Disclaimer: I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

A.N: sorry about the horrible delay but I've started a pre-university exam preparing course and I'm drowning in homework! Sorry!.

WARNING: slightly not-so-light subjects here. Nothing too bad though

* * *

**Part 24: Love's Violent Side**

"Very good Kazuki!"

He touched her lower back. He always did it instead of the fatherly pat on the shoulder or touches her mid-back as most father figures do.

Kazuki didn't pick it up. Well of course she wouldn't pick it up, what does she know of life anyway?

"You're a clever little girl, you know that?"

He grabs her chin gently with two big fingers and smiles straight into her face with glistening eyes which could also be described as mad. He brings his face just a little too close to hers.

Little mistakes like this, little slips of the body language, is what tells the truth when the mouth is lying.

Kazuki could only melt in the heat suddenly projected from him at her. Thirsty for any bit of appreciation and affection ever turned at her from _anyone_. She sloshes in this puddle of endearment, oblivious of how marshy it might become, might already be.

Arashi simply couldn't ignore it anymore. She and Karen have been observing Anthony's ways with Kazuki for a long time now, what they saw made them toss and turn on their pillows at night, worried and angry.

Karen, who was a bit distracted these days by her new love life, still saw Kazuki as a kind of an adopted daughter. The prospects of any harm done to her precious bioroid were not something to be take lightly.

Arashi was conservative in many ways and, despite her body's changes trying to take over all that was flexible and sharp in her, was a warrior with a head full of women power (as much as these two qualities seemed to collide sometimes).

She would not see an old lecher like Anthony grope the innocent Kazuki because Kazuki was mentally an innocent child and nothing more.

Because she was a female (in mind only, but that was enough for Arashi) and a male was about to attack and abuse her. Because she was from her house, a part of her household. Because Kazuki was weak. Because Arashi could be her strength when Kazuki can't protect herself.

Arashi was ready and willing to be that strength.

Anthony would come to their doorstep in the morning, awaiting Kazuki to join him in their morning rounds across the city's farms.

Arashi was too numb, sleepy and heavy in the morning to open the door to the veterinarian and confront him so Karen did it for her.

Karen leaped out of the tangled naked limbs she fell asleep in, covered herself with her robe and stormed downstairs, eyes blazing, to confront this old creep.

Anthony would always greet her kindly with a few simple words about the weather.

Karen missed the meaning of weather talking as a kind of killing awkward time while idly talking about nothing as the British Anthony saw it.

Karen saw this weather babble as a way to try and suck up to her while filling her head with rubbish.

Sadly for Karen, Kazuki would storm down the stairs with her little bag and zoom out of the house, dragging Anthony after her, before Karen would have the chance to stop the veterinarian for a formal interview.

After each of these mornings Arashi and Karen would sit in the living room and fume about the situation and how intolerable it was and what a grave damage Anthony might deal Kazuki might he move beyond little affectionate 'fatherly' gropes.

They shared their fears with Seiichiro who was just as shocked and concerned about it as them. He was angered to the point that he suggested they all go confront Anthony once and for all before anything bad might happen to their current house child (before Arashi and Sorata's was born).

Surprisingly this offer was received by an almost twinned cold, and angry feminine glares.

Seiichiro blinked, slightly frightened, at the two suddenly angry women. "What?" he cowered under their burning eyes.

"Aoki-san" Arashi notified him with her coldest and most powerful of calm voices "I believe that this is a matter for us women to deal with"

Karen nodded and folded her arms on her chest. Her powerful glare softened immeasurably as Ace and Spike stumbled dozily down the stairs to have their coffee and breakfast.

Seiichiro looked at them, then at the two women who still glared at him.

Remembering the way Sorata's wrapped around his wife's little finger, remembering Karen's new lover_s_ he flinched.

The world suddenly seemed to be dominated by powerful women and he, little masculine Seiichiro, was nothing but a slave to them.

He shook those thoughts out of his mind as Yutu walked down the steps and into the kitchen, sleepily shoving the hologram and Spike away from the coffee brewer.

When Yutu was asleep or sleepy he acted out quite barbarically, as Seiichiro discovered during endless common blanket fights during chilling nights.

With his _male _lover, Seiichiro gained the confidence that the women of the house might rule but he, the currently not-so-interested-in-women, can brush their orders away as he exists in his own territory of sexual definition.

Whatever Seiichiro said, Karen and Arashi decided to do their best to watch over Kazuki and monitor each and every of Anthony's progressions with their adopted daughter.

* * *

Three months into their journey into the unknown world beyond the city in search of true justice for Seishiro, Death's riders arrived at a huge orchard.

This orchard, abandoned for who knows how long, had grown wild and free from the farmers who plucked it's fruits, killed the herbs and grass at it's feet and trimmed it's random limbs to encourage faster growth.

From orderly clean rows of fruit baring trees neatly trimmed so that unruly branches wouldn't touch each other from tree to tree, the orchard became a wild forest with thick grassy earth and a canopy of intertwining branches.

The moment he spotted the trees Alex stopped his horse, motioning the rest of the convoy to do the same. He stormed off deep into the wild manmade jungle the orchard became and returned a few moments later with a huge yellow and green fruit the size of a soccer ball.

His eyes sparkled, his smile was almost maddened, Alex dug his nail into the fruit and began peeling the thick skin off.

The rest of the convoy rode their horses to stand around Alex, awaiting this mysterious fruit to be handed over to them. If Alex was so excited about it he'll share it before eating it himself…..as he did with any food he encountered now that they thought of it….

David looked around at the trees in the orchard and their fruits and emitted a long whistle "Wow" he said, impressed and actually on the verge of happiness in his usual icy, careless mood "it's been a _long _time since I've seen those" his eyes became somewhat nostalgic as he scanned the trees.

Alex looked behind him, following David's gaze, and resumed his pealing "Yeah, Palestine had _hundreds_ of it there"

"Israel Alex, it was called Israel in the end"

"Ah….I left before their war ended…." Alex was sticking his tongue out trying to pry the stubborn yellowy skin off the juicy flesh inside.

"It's a shame we didn't come here when these trees bloom, they emit the most wonderful odor" David flowed on his nostalgia's waves.

"Remember what the 'natives' used to do in the orchards?" Alex sniggered as he began peeling the last and toughest skin bits.

David answered with a matching snigger and a "tssk"

"The natives?" Subaru barged into the conversation, feeling that he's the only one who might know what they're talking about "You mean the Arabs?"

For a moment Alex and David stared at Subaru like two grownups at a child trying to barge into the conversation and sound smart.

Subaru looked for a hole to dig himself into.

"Actually" Alex said with a soft, soothing voice "it was the Jewish natives running around and…..doing it….like bunnies in the orchards. But it's just rumors, I never bothered to check"

"Hmm, me either"

"Why?" Kamui couldn't hide his scorn from showing in his tone of speech "where you too busy helping them build the land?".

Alex shot his a short glance "No, I was recovering" he said shortly.

Kamui shook himself slightly, remembering the time Alex told him about his story.

Will moved about nervously.

Finally the giant fruit was uncovered. Alex spread the slices between the convoy men.

For a few moments they scrutinized the slices, smelling and picking them apart, and then put them in their mouth.

"Mmm" Seishiro nodded pleasantly.

"Oh, it's juicy!" Subaru exclaimed in surprise as a trickle of juice spilled out of his mouth when he took a bite from one of his slices.

"A little sour but also sweet" Seishiro moved on to the next slice from the batch of three he received "very good" he kept nodding.

"Peal off the skin and eat the juicy partials inside before you eat, it'll be a lot less bitter that way" Alex showed them what he meant.

David finished his slices silently, the nostalgic smile never vanishing.

As he ate in silence, sharing his slices with Will, Kamui noted it was strange to see David with a smile on his face.

Kamui didn't hate the undertaker. Despite the fact he was one of Alex's best friends and devotee David was a far too big a mystery for Kamui to ignore. Justice saw something in David that the fire keeper was completely oblivious to. One day, Kamui thought, he'll tell him. It will be interesting to see David's reaction when he'll tell him.

The convoy stayed around the citrus forest for a few days more, basking in the abundance of exotic food and resting from the three week ride which brought them here.

Each member would walk around the forest, stopping here and there to pick a fruit and eat it lazily, savoring the strange new tastes of it's various fruits.

Alex made juices and fruit salads, so pleased with the happy faces welcoming every new recipe he even made enough to leave Will with a proper meal and not the usual scrapes to feed on.

The onemojis spent most of their days in the forest, alternately walking amongst the trees and making love in it's hidden corners. Citrus fruits were an exotic opulence in their world's Japan; to them the forest was like a huge treasure room.

At night (Alex noted with a great deal of satisfaction) David would invite Victoria, with mumbled words and endless awkwardness, to take a walk in the forest with him.

Death stalked them, taking note of the behavior and words of the two. If something will develop between them Alex would be very pleased. David deserved it, Victoria deserved it. They would make a good pair.

Kamui and Will would storm across the forest, first covering it's grounds then exploring it more deeply. When they reached a point where they knew each of it's little corners and marvels they began playing in it like little children.

It was on a day like that, just before lunchtime, they met someone outside the convoy.

They were playing 'tag', running between the trees while shrieking and giggling madly. Kamui was 'it' at the time so he was running forwards, his head turned backwards to see how close Will is getting to him, when he heard metallic rattling.

He turned his head, just as Will collided with him reaching for his double, and saw a man dressed as an old western pirate or merchant holding up a musket aimed at them.

The two boys stared blankly at the man.

The man, his musket shaking a little as his grip lost confidence more and more, stared back at them through his ancient rifle's aim slut.

Slowly and very carefully, Will reached out to grab Kamui's shirt tightly. When he was sure enough of his grip, Will turned around and began dashing.

When Will dashes he becomes invisible with the sheer speed of his movement. His vision, already used to this speed, ignored the trees and fruits to concentrate on their path back to camp. Using his canine smelling sense he navigated across the woods back home.

It took them five hours to walk from the camp to where they met the man with the musket; it took Will three seconds to get back.

Kamui's mind was a blur, his head spun as he squinted to try and concentrate on the sudden dizziness this high speed movement caused him.

His head began throbbing, the wind blew madly in his ears, his eyes watered. Just before Will reached camp he was about to pass out.

They came to a full stop in the middle of camp, right where David was preparing the cooking bonfire for lunch.

The undertaker blinked in shock as the two boys suddenly materialized by him out of thin air. It took him some time to recover his shock, register who it was standing by him and start glaring.

Kamui collapsed to the ground, placing his fingers on his temples and catching his breath.

Will remained unchanged, this sudden magic act completely natural for him.

"H….how can you move so quickly….Will?" Kamui panted, looking up in awe at the werewolf.

Will shrugged "I just can. I sink zhey made me so….." he began feeling David's glare in his back.

Kamui climbed to his feet, aided by his companion, and shook his head to clear his thoughts. "We have to tell Alex there's someone with a weapon in the forest…they might want to try and attack us" Kamui was still panting but he began moving towards Alex's tent as he talked, fighting the nausea and dizziness.

Alex raised his eyes from the map he was making to the bright green Kamui walking into his tent. It was very rare that the boy _wanted_ to speak to him, Alex got off his chair immediately.

"There's a man with a musket in the forest about…about a five hour walk from here….Will covered it in a few seconds….he can move _very _fast" the dizziness and his desperate attempts to fight his nausea made Kamui blabber.

"An armed man? How did he look like to you?"

"……I don't know…I was too busy staring at the musket and his old clothes….then everything started zooming past me…." He brushed his hands past his face to show how fast everything moved around him "I think I screamed…I'm going to be sick….." Kamui turned around and exited the tent, kneeling on the ground to relieve himself.

Once he handed Kamui enough herbal tea and got go-away-already-and-leave-me-alone-glares to shoo him away, Alex walked up to the forest edge and reached his senses out.

First he picked up the metallic rattling of the rifle, then the footsteps of the man carrying it. Next were the heartbeats, the inhaling and exhaling of the moving man. By his hearing Alex estimated the man was following Kamui and Will's route to the camp. He had about three hours to reach the camp at the speed he was moving right now.

Alex's sense of smell picked up the man's sweat as he worked himself harder and cover as much distance as he could.

He could pick up the newly applied oil oozing from the musket. The man prepared to hunt the two boys down.

He picked up the smell of human body stranded without a bath or shower for a few good days.

He picked up the hormone humans excrete when they're afraid. He picked up a lot of it. Will's beastly appearance, the two's sudden appearance, and just as sudden disappearance must have startled the man.

This man was a sentient, a boarder watchmen sent out to secure the brims of a territory probably filled with men like him. That's why he wasn't washed; because his shift probably lasted over a few days, maybe weeks or months even. That's why he was equipped with machine oil; to better prepare himself for defensive actions. That's why he was scared witless; he was nothing but a sentient who's job is to shout before his attackers kill him so the real warriors would come out to defend the city.

Sure of his defending ability, Alex turned his back to the forest and began preparing lunch. When the sentient will come he'll calm him down and explain him they are not here to conquer or destroy. If the man will do something stupid he'll pay for it but Alex had high doubts of that ever happening.

* * *

"Kazuki, come to my house after you finish with these rabbits, I have something to give you"

Anthony never invited Kazuki over to his house before. What he had to give her he gave her during their job. Why would he invite her to his home?

Arashi was walking past the bioroid sitting in a rabbit pen when the senior vet departed. She heard what the man said, this old lecher, and alarms started ringing in her ears.

Kazuki noted her and began babbling out her latest happiness: Anthony trusted her enough to let her trim the rabbits' front teeth all alone!

The evening before that day Kazuki made sure everyone in the house knew how the tooth trimmer looked like, what she needs to do with it, how she will make sure she will do no harm to the animals and how wonderful it is that Anthony thought she learned enough to do something all on her own.

All but Fuma. Kazuki never bothered to talk to Fuma at all. Since she stopped being Nataku, since he was no longer the willing father figure the Dragon was. Kazuki avoided opening the Pandora's box that was her issues over her real father in her home world.

Arashi didn't hear a single word Kazuki told her right now. She was far too busy being angry.

The next moment the miko was grabbed by her husband and almost hurled along with him to another stand in the market where they offered fairly sized beef chunks in exchange for cabbage sprouts. It was a good deal as no one in the house liked the tiny gas producing vegetables they received in their last ration while the beef was a treasure to be grabbed immediately.

By the time she squirmed out of Sorata's enthusiastic grip and babbling, Kazuki was not in the rabbit pen anymore.

Panic washed over Arashi like ice water. She let her escape, let her run straight into the lion's den, straight into danger! She should have just stripped the poor thing and offered her on a plate for Anthony to consume!

Oh Arashi! Stupid, stupid, stupid, **stupid!** What if the same thing will happen to your daughter or son! Would you still be so careless!

Can't you see this is a test, if you will not do well with Kazuki you'll do just as bad with your child!

Arashi shook herself out of these thoughts; thoughts were a waste of time, she must _act_ now not think!

She turned towards their home, shouting a short goodbye to her husband before she dashed back as fast as she could.

She shook Karen out of her slumber, pushing back the embarrassment of seeing the two naked men in the fire mistress's bed.

Karen was after a night patrol but hearing the words "Kazuki" and "danger" she snapped straight into coherency, leaping out of her bed and throwing her clothes on so fast she made Arashi wonder where she got those skills from.

They ran out of the house and towards Anthony's for about three minutes before Arashi fell behind, catching her breath and signaling Karen that her pregnancy has some disagreement with this sudden heightened physical activity.

They walked for the rest of the way mostly in silence but often talking.

Karen observed Arashi as the younger women pulled her sword out and retrieved it back into herself a few times.

"You know" she said smiling "I often wondered how come you can still use this miko gift even after you're not a….well….not a shrine _maiden _anymore"

Arashi stared at Karen blankly, then at her hand. "I never thought about it" she mumbled "I mean, I did but I….I don't know…"

"It probably means that this world still wants you as a warrior and not just a mother"

Arashi's mind became a blank. Slowly the meaning of what Karen said leaked into her and she smiled.

Karen presumed, by the miko's orthodox opinions and often bigotry, that Arashi would probably deem herself to the life of a traditional mother and wife once the baby was born. She highly objected these opinions and wanted to try and maybe broaden Arashi's mind a little from the convention to the liberal.

"This skirt" Arashi mumbled to herself "it's beginning to hurt…it's not made for the pregnant me…" she was running her hands down her old sailor-suit school uniforms. Her belly has grown big and so Arashi had to start wearing the skirt higher and higher up her belly. It made her look ridicules. It's not going to be enough in the end.

"I can make you a pregnancy dress if you'd like" the fire mistress offered.

A look of cold horror and disagreement flashed through the younger woman's eyes "and wear fabric from a dead man?" she hissed.

Karen said nothing for a few minutes before she remembered something "You know I remember there was a nurse in the infirmary who was pregnant. She took other nurse robes and sowed the extra fabric to make herself a bigger robe nursing dress. Surely she still has it; maybe you can ask her for it"

Arashi hung slightly hopeful and very doubtful eyes at Karen. "The baby…" she asked after musing in silence for a while "Was it born alright?"

For a few good minutes Karen's shock took it's toll on her speech ability. Was Arashi _that _superstitious to believe that if she'll wear the cloth of a woman's miscarriage the same will happen to her! Guess so.

"Y….yes, a healthy baby boy. She brings him to the infirmary every now and then, maybe she'll be able to show you how healthy and well born he is when you'll go there…" she tried not to sound scornful and cynical while she said it.

Instead it bubbled in her chest, threatening to burst out in a long shouting speech of how Arashi's blinding and crippling herself with all these ancient beliefs.

A few seconds afterwards Karen wondered if she, as a Catholic, isn't just as blinded and crippled by her highly orthodox religion.

They passed the rest of the walk in silence.

Just before they arrived at the house the two women began walking faster, preparing to storm in. Karen prepared a fireball, Arashi pulled her sword out and kept it there.

Whatever they'll find in there, however they will see Kazuki, they'll need to take care of Anthony first before they'll protect the bioroid.

* * *

The man with the musket was indeed a sentient. He belonged to a camp of merchants who suddenly found themselves out of the open road of Europe's 17th century and in another world. Luckily for them this world offered enough similarities in primitive methods and open spaces (after all they didn't land in the city or any other, more 20th century technologies, parts of the Lost Dimension) so there was not so much of a culture shock as most newcomers experienced, just the shock of "one moment I'm here, the other I'm in another world".

The merchants' camp was very interesting; all were men, all were raggedly dressed but highly armed, carrying their goods about. Their goods, at least according to what the Death's convoy saw, mainly consisted of jewelry and firearms. It made sense; if they were traveling with such expensive luggage they should be prepared for any road robbers and thieves of kinds.

The leader of the merchants was a man named Pedro (they were all Spanish or Portuguese), a fat and jolly man who bounced his large belly whenever he laughed, making him appear as a Latin version of Santa Clause.

Death and his men rode into the little merchant camp gathering bewildered and awing stares from it's members. Pedro invited them for a large banquette to share knowledge of each of the leaders' travels across this new world.

The large makeshift room of timber and canvas held a number of small dining tables around a larger, longer, wooden table around which Death's men, Pedro and his best men sat.

Alex should have seen the ominous signs in the stares the merchants gave Victoria, in how their hungry eyes covered every inch of her body, in how they slowly moved to tables which allowed them a front or side view of the blond vampire.

But he didn't see these signs. Instead he was too busy thinking about how he hated excluding 'higher ranked men' tables like the one he sat to at the moment. He was too busy talking to Pedro.

The head merchant was examining Alex's new maps of all the land they've covered so far. As he scrutinized each symbol and every mark he nodded, running his forefinger through his thick dark red beard. He had an ugly scar running from his forehead, down to his left brow and sealing his left eye's empty socket.

Lestate noted, with a distant feeling of alarm, that these men looked more like road robbers themselves then the ones who get attacked by them. He didn't say any of that to Alex, he trusted his Death's instincts and defending abilities.

Pedro tore his one seeing eyes from the maps (carefully rolling them and handing them back to Alex along with maps of his own) and flung it's powerful glittering with the dinner's wine stare at Alex and his men. "So" he said merrily, leaning his large body on his chair's back "let me guess who you are and what you do here. Many told me I am an excellent judge of character"

Alex opened his mouth to try and say something.

Pedro didn't let him "Oh let me, I do enjoy guessing. Many times I knew exactly who and what people are before they spoke the first word" he laughed.

Alex shrugged. His men turned their eyes to the large one eyed merchant, eager to see what he'll note in them.

Pedro scanned the new faces before him for a few moments each, frowning and glaring as if it helped his concentration. "You are obviously the leader" he said finally, pointing at Alex.

Death's men laughed a little, some sneered at the obvious statement.

"Hold on, there's more. You are an old man, despite your young appearance. It's obvious in your eyes, they've seen many years and just as many horrors"

Alex was at a loss of words. No one, so far, was able to tell his age through his forever 25 appearance.

"You are, no, were an army man….don't tell me…..you were a general"

Alex shook his head. A cunning smile flittering across his lips.

"A simple soldier, or you wouldn't be so smug at this sudden high rank" Pedro smiled just as cunningly, thinking he was the smartest man while he was still the one fooled.

Alex shook his head once more.

"A cavalry man?"

Another shake.

"A cadet?"

Nope.

"A dragoon?"

No.

"……A gunner?"

Not that either.

"A lancer? You seem the type to handle a sword right…"

"I handle a sword but that's not what I did" as always, as his real army profession demanded, no one was really ever able to determine what he was until it was too late.

"A ranger?"

"I was a sniper for a briefer service but that's not the main profession"

Pedro gave up "Then you are a mystery to me. Would you tell me what you were?"

Alex's smile sharpened "No, you'll just have to guess"

Pedro glared at him but moved on. He scanned the men before him once again "You seem….not well matched….like you were gathered in the last moment, on a quick call. You…..escaped from somewhere. No, I correct my deeming: you are rebels! And you have a hostage with you"

"You're right" Death enjoyed watching Kamui squirm through the corner of his eye "but who is it amongst us that is the captive?"

Pedro waved his hand carelessly "Easy! It's that fair maiden over there" he nodded at Victoria.

The hums and nods of the over enthusiastic men around the room should have tipped Alex off. But he was too busy with Pedro's words. "No, she's one of us"

Kamui began loosing his patience. Alex was trying to make the men around his scorn him and laugh at his predicament, bastard.

As if reading his mind, Pedro's eye landed on Justice "This little boy here? He's the one who is captive? He and his servant?"

Alex nodded, his smile spreading.

"Whatever made him be that? What did he do?" the merchant didn't laugh at Kamui, he pitied him.

"He made the wrong judgment and now we're keeping him away from home until he changes his mind" Death shot a powerful green glare at Justice.

Kamui glared back.

"I see….ah well…..you my friend" he said, pointing at David "Are a farmer. You have a farmer's build. Maybe it's not your current occupation but I'd say that in your lifetime you worked in agriculture"

The merchant threw David so deep into his personal history that for the rest of the conversation the undertaker saw nothing of the room around him; flashes of his former, pre-camp, life blinded him.

"And you are an artist" Pedro said, pointing at Lestate "but you have a sharp eye so I would guess that you are also skilled in hunting"

Being a vampire meant that he had to hunt his food, so yes that was true, plus Lestate was a hunter when he was mortal. He was also a great fan of music and could play a few instruments. Paintings and sculptures always fascinated his emplified vampire vision so he liked both arts. The vampire raised his glass in agreement and pretended to drink the wine inside.

"And you're a Frenchman too" Pedro added "only they could fuss so much over their appearance" the men in the room laughed, making Lestate a little giddy about how his prettiest embroilment silk jacket and trousers might be perceived by them.

"You are partners, it's obvious." words aimed at the onemojis "You have many differences between you, so many that you often seem like light and dark, the moon and the sun. Like those you complete each other, you cannot be without each other, perhaps…..you fulfill _every _wish of the other"

Subaru blushed.

Seishiro grinned.

Alex giggled a little. The men around them sneered and huffed at this unconventional idea.

"And you, pretty little Goldie Locks, you are a mystery" all eyes, including Pedro's piercing one eye, rested on Victoria who began moving awkwardly on her seat. "I try to look into you but your beauty blinds me. I do not say these things because I haven't seen a woman in a very long time my dear, I really mean them" his voice was low and husky by the last words.

Alex made a mistake when he blamed the alcohol in the merchant's wine for this lecherous behavior.

Victoria did a mistake as well, not a one that would put the blame on what was to come on her, but definitely a tactical mistake: She blushed and giggled a little, showing herself as a mindless beauty rather then the strong woman she was.

By then Alex began sensing something, he hurried to change the subject "So, about these woods you passed by, the ones right at the feet of the mountains, anything we should beware of?"

Pedro dragged his mind out of the gutter "Yes." he fumbled for his captain's log "There were gypsies with thick rifles that make a man freeze like he was in ice sea"

The gypsies and their cryogenic freezing weapons were once one of the cities boarder keepers, as Alex and Lestate recalled. After a while they tired of staying in one place serving a duty and followed their nomad needs to keep moving across their world.

"The gypsies?" Lestate called out in surprise "They got this far? Amazing. How long has it since they've last been around the city?"

David shrugged, he hated gypsies to begin with and that band only relit his emotions against them.

"About the time right after the second famine" Alex answered, also quite impressed by their amazing advance.

"They attacked you? That's strange, they should get along with merchants, being merchants themselves" it should have tipped him off as well.

Pedro noted the hole in his plot and shrugged it "They froze one of our sentient. Apparently he walked in on them and they were alarmed enough to use their weapons"

By Alex and Lestate's nods Pedro knew he was out of the woods.

"Ah! And there's the evil white forest spirits!" at the sound of those words the men in the room except Death's shook and hushed their merry chatting.

"Evil white forest spirits?"

After being quiet and trying to be invisible, Will suddenly called out "Wiese hounde" he shuddered, cradling his left arm as if it was wounded.

Alex turned his eyes to the werewolf "White wolfs? Where?"

"They were in the citrus forest for a while, then they disappeared." the merchant answered "they are horrible demons from the depths of hell they are. They attack you so quickly you have no chance to run away or defend yourself. They kill you right on the spot if you walk into their grounds. If they only bite you their saliva makes you sick for days! The world spins before you, you have a fever, you see things that aren't there, your skin turns grey, you stay like that for weeks, and you can even die!"

The men around them nodded, exposing bite marks and scratch scars on their skin where they collided with one of those mysterious forest wolfs.

"Where did you see them little one?" the merchant aimed his question at Will.

Having received permission from Kamui and after gaining enough confidence under Alex and David's harsh glares, Will answered "Zhey vere far souther from here vhen I met zhem, I just recovered my vounds before you kid…..I joined you…" he looked at Kamui. He folded up his shirt's left sleeve to expose a set of three long scratches crossing his arm diagonally "Zhey saw me as one of zhem somehow so zhey only growled at me and scared me off zhier territory"

Pedro nodded, rubbing his beard thoughtfully once more. His eye danced across the faces of some of his men, catching the signs they tried showing him. "Well" he said once he understood what they wanted from him "it seems like this meal is over." he patted his giant belly with his palms "Perhaps we can talk more about our journeys outside in the fresh air" he looked at Alex "this smell of food and too much sitting makes me sleepy and I will not rest before I find out your occupation in the army!"

Alex nodded, smiling kindly. He turned to his men to tell them they can roam around this camp if they wish or return to their own tents. Then he got up and followed Pedro, Lestate accompanying him (he still had to find out if 'Frenchmen' means an insult to the merchants or not).

The rest of Death's convoy split up; the onemojis retired to their bed, Kamui and Will lingered around the dining table for a little while more, David walked straight back to his tent and Victoria…..

On her way back to her tent Victoria was attracted by the light of a colorful twinkle her eye caught, beckoning her from the doorway of a small wooden shed.

As she strode towards the twinkling object (the fact that she identified it as a gem imbedded in a far larger, and prettier, jewel only quickened her pace) she was obliviously walking into a trap.

* * *

"Come on in Kazuki dear" the old man beckoned the bioroid from his old sofa in the large, yet claustrophobic with age and a lack of light living room.

Happy with the warm invitation, Kazuki hopped in towards Anthony. She walked merrily to his side, fingering the hem of her dress's apron and waving it from side to side childishly.

The old blue eyes, their color dimmed by age and weariness, climbed up from her hands to her face through her sexless body. "My….you are a big girl" he sighed, an undistinguished sigh between appreciation and bewilderment.

"Please Kazuki…..can you do something for me?" a spark Kazuki never saw before lit in the old eyes.

* * *

Sparkles surrounded Victoria as she stepped into the shed. There were hundreds of them: So many gems in so many sizes and so many colors, so many jewels! Boxes and crates full to the brim with them.

Little trinkets lying atop of tables or chests, glistening out in their charming little boxes.

Long chains of diamonds twined like venomous snakes across the visage of this little magic land, each gem luring her to observe it, then it's sister next on the chain.

Enormous necklaces, complicated with their varied numerous engraving and intertwining little chains and parts, grotesque with twinkles and outrageous with richness.

They beckoned her like the song of legendary mermaids.

As she walked the few steps she could towards the largest and most loaded table in the shed, Victoria thought she might be blinded forever by the sparkles. A fleeting fear passed her thoughts that these jewels were so bright because they engulfed the sun's light within them and now when she's here to observe them they'll unleash it at her and burn her the way sunlight does to her kind.

The danger in the shed was not that. Danger was approaching her from behind.

"Do you like these little trinkets lovely lady?" a low husky voice asked from behind.

She could hear two sets of footsteps as two merchants approached her in the shed. Behind her it was them and before her laid the huge table. They approached her one from each side.

Suspicion began filling her mind; she was not a silly girl, not an innocent little lamb as her virginity might indicate. When she was a police girl she encountered the shameful behavior men can resort to in their lowly, beastly needs.

A rain of sparkles filled her vision and within seconds all her suspicions faded like thin fog. The biggest jewel Victoria Ceres ever laid eyes on hung before her face.

It was a set of matching tiara, earrings, a necklace and breast jewel, all attached together to form a net of sparkling chains and twinkling gems.

Victoria's head spun a little trying to fathom what was before her. When the shock faded, when the awe left to make room for admiration, she began exploring it, reaching out to touch it.

"Do you like it?" a second voice said, just as low and just as husky.

"Yes" she panted "it's…..it's…..phenomenal…..where did you ge…."

"It's yours" the first voice said, it was now besides her head, breathing hot wet breath into her left ear.

"R….really?" her suspicions began returning, only weaker now due to the still shocking effect of the jewel before her.

"Yessssss" the second voice said, placing itself by her right ear, lower, nearer to her neck.

"If you'll be a good girl" two palms landed on her breasts, squeezing.

She used her immortal body's flexibility and sent the sole of her foot up into her attacker's groin.

The offending hands left her body as the man they belonged to folded into half and limped away, swearing under his breath angrily.

The next hand that came at her Victoria noted, though it moved amazingly fast her senses still picked it up. It's not her inability to notice the hand itself that made her vulnerable to it's attack; it was the fact she was still unaware of her disadvantages as a vampire of her kind.

The crucifix slammed on her forehead burnt her skin with it's holiness. Though it was not silver, not made of garlic, not sanctified by holy water, it's meaning and shape were the weapon.

Victoria never experienced such pain, never knew such fear in her short fledgling's life; it was like a thunderbolt was released into her brain, exploding everything within it. And her skin stung, burning and pealing off like heated plastic.

She screamed and hissed.

While she squirmed with pain she was grabbed, spun and raised to sit spread legged on the table from which the boxes and chests were violently brushed off in animalistic brutality.

When the pain resided enough to allow her some realization Victoria realized what is about to be done to her.

She screamed again, mentally this time.

* * *

Karen and Arashi burst, shoulder first, into the tall cottage. Their weapons brandished, their eyes burning like Karen's fire balls.

Kazuki whipped her head to them and frowned, scolding them with her "shhhhhhhh!"

The two women stopped, their pose remaining just as it was before they comprehended the situation within.

Kazuki was kneeling on a one seated sofa, facing them and holding a book in her hand. She looked childishly angry at them.

Anthony was sitting on a larger sofa opposite to Kazuki's. He was asleep.

Silence filled the slightly dusty, poorly lit space.

"Kazuki?" Karen tried.

"**shhhhhhhh!**"

"Kazuki" Arashi tried, whispering.

"Be quiet, you'll wake him up and he just fell asleep!"

"Kazu-chan….what's going on, we thought that…." Karen carefully stepped towards the bioroid, reaching out a hand to wrap around her shoulders protectively.

"What's this?" her hand found a pendant hung on a delicate silver chain around Kazuki's neck. It reached down her chest where the pendant hung against the flat sexless breast. It was a particularly large drop shaped pearl, emerging from an upside-down complicatedly engraved silver cone.

Kazuki closed her palm around the pendant "Anthony gave me this" she said with warm pride in her eyes "it belonged to his granddaughter….she died when they arrived here…."

Her eyes saddened. She turned from Karen's side to a little table with various pictures and boxes atop it. She took one picture and brought it back to the two women.

The picture was of a younger looking Anthony, his palm fatherly grabbing the shoulder of a young girl in her early teen years. Her face bore a striking resemblance to Kazuki's.

Karen and Arashi stared down at the photograph, realization of their mistake slowly seeping into their minds.

"He said" her voice played as background music to their feverish thoughts "that I do not look exactly like his granddaughter, that I'm not his granddaughter, never was and never will be, that he will never pretend that I am…but that…."

Karen slowly raised her eyes from the photo to the sleeping old man on the sofa.

Arashi pushed the framed picture away from her gently, preferring to look away with shame.

"He said that I am as kind as she was, as smart and fast minded as her, that he was preparing to teach her his trade before he lost her" she hung her large innocent eyes at the dosing veterinarian as well "and now, he will give me this pendant that belonged to his granddaughter to help me get a little bit of affection out of him, enough to make him a better teacher to me because…."

she turned her head away from the sleeping man, lowering it a bit to bury her tearing eyes behind the blind her overgrown hair created "Because he doesn't know if Sei-san will ever come back and he…." She sobbed silently 'He will not be here for much longer…."

Without thought, out of pure instinct, Karen wrapped her arms around Kazuki, laying the white haired head on her bosom.

Arashi chose to keep her head looking away to give the bioroid her privacy to express her emotions.

"I know he won't be here for long" now Kazuki's voice was no longer so heavy and loaded with sadness and tears, it was fresh and strong. It was very calm and mature.

"I never saw an old man die; I only saw my own end and heard of my father's death. To me Anthony is not just a friend like Sei-san is; he is like my grandfather only more emotional and affectionate."

She gently detached herself from Karen, returning to gaze at the photograph with a brave little calm smile on her lips "I think that this time around I will correct things. Anthony will die before me and not the other way around like it was with me. I will play the role of the granddaughter for him so he won't be lonely. I'll play her part for her, help do what she cannot do anymore" she embraced the frame to her chest.

Karen and Arashi hung amazed eyes at her. Never was she so aware, so mature and complete, so clear.

"I will be the granddaughter for him and he will be a grandfather for me" she closed here eyes, as if in prayer.

"…..Kazuki" Karen whispered. She snapped out of her shock enough to pat the bioroid lightly on her shoulder and hint Arashi that they should take their leave.

"You better get back to reading the book for him then, we won't disturb you anymore" she smiled at Kazuki.

"Oh…." The bioroid opened big childish eyes at them again "What did you come here for anyway?"

"Ah…Nothing special really…Just a silly little thing, forget about it. Better get back to the book now, it's good for your English reading"

Kazuki nodded, happily waving goodbye to the two women and resuming her previous occupation.

Only once they were outside the cottages could the women breath in and clear their mind completely. They turned their amazed eyes to the other's.

"Wow" Arashi exhaled.

* * *

"Ah, I give up!" Pedro threw his hands in the air gesturing his despair "You win, what were you in the army?"

The head merchant, Alex and Lestate were taking a walk in the cool night's refreshing air.

Alex sniggered, crossing gazes with Lestate who smirked equally "I was a spy" he said smugly.

Pedro stopped on his tracks, hanging a shocked eye at Death "A spy?"

Alex nodded, still smirking.

"But of course" suspicion and disgust snuck into Pedro's tone through his heavy mustache and beard "only a spy would hide his identity, only a spy could be so….so…."

There was continuing of this sentence.

Alex's face blanked completely; smugness changing within a moment to alarm and anger. He turned on his heels and vanished off towards the jewelry shed where Victoria was being attacked.

His eyes blazed turquoise as he ran, his inner violence bursting up like a flame as his mind processed the source of Victoria's condition.

He burst into the shed like a violent storm, sword in hand, his aura flaring up madly. His teeth exposed in a violent snarl. with short and efficient moves he sliced the two attackers into tiny little fleshy stripes within seconds.

Victoria collapsed to the ground, allowing her limp from shock body to let it's guards down now that it was protected by another. She was not harmed besides the mental trauma and the holy scorch on her forehead, yet she was exhausted and tear-filled.

Alex rushed to her side instinctively. With a violently shaking palm he healed the burn in her skin, hanging still glowing eyes at her.

His rush into the shed and the sounds of manslaughter from within alarmed the rest of the men in the camp towards Alex. They poured in now, brandishing their surprisingly - abundant – for - mere - merchant weapons at him as fast as they could. They were killed just as fast by a fighter with a raging behavior and a feverish, self consuming mind.

Lestate burst into the shed, placing himself dangerously between the merchants and the raving Alex. He trusted his Death's sixth sense not to harm his own creatures and make him stop the violence.

The men noted by now how powerful Death was and seized to enter the shed, choosing instead to back off and observe the shed's floor with it's scattered pieces of human flesh, it's collapsed young vampires begging Death to "Stop it, I'm alright, really I am!" with tears in her eyes.

But Alex kept moving, his mind no longer in control of his body. He grabbed Lestate by his shoulder and hurled the slim body aside powerfully, emitting a beastly growl. He stepped forward, swinging his sword towards the frightened men before him, about to attack once again.

Lestate crushed into a small table, snapping his arm and shattering his ankle. Those were nothing but tiny surface wounds for a vampire in his power levels. It was his Death that worried him most; Alex's hand was shaking as he grabbed his shoulder. Imbedded within his beastly growl was a miserable whimper of a wounded animal.

Kamui also noted the uproar as he was walking away from the dining room with Will in toe nibbling on a beef bone.

As he squiggled amongst the pressed bodies of the men before the entrance to the shed, as he cast his eyes on Victoria and her torn bright blue Hellsing blouse and the torn body parts on the floor, the details clicked into Kamui's mind explaining Alex's behavior.

Before he'll do anything about that he has to stop Alex from harming others, and himself, anymore.

He fought his way into the shed until he was face to face with Alex who's arm just swung to deal a blow, almost hitting Kamui. "STOP IT!" he called, commanding more then shouting in alarm.

At the sight of the bright violet eyes blazing with purpose and the beautiful face that rang so many bells in his mind, Alex snapped at least partially back to present time. His glow subsided and disappeared within fragments of seconds. His arm drooped to his side. The storm calmed, retreating to rage on within Death's mind.

He was breathing heavily, his eyes still crazed as he scanned Kamui. Everything he looked upon, even Kamui's face was but a picture on a screen behind which one of his life's greatest tragedies played to the sharpest details.

Limping over to the crouching blond on the floor, Lestate helped Victoria to her feet and began exiting the shed. He made an oath to forever hate Kamui for doing what he, one of Death's most loyal men, couldn't do.

Kamui turned his back and walked out as well. He noted his werewolf waiting outside the commotion of frightened and angry men. He grabbed Will violently by his shoulder and hissed at him trying not to be heard "Run away from here if you want to live Will, run as fast as you did today, **now!**"

Without question, Will obeyed.

suddenly Kamui was accidentally pushed back into the shed as Pedro violently pounded his way into the small space with big heavy steps.

"**What have you done!**" he roared like a wounded beast. His small piggish eye almost popping out of it's socket under the big bushy eyebrow. He spread his arms sideways to gesture the bloody pieces of flesh that were once his men "**WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!**"

Alex stood shaking with anger.

"I should have known, I should have known!** Never!**" he raised a shaking pointing finger upwards to emphasize his words "**NEVER trust a SPY!**"

"**AND YOU!**" Alex bust back "**You're not merchants! You're pirates! Brutal, beastly, lecherous…..**" he choked on his words, nausea betraying him.

Pedro used this break to put in a word. He whipped his arm with it's pointing finger at the shed's exit "**Get out of my camp!**" he snarled, shaking with anger himself and sweating like a pig "**NOW!**"

"With pleasure" Alex snarled back, grabbing Kamui forcefully by his arm and dragging the youth with him. He mounted his horse wordlessly and stormed away from there like wild wind, still holding Kamui (never leaving the boy to exit on his own might he get attacked by the angry pirates).

As they arrived at their own camp Alex dismounted his horse and vanished into his tent. By the time they were home Kamui felt Alex shake badly. His grip on his shoulder was not violent; it was desperately clinging to him for help, for comfort.

Kamui would have sat with him, would have helped but……there was something about his own predicament that kept him somewhat detached emotionally from Alex enough to deem himself as inefficient as a comforter for pain in Alex's magnitude.

Instead he walked into Victoria's tent. If Subaru was already here by the time the two vampires returned from the pirate's little village then word spread to the light onemoji. If Kamui knew Subaru well, and he did, the man would be at Victoria's side to listen and share her problems.

He was right. Victoria sat on her mock bed with Subaru sitting by her holding her palm and hanging pain filled eyes at her.

Why did it seem to Kamui that Subaru's eyes could also _soak_ pain as well as reflect it, as if his whole being is focused on helping the ones in pain?

Seishiro leaned on one of the tent's poles, patiently awaiting his lover to satisfy his need to help others. As Kamui walked in, he and the dark onemoji exchanged charged glares before they turned their attention to the soft murmur of Subaru's comforting words.

Victoria listened to every word and nodded with a small smile on her lips, bashful at the sudden attention lavished on her so abundantly. She cried a little before, tears of blood like all her kind, but now she was just sobbing gently, clutching the handkerchief Subaru handed her which was now blemished and reddened her and there.

Kamui was glad to see Subaru making connections within camp that weren't Alex or him….both, when you get down to it, were not very good for him.

Unbelievably, David walked into the tent.

He threw a silencing wave amongst the tent's residents. Scanning over the bewildered faces staring up at him, the undertaker dismissed most of them with a careless standoffish short glare and walked deeper into the tent.

With a great amount of obvious awkwardness, he placed himself before Victoria, standing rigidly as if to attention. Clenching and re-clenching his fist as if it contained his hat from long ago to help him channel the stress and nervousness. David tried to cast his eyes on the vampire but failed, instead his eyes traveled lower to the floor. He looked like a bashful child trying to confess something to an adult, awaiting his verdict with fear and awe.

Victoria was so happy he came see her, so surprised and joy filled! She hung huge red eyes at him, childishly awaiting his words as if each were a precious gem far more expensive then any in the damned treasure shed.

"I……" David mumbled, giddily switching weight from one foot to the other thus creating a somewhat comic effect that he is swaying gently like a tree in the breeze "I…..was wondering….if you're safe……I mean….." he cursed himself silently for sounding like an idiot "I hope you weren't harmed and now you're fine….."

Bloody tears began forming in Victoria's eyes again "Yes! I'm fine, really!"

From a distance, Kamui noted she restrained her body from leaping up to show how fine she is.

Funny, he thought, she and Yuzuriha must be the same person changed by different dimension's conditions; the two are so alike!

"Good….because you're safe…..here….." David half-grunted on, grinding the words out of his mouth through clenched with nervousness teeth "we…..we….we're….here to protect you….you can…….you can count on…..count on us….always…..don't be too shy to ask okay!" he finally raised his intense eyes to her.

He didn't wait for an answer; he turned around and stormed out of there as fast as he could.

Kamui and Seishiro, who felt the little gush of wind as David passed between them on his way out, would have crossed a 'what the f…!' stare if they weren't mortal enemies.

"I would!" Victoria whimpered after him, a puppy thirsting for attention wishing to follow it's new owner. She clasped her hands on her chest and gave off the characteristic long heart filled sigh of a freshly in loved young woman. She collapsed on the bed with another heavy sigh, blown away by happiness.

Kamui and Seishiro looked away uncomfortably as she forgot the tiny length of her Hellsing uniforms mini-skirt and didn't cross her legs while she laid down.

Trying to put _that _sight aside, Kamui walked up to Subaru who was now beaming with happiness as Victoria's mood lightened as well. He leaned down and whispered his words to the onemoji's ear.

The happy smile was wiped off of Subaru's face, giving way to a fearful frown and shock. "Oh no!" he called out.

Kamui's intense confidential gaze shushed him immediately. They exchanged gazes before Subaru shot to his feet and stormed out of the tent, dragging Seishiro with him.

* * *

They found Alex in a mess when they entered his tent. He wasn't in real physical mess as much as he was in a mental one.

He was sitting on his chair, leaning one elbow on his knees as his palm clutched his face powerfully, almost bruising. The other palm clutched powerfully at his vest's front, violently stretching the fabric as it clutched and released a little, then clutched again.

His face was dark red as the fire within him burnt; his body covered with fears' heavy sweat beads.

His was shaking violently, yet very restrictedly; the real earthquake, the real maelstrom happening within his mind.

He was in the realm of memories so twisted by repressed and pushed sideways traumas they were warped beyond comprehension.

He did not cry though he whimpered from time to time like a wounded little animal. Sometimes a repressed cry of maddened pain snuck out through his violently clenched teeth.

What Seishiro and Subaru walked into was the beginning of a full fledged nervous breakdown.

They hurried to his side, coordinated and cooperating like the time they came to give him their thanks.

They took him, Subaru cooing soothing words in his deafened by memories ears, and separated him from the chair.

They worked their best comforting efforts on him to calm his shaking and smooth his tense limbs; Subaru talking softly to his Death, constantly looking upwards into his blinded crazy green eyes, Seishiro rubbing the powerful tense shoulders into better ease.

By the time they managed to ease the first tears and broken whimpers out of Alex their throats were croaked with talking, their fingers aching with massage. They were working themselves beyond their petty little limits to pay something back to this man who saved their lives and loves.

Alex cried for the first time in a good few hundred years. It was a short outburst of tears with no violent sobbing or rivers of tears, but it was definitely crying.

They put him to bed, holding and soothing him all along while he shook like a leaf in their arms.

By the early morning hours Alex was silent and still. He was sleeping finally and they could have some rest themselves.

They didn't bother exiting the bed, only removing their shoes and upper layers of garments for better comfort.

They felt better now that their efforts paid off, now that their Death got over his seizure.

This was the first time they did something as a team. They fell into sleep with wonderful fulfillment beating powerfully in their chests.

* * *

The next morning Alex woke up from yet another amazingly refreshing and comfortable sleep.

He noted that he was well snuggled and warm under the simple cover and that he was exceptionally comfortable.

When he opened his eyes his mind froze in shock and embarrassment.

To his front, curled up snugly in his arms like a spoiled little kitten, was Subaru. With the ultimately peaceful expression of deep sleep, with cheeks flared up in sweet pink due to the extreme warmth under the blanket, he lay so naturally within Alex's arms as if he's been doing it for years now. And he was damn beautiful while he was at it.

Behind him, with his arms wrapped around Alex, Seishiro snuggled spooning up at him. He noted the nonchalantly wrapped arms of the Sakurazukamori around him so possessively. He felt the hot lazy steady breath of sleep on the back of his neck where Seishiro's nose and upper lip softly touched his skin. It sent tingling pleased sensations down his spine.

Both onemojis were in their underwear.

For a few minutes Alex lay there frozen, raking his mind desperately for an explanation to this hidden in yesterday's events.

Yesterday's evens came crushing down on him like a natural disaster. Yet, here, snuggled with the men who helped him out of his crisis, Alex felt detached enough from those painful events to not get sucked back into it's mind numbing pain and misery.

Still, somewhat healed or not, this was no position to stay in! Especially when they might wake up any minute now. Dreading awkward morning greetings, Alex willed himself to fog and escaped the wrapping limbs and the bed's wonderful cozy warmth.

He hates himself as he escaped like a thief from a crime scene; he felt so ungrateful for not staying long enough to thank them.

Yet he knew the three of them did not end up like _that _for no reason. He knew he must never venture into such territories, condemned himself to never end up like that again. The temptation was far too big.

His still existing love for Kamui was far too big; he already felt himself as a traitor though the onemoji's did nothing but sooth him, though Kamui does nothing but push him away.

And besides he was far too bad, far too worthless to come into that loving connection, to ask for some of the amazing warmth. All he does is bad, everything he touches dies and rots; if he'll try to reach out to them he will only break them up, only ruin them.

So he bashed himself mentally, standing outside in the fresh air, clearing his mind in the early noon's sun.

Turning away from a remedy to only wound himself some more.

(TBC)


	25. Jealousy in the Snow

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Note: **and short chapter but the end is…well…read it and see for yourself. And while you're reading **PLEASE** review 'coz in need to know what you're thinking of this, **DESPERATELY** need to know that is!

* * *

**Part 25: Jealousy in the Snow**

Death's riders were marching through heavy snow fall for a few days.

They have reached the chain of mountains on the end of the great grass plains and thick forests.

It seems there was no where else to go as the chain stretched out to both east and west; trying to cross them was their only option to make the gap between one Justice and the other as greater as can be.

The snow drove Alex mad. He hated snow with all his might; it meant death to him.

As the first snowflake hovered past them Alex began riding back towards his comrades, giving them heavy coats, gloves and hats to keep them as warm and safe.

He even handed ones to Victoria and Lestate at night, despite their argument that they could not feel the cold or be hurt by it.

The snow turned Alex into a tight ball of nerves, constantly on alert and cranky. Silence and uneasiness spread through the caravan as the weather around them became uneasy to life with.

Finally they arrived at what seemed like the peak of the mountain; a flat terrain stretching out to every direction. When they tried to move past it they encountered the most violent snow storm ever. It literally pushed them back to the long snowy flat.

They were stuck with no where else to go but backwards to where they came from and this was not an option.

Inside Alex's tent, as the night fell and the vampires woke, Alex held a re-strategizing meeting.

They gathered around a large round table Alex erected in his tent and covered with the various maps he had made so far.

"So we are stuck, are we not?" Lestate opened the meeting.

"Why won't you tell us something we _don't_ know Lestate" Alex snapped at him, his eyes on the latest map to which he added the offending mountain range.

Lestate glared at him faintly.

"I'm sorry old friend it's this snow, it's making me cranky….we have to get out of here…we have to get _somewhere_" Death grumbled.

"Why won't we go back" Victoria offered, suddenly crouching under the fiercer glare she received from Alex "I mean go back to the plains where we traveled so far. We can stay there in much better weather and we won't move back to the city until Kamui gives up"

The men in the tent considered her words.

"I say we stay here" David joined into the discussion.

"Here in the snow storm!" Alex almost barked at him.

"Yes, in these horrible conditions it will only serve to break the brat's spirit quicker"

"David" Death's voice was cruel and harsh "you can't feel the cold can you? And you can't be effected, but there are those amongst us who can and might get hurt" he gestured towards the onmyoujis who looked drowned in the thick layers of warm clothes they wore.

"That's just fine with me, staying that is" Seishiro came for David's help "if it'll serve to break the brat's spirit quicker then I'm alright with it. What about you Subaru-kun?"

Subaru had something on his mind and did not pay attention to the conversation going on around him at all. After being shaken out of his daze he was asked again and nodded for an answer. "Although…." He mumbled suddenly, then scanned the faces around him and shook his head to cancel what he was about to say.

Silence spread through the tent as each men sank deep into thought.

"What about moving on, into the storm" Lestate broke the silence.

Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself "_Into_ the storm?" he grumbled finally.

"Yes, there must be something on the other end of these mountains; it can't be that this world is small enough to only have a ridge of mountains to patch the two ends of the territory we know of. There _is_ something beyond the storm.

"And another thing; this storm, it seems to lessen when we're not trying to penetrate it and grow more violent whenever we come near it, am I right? Then it means that this is not a real force of nature but rather a spell of some sort"

The men in the camp raised their eyes to Lestate, awaiting more from him.

"You mean to say that someone doesn't want us to go beyond the mountains?" David asked.

"We…" Seishiro looked down at his lover for affirmation "We sort of sensed some kind of stranger force around the storm but we were unable to pin point it to anything we both knew of. It'd make sense that this storm is some kind of a spell"

Alex rubbed his thumb across his chin, deep in thought.

"And if it is a spell then no one can stop us from breaking it, we can do it can't we?" Victoria leaned closer to Alex "All we need to get over is our fears"

Death shot a glance mixed with a glare at her.

"And how do you suggest we cross this storm? It almost blew some of us off our horses" by his tone you could hear that he was beginning to get convinced yet he still had doubts and fears within.

"We'll cross it by night. We'll cross it when the only ones awake are those who cannot be affected by the cold. We'll ride at our fastest speed directly through the storm, keeping those who are vulnerable asleep somewhere safe" Lestate faltered for a moment, his wind suddenly blown out of his sails "I….didn't think about how we're going to transport those of us who are vulnerable but…. "

"Don't think about it now, we're not charging at the storm yet" Death cut him short.

"But…"

"We're not executing this plan yet"

"But Alex!" Victoria started now.

"Let me think about it, there's a lot of planning to do for such an operation and we have to make sure there _is _something beyond the storm for us to go through all this effort in the first place"

"And how do you plan to find that out?"

Alex glared down at David, who joined the argument to back Victoria up "Leave it to me alright? This meeting is over"

Subaru shot to his feet, grabbing Alex's arm and dragging him out of the tent "Alex, there's something I need to talk to you about, it's very important"

"What's wrong?"

"It's Kamui, he's not…." The conversation was cut from the rest of the men as Subaru and Alex stepped out of the tent.

They left a bunch of disappointed men behind.

"What's wrong with him anyway!" Victoria frowned "He's being extra snippy and bitchy to everyone"

"He doesn't mean it little English girl" Lestate answered her, rising from his seat and straightening his heavy velvet coat "it's the snow, it's making him edgy"

"Why?"

"Maybe David can answer that question"

David cowered under the sudden intense red stare from Victoria "Please don't ask me. I spent too much time inside buildings by the 'ovens' where it was warm…Alex spent more time there and obviously he spent more winters as well, that might account for his fears…."

"Alex is the one suffering the most English girl, give him a break and try to be gentle with him" Lestate aimed that to anyone else in the room even if David already knew it and Seishiro seemed to be lost in his own little world.

"Alright" the petite blond sighed.

* * *

Alex stepped into Kamui's tent, immediately enjoying the wave of heat coming from the large stove he placed there. The tent was warm and cozy, a complete change from the violent and cruel cold outside.

Kamui sat curled to a ball on his bed with his back to the tent's entrance.

Will sat at the foot of the bed, leaning his hand on the mattress and his chin on his arm, sadly staring up at Kamui.

There was non of the usual grumpy "Who is it?" or "What do you want!" from the youth on the bed.

Alex walked up to Kamui and sat by him on the bed.

Kamui did nothing, just stared forward with his head leaning on his knees. He was folded up so neatly into a tiny ball it was adorable. But as adorable as he could be, Kamui did not show any sign of how snappy he could be whenever Alex closed the distance between them.

"Kamui?" Alex leaned in to try and see the youth's face. What he saw shocked him.

The big mauve eyes were half lid and _empty_. Kamui stared forward carelessly, stopping to blink from time to time but nothing else. He seemed stuck in a daze, unable to shake it off and live. His eyes were so shut down, so vacant it seemed he was dead.

"Subaru was here" Alex said worriedly, aiming his words to the werewolf at Kamui's bedside without making eye contact "did he say something about his condition?"

"He doesn't speak to me….Kamui spoke a little first, zen just shut off completely….it vaz after a night ven he dreamt of Fuma"

Alex's tone came harsher, crueler this time "Did Subaru say anything about 'going within', I know he often talks to himself out loud"

"He said no such thing"

Alex stared at Kamui a little longer, trying to lay a comforting arm on the frail shoulders and receiving no response at all. He tried calling Kamui a few times but no matter what he did the boy would not respond.

This was bad.

"And Subaru is here around the clock I can imagine….still it's of no help…" now Alex was the one mumbling to himself. He sighed deeply then got to his feet and walked out of the tent, his head heavy with thoughts.

Kamui began breaking under the pressure of this adventure but he was breaking in the wrong direction. He was locking himself away from the rest of the world instead of regretting deeds. He was digging himself into a dangerous depression.

If Kamui withdrew back into his heart again there will be no argument to convince him out of there like the first time. What could Subaru tell Kamui to persuade him out of his heart? Kamui had nothing to lose but the tiny chance that Death's riders themselves would break and bring him back to the city.

Perhaps that's what Kamui was really planning? It was possible.

And yet Alex was sure that Kamui's pain was real and that his depression was not something he forced upon himself. They were just heading for a hard time that's all.

He sighed deeply and walked back to his tent to think over the various plans offered to him in the meeting.

The snow blew at him like a malicious child insisting on annoying him.

* * *

Subaru stormed into his tent in a hurry. He was caught and stopped by Seishiro's arms, wrapping around him warmly.

The Sakurazukamori nuzzled his neck, raining kisses on the soft skin.

"Not now Seishiro –san" Subaru tried shaking his lover off "I only came here to take a new cigarette pack, not now".

His lover heard none of it.

"Aren't you cold Subaru-kun?" he purred into his ear seductively "I'm cold too, let's get warmer together"

"Not now I said, please"

"Why?" Seishiro hummed between kisses, bringing Subaru's face to his "What else is there to do"

Subaru's emerald eyes were suddenly serious and hard "I have to be with Kamui, he's not feeling very good at all, he needs me"

Seishiro loosened his grip immediately.

Subaru escaped from his arms, walking to his bedside cabinet where he kept his cigarette packs.

"You mean you're going to help the brat who tried to kill your lover Subaru-kun" his voice was hard, offended and cold.

Subaru stared at him, then sideways "He's very sad, I can't help not trying to be there for him"

"He's sad because of his punishment Subaru-kun, his punishment for what he tried to do to us, remember?"

Subaru shut his eyes and frowned "I know….but….He's my friend, I can't desert him now" he began walking towards the tent's entrance.

Seishiro caught his hand, bringing it to his chest "You're kind Subaru-kun, _too_ kind to that boy and I won't stand it for long"

Subaru stared hard at his lover's eyes "Let go of my hand Seishiro-san" he commanded.

Shocked, Seishiro let him go, watching his lover run off to help the youth who tried to kill him.

Anger filled Seishiro's mind, blocking everything else out. Feelings were new to him, leaving him unable to hold them back or analyze them properly before acting out.

He could not believe that his lover preferred Kamui's traitorous company over his loving one. Did he remember nothing of his trial? How Kamui was the one to drag the whole process towards his death sentence? Did he forget the deep panic he was in, the desperate need to be with him!

The nagging jealousy from old times returned to pest Seishiro's mind and heart. Back in their world, ever since the time Subaru reached into Kamui's heart and plucked the youth back to life, Seishiro recognized the threat Kamui was for their relationship.

Now this threat returned, magnified by Subaru's endless need to help those who are hurt and sad. Seishiro knew Kamui would use this to snare the pure hearted onmyouji.

Kamui pulled the same trick on Alex; playing the damsel in distress and beckoning anyone who might be his knight in shining armor.

Subaru would cave into it and fall for Kamui's trap. Then as soon as Subaru gave Kamui the strength to escape, the youth will use it to go back to his damned Fuma.

As soon as he'd be in Fuma's arms Kamui would chuck Subaru away like a used sock and forget he ever had something with Seishiro's lover at all.

Seishiro was shaking with so much anger at the notion.

The image of Kamui and Subaru escaping the camp on horseback made his blood boil, he was certain of it happening.

No! He will not have Kamui capture his Subaru-kun's heart, that heart was his and his alone! God only knows he worked hard to keep this ownership and he won't lose it to some runt who pouts and spins the whole world around his finger!

He stormed out of his tent towards Kamui's when the sight of Subaru standing a little away from it, on the side opposite to the entrance made him think.

He had a plan of how to stop this whole damned game.

* * *

"Kamui!"

It hit Kamui's mind like a bomb. That voice!

"Kamui!"

**_It was Fuma!_**

Kamui shot to his feet from the bed and turned to the tent's open entrance.

Fuma stood there, waving at Kamui with the most wonderful smile on his face. "Kamui, come on, come here!"

Without second thought Kamui leaped across the bed and ran towards his long lost lover. He left Will behind, snoozing as he leaned against his master's bed.

But the moment Kamui came close enough to Fuma the bigger teen took a few steps back, turned on his heels and began running away. He kept on waving his hand at his lover, beckoning the boy "Kamui! Ha ha ha! Come to me Kamui, follow me!"

Maddened with longing and loneliness, Kamui followed Fuma without argument.

He ran out of the little snow drenched camp, away from Subaru who still stood smoking and oblivious to what's going on, away from anyone who could protect him.

Fuma ran faster, heading deep into the snowy distance; he ran straight into the monstrous snow storm.

Enraged by the intruder, the storm turned it's mightiest power against Kamui, attempting to blow him off his feet and away from it.

Relentless, Kamui followed Fuma with his heart pounding and his head spinning with happiness. "Fuma! Fuma wait for me! Where are we going? Fuma please stop, I love you, stop! I miss you!"

"I love you too Kamui, oh Kamui I love you so much, follow me! Come to me Kamui, come!" Fuma stopped, spreading his arms sideways gesturing for Kamui to come and get a hug.

Kamui pulled at every strength left in his body and leaped after Fuma. Tears of happiness dripped from his eyes, freezing into tiny crystals on his blushing cheeks. He cared nothing for it; Fuma was here!

He leaped at Fuma who, in the very last second took another step back and vanished into the storm.

Kamui landed on unfaithful ice. He couldn't see it but he was placed his foot on a cliff edge of pure ice, the surface under him too thin to hold him.

The ice broke, hurling Kamui down into a pure white abyss. The cruel wind cut at him, the violent cold gnawed at his limbs.

Kamui fell heavily into a huge pile of snow and lay there, powerless and frozen as the image of his Fuma still played before him.

"Fuma…." He gasped hopefully, reaching out his hand for Fuma to take and yank him out of the snow.

Fuma walked up to him and reached out as well.

As their hands touched the maboroshi broke, shattering into a thousand sakura petals.

Kamui stared at the black ofuda left in his hand, completely unable to fathom what had happened here.

And by the time he realized what happened it was too later. His body was sunk in snow and freezing too quickly for him to fight it off. He was weakened by his maddened running, he was already weak from his little exercise or food in the last few days.

Most of all his spirit was shattered, his heart broken, all hope ripped out of him. Tears of despair fell on his cheeks, adding to the ice slowly covering his face.

There was no hope for him, and nothing to keep living for in this cruel and vicious world.

He dug his face into the snow, breaking into violent sobs. Even his whimpers were kidnapped and drowned in the harsh blowing wind around him.

His head felt heavy and his body ached. His eyelids begged for rest; Internal rest from this horrible fate.

Just before oblivion reached out and plucked him, a vision played before Kamui's eyes.

It was a view of heaven:

Long stretches of bright green fields and meadows, glittering under a brilliant sun Kamui haven't seen since he last came to the Lost Dimension. Beautiful little houses scattered across the heavenly view, across this Eden out of his reach but soon to embrace him. Flowers….and so much green….agricultural fields blossoming and succeeding….everything blooming, everything fresh and beautiful…

"Heaven….I'm going to heaven" Kamui mumbled before his head dropped into the snow, his soul thrown into dark oblivion.

(tbc)


	26. Fighting Out of the Storm

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me! The lyrics belong to the guy who wrote Buffy's Once More With Feeling's lyrics.

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **go to Teko(o) my devoted reviewer (love you!), Mikazuki though I'm not wuite sure if I managed to follow the meaning of 'least annoying characters' thank you, and skd thank you!

**AUTHOR'S NOTES (IMPORTANT): **Reviews will be appreciated. I have **no** idea what you think of plot developments, different original characters, how I changed the X characters, help me people or I'll keep on doing the same mistakes!

* * *

**Part 26: fighting out of the storm **

Fuma plopped down into the dirty wicker chair Jacob dragged to the cemetery.

Never in his life did he work so hard for so long, never did he work so hard on such small meals. It seemed that water was the only thing he could get in abundance. but water only made him _feel_ full, then make him run off to the bathroom to urinate it all out and feel hungry all over again.

Fuma looked at the huge hole in the ground he and Jacob toiled on for the last three days; the future third mass grave for the dead cropped by the Lost Dimension's third famine.

Many things took his mind off his gaping loneliness without Kamui newer days.

The famine was like a constant jab to his mind and stomach. His home received the food pay of many Rescue Team members and still every meal they had eat left them hungry for more.

And what of Arashi's baby? Fuma remembered his father's 'monthly development' pictures of Kotori growing in his mother's belly. Compared to them Arashi seemed to have stopped developing some time ago.

The bodies he had to bring to their grave were not a pleasant sight. Fuma never saw people so thin in his life! It was a horror onto itself.

Every morning they'd meet a delegation of men and women bringing their dead to the cemetery. Too often those delegations would return the next day or the day afterwards, to bring another dead from amongst them.

Fuma would often run away from meeting these people, unable to bare the sight of a person he saw alive and moving so recently, now dead and gone.

It seemed the pain would never seize, just as the flood to the cemetery would.

Often he and Jacob would head over to a house where only one person was left alive, to collect the body of that person who now had no one to bring them to burial.

After work Fuma came back home to his warm and loving environment and see everything empty and meaningless. Each of his home's members were human, each of them could starve and die. One morning Fuma would wake up to hear that he needs to help bring the body of one of them to the cemetery with him. Why, Yuzuriha was the thinnest amongst them! Kazuki too!

Jacob was no one to talk to. He was either berating Fuma for doing a lousy job (even when he followed the man's _exact_ directions), curse David for abandoning the cemetery for his care or curse the infirmary's office Noters for assigning this job to him.

The day Jacob gave him a long and angry lecture of how bad Fuma was for taking Kamui away from Alex was the first (and only) day Fuma simply got up and left the cemetery, his mind feverishly angry, tears burning a path down his dirty face.

One evening Fuma sat atop his big lonely bed, simply staring forward trying to clear his mind from the horrors of his early day's work, when he heard a soft rapping on his door.

Lion entered the room, his soft eyes full of warmth and care. He sat down by Fuma and wrapped his arm around the teen's broad shoulders, pulling Fuma into an embrace.

"You're having a hard time I heard" the man's heavy accent softened as Lion spoke in a kind murmuring tone.

Fuma didn't answer. His heart was overflowing with pain and the relief that someone was there to listen to him.

"Hush now" Lion spoke on though Fuma did not say a word, only sobbed silently, "I'm here for you"

For hours Fuma cried in silence. Sharp croaked whimpers is all he could muster to voice his pain.

When he relaxed a little bit and Lion was still there, holding him kindly, Fuma began to talk. He talked about everything that bothered him from the time Kamui was taken from him to current times, often muttering in Japanese when his knowledge of English could not be brought up at the face of raging emotions.

Ice Man stood near the door, leaning on the wall and looking down at his heavy boots. From time to time he threw a glance over to Lion, an instinct more then an action of some use.

"When will this be over?" Fuma mumbled, his throat tightening with tears "When will Kamui be back?" he sank into another fit of sobs "I miss him so much….what are they doing to him there!"

"Nothing much I should think" Lion answered back for the first time in that evening. "Alex is not one to do harm to someone with no good reason for it"

"Oh? Are you sure? Do you know him?" Fuma's eyes were almost crazed with angst and anguish.

"I would like to think that I know a side of him no one else does" the Noter commander said, looking off through the big window before Fuma's bed. "He….He might act tough and powerful but deep inside," he cast a glance to Ice Man and a small smile tagged at the edge of his lips "inside he's a bit of a lost little boy, constantly looking for warmth and love.

"He might hate me for ever uttering such words around two of his sworn enemies but I'm sure that none of you can use it against him, I know better of you. He's a good person Foma (Fuma never bothered to correct him for this mispronunciation) and nothing he's ever done ever proved against it"

"He took Kamui away! Why Kamui and not me!" Fuma almost yelled at Lion, holding back only out of barely mustered manners.

"Because he can't stand the sight of you, because you disturb him so very much. Think about it. If someone was to take Kamui away from you like you took him from Alex, would you choose that person as your captive whom you'll have to carry around with you everywhere?"

"No, but….But Kamui's his prisoner, they might be treating him badly, might be doing awful things to him!"

"Alex won't do such a thing. If it were you then maybe he'd treat you like a real prisoner but Kamui? Alex might think this is his last chance to recapture Kamui's heart, there is no way he'll treat him roughly if those are his intentions"

"He may be forcing things upon him!"

"Alex will _never_ do such a thing!" now Lion seemed to be reprimanding Fuma for assuming such a notion.

"…..And what if he'll succeed and Kamui will be seduced away from me!" Fuma could not control his voice from melting into a yelping whimper.

"….That's something you can't control and can't worry about, it's useless. If you have confidence in Kamui and in his love for you then you shouldn't worry about it.

"If Kamui was indeed won over by Alex then it's the boy's choice, there's nothing to do about it but be glad that Kamui is now with someone he's happy with."

"But Alex can bewitch him, he can use magic….Powers….I don't know what! Then it's not a thing decided by Kamui's clear judgment!"

"I know Alex better then to do this. He has great respect for Kamui, greater then to do such a thing."

For a while Fuma stared at the older man, trying to analyze his opinion on this matter.

"And you….What would you like to see? Me or Alex with Kamui?"

Ice Man turned his eyes to Lion and kept them there, anticipating his master's words.

Lion stared forward for a while, contemplating silently.

"I don't know. I'd like Alex to be happy but would he be happy with Kamui? I don't think so" he went silent again, frowning as his thoughts unraveled "Kamui….does not bring out the most out of Alex, does not give him what he really wants, if only he'd recognize it, Alex would that is….

"Newer days Kamui is the last thing Alex should have; the boy's turned into an obsession, the last thing he needs is more of his drug"

"Drug? So you say that if Kamui would be with Alex they won't be happy together?"

"No. Kamui will be happy, there's no doubt about how Alex would give him everything he needs to be happy. But if anything might take Kamui from Alex again it will really make him go mad….." Lion scanned Fuma's face, irritated by what he saw.

"Let's change the subject. Are you feeling better?"

Fuma dropped his head, taking a deep breath "I could use not working with Jacob, he's a very hard man…."

"I can't say anything against Jacob, he is what he is and what made him that way is far too serious for you to complain about" he began getting up, walking to the door "The famine is making him more edgy, he's been in conditions like these before and having to re-live it does not make him happy, please bear that in mind whenever you can't stand his presence anymore. I bid you good night dear boy, sleep well"

Fuma did, for the first time in months since he started working in the cemetery. No nightmares about skeletal humans begging him not to throw them away forever. No Kamuis yelling out their pleas of help from him. No Kotoris bound to a cross of rubble looking up to him with deep disappointed eyes, mumbling "Big brother…..". Just sleep.

* * *

Will burst out of his tent in frenzy "Vere's Kamui? I can't see him, I can't smell him, vere's Kamui!" he lowered his tone to a shy whisper at the sight of David trying to build a cooking fire a few paces from him.

The undertaker gave him a blazing glare.

Subaru came to the werewolf's side in an equal frenzy "What do you mean he's not here, maybe he went to the bathroom"

"Nien….no…I can't smell him, he's no where around ze camp"

David glared at the two for a long while before barking a harsh "Would the two of you shut up!".

He walked towards them with big angry steps "Alex is trying to take a nap and forget about all this snow around us, you'll wake him up with your brainless chit chat! If he'll find out Kamui's missing he'll freak out!"

Subaru and Will shut their mouths tightly, hanging big hopeful eyes at David.

"I saw him chasing something, running towards the storm. I thought he was trying to escape and that the storm will eventually force him back here. He's not stupid enough to throw away his life if he won't succeed fleeding, the stupid brat"

"How are we going to get him back?" Subaru whispered, eyeing the far off raging storm "Back before Alex will notice he's gone or before he'll do too much damage to himself?"

after staring at the storm for a silent while David began moving towards it "Stay here, go back to the tent, pretend everything's alright" he hissed across his shoulder at them.

They remained in the snowy open a little bit more, staring at the distance with hopes and fears equally great.

* * *

In the days of his painfully far away youth, David used to help his uncle with spotting wolf tracks in the snow around their farm. He learnt how to trace human tracks as well, to see if anyone went near their farm during the night to steal chickens or food.

With his large black wings blocking the violent wind in the storm, David observed the snow containing Kamui's erratic footsteps, one set of steps only.

Surely the boy was mad when he decided to try and escape in _that_ direction. Or maybe he was aware of Alex's phobia of snow and decided Death would not follow him into the storm. Did he know that when Alex would find him his anger would only be doubled by the need to dig in the snow to find him?

David recalled the fleeting image of Kamui running out of his tent into the storm, the boy seemed to be chasing_ someone_ but no one was there….did he really lose his mind!

Arriving at the cliff edge where the ice broke under Kamui's feet, David observed the sharp edges of the ice, concluding that Kamui took a deep drop here. He could understand why the boy would be oblivious to the edge since the thick wind and snow blinded anyone in the storm. But surely if he ran away he'd be more careful, thinking of his life first and watching his step.

Maybe he _was_ chasing someone, an elusion perhaps. That would make sense; this storm was probably an act of magic so someone around here casting spells at them to break them up would make sense.

He beat his wings in the opposite direction then that of the storm's wind to try and clear his vision and caught the sight of Kamui lying in the snow below.

He leaped to the body's side, noting the boy's bluish skin and immobility, and looked away angrily.

The boy was dead…..Alex would be angered beyond words; maybe he'd even have a craze fit and try to destroy something. Whatever it was they were headed back home for sure and let Death care for the whole explanation it to Justice talk….

He turned back to look at the body. It's a pity really, it seemed the boy was crazed enough to break and give into Alex's demands about Seishiro.

David shrugged, bending down to catch one of Kamui's feet. Turning back towards the camp, David began dragging the frozen body back home.

His world cracked, shook, blew up around him, taking away anything he ever knew when he suddenly heard the boy's faint voice "David?"

Staring forward, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets with horror and shock, David could not move his limbs as if _he_ was the frozen body.

Kicking himself back to some kind of sane thought, he turned around and saw the boy looking at him. His eyes were bleary and misty, struggling to focus on something in the violent wind and a violent fever in him.

_**THE BODY MOVED. THE DEAD BODY MOVED AND SPOKE! SPOKE HIS NAME!**_

A shudder caught David's limbs, nausea grabbed his stomach violently, his head spun without moving, he had to clench his teeth hard to keep a crazed scream of horror from escaping.

The cold hard facts, the ones David used to pull himself out of many hard times in his life, were that Kamui was alive (which was good because then Alex wouldn't freak out), that the boy was feverish (which would only make Alex mad if the boy would become seriously ill) and that he was here and perfectly able to pull them out of the storm.

He let go of the boy's frozen leg and quickly hurled Kamui over his shoulder, spreading his wings again and blasting over back to their camp as fast as he could.

He'll think about the dead coming back to life afterwards, where he can scream at the awfulness of it with no one around to see him having a mental break down.

He had buried too many dead people, disposed of the bodies of far more then to think about the notion that some of them might have been still alive when he did it.

* * *

When David arrived back to camp Alex was just coming out of his tent with an air as violent as that of the storm. Silencing Subaru and Will did not work well.

He rushed over to David, as if attacking the man. "What happened? Where did you find him?" he asked, his green eyes already crazed.

"Someone cast some kind of an illusionary spell on him, made him think there was someone calling him when there was nothing there. Whatever it was, it lured the brat into the storm" David fired back, hurrying into Kamui's tent where a fire was burning before Alex could start panicking over it too much.

Alex was indeed deep in panic; the sight of Kamui all blue and frozen did not do him good. He was about to lash out at Will, even killing him for not keeping good watch over Kamui. He was about to lash out at Subaru as well for the same charge, only with less then deadly consequences.

Kamui stopped him.

"I'm not….Feeling so good" the boy whimpered, struggling to keep his head up "It's….Too warm in here" his hands faintly scratched at his shirt's buttons, trying to remove them with frozen fingers.

David had laid the boy on his bed and hurried out to make him some kind of hot brew so Alex will have time to tend Kamui without starting too much of a fuss around Kamui's condition.

"You're not hot, don't try to do anything Kamui" instinctively, Alex began scanning the boy for frost bites. Whenever he spotted one he immediately tended it with vampiric blood. "You're burning up with a fever, you've got a cold. Please stay still, we'll take care of you"

Smiling faintly, lost in his fever, Kamui lay back closing his eyes from time to time as the Dark Blood sent little jots of pleasure through his cold body.

"Here" Alex brought the large mug of chicken soup to Kamui's lips, thanking David for bringing that liquid as a remedy "Small gulps, don't scorch your throat….there….there…..it'd do you better"

He pulled the thick duvet over Kamui's body, tucking the boy neatly in.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Too hot…"

"No, no, you're just getting warm again. You have a fever Kamui, try to fall asleep"

Alex tried not to look the boy in the eyes, knowing it would only hurt him to feel that violent tug in his heart at the sight of the weakened boy.

But Kamui was looking deeply into his eyes, the fever slowly residing into deep exhaustion. A faint _sweet_ smile, the sweetest Alex had ever seen on the boy, accompanied the soft _loving_ gaze.

Drawn to the boy by his eyes, Alex found that he was sitting on the edge of Kamui's bed, holding the faintly warming hand close to his heart. He kissed the delicate fingers, turning the palm over to kiss inside the little valley of pale soft flesh.

Kamui hummed happily, the sweet smile spreading. He tried to blink without it turning into a long doze. "I saw something…." He mumbled.

"Shhhh, it's alright, you don't have to speak Kamui" Death edged closer to the boy, in a trance under the sudden sweet and loving air oozing out of Kamui.

"But I saw a land beyond the storm…I thought it was heaven, I thought I was going to die but when David dragged me back I looked over there and I saw it again"

"A land beyond the storm? Are you sure? What was it like?"

Kamui closed his eyes and smiled so perfectly, a heavenly creature of pale skin and rosy cheeks "It was perfect….like a dream come true…nothing like the City…long fields of crops all blooming, and flower beds….and little village buildings….and the sun! The sun shone brightly down on it…no clouds to hide it…..so much green….everything growing so well…..Heaven….."

Alex stared at Kamui, transfixed, already working out the question if this was a figment of Kamui's fever or not.

The youth's misty eyes lay on Alex lovingly again, a smile in each mauve gem "Take me there….." his little palm closed weakly on Alex's bigger hand "Let's go there together….."

Alex's heart could have exploded in his chest with sheer happiness. Kamui wanted to go _somewhere _with him! Kamui was looking at him so wonderfully! And smiling too!

"Yes my love, we'll go there together! Don't worry. Rest now and when you'll feel better we'll go there together. My precious little prince, my darling love, don't worry"

Kamui hummed pleased, slowly closing his eyes and resting his head on the big pillow. Falling asleep he still mumbled faintly "I want to go there with you, Fuma…."

What was once warm and wonderful around Alex came crushing down on him in a freezing shower like shattered glass. Once again the boy mistook him for that _damned_ Fuma.

Death threw away Kamui's hand ('threw' being a rather harsh choice of words; he still couldn't bring himself to hurt Kamui so he simply laid the hand down briskly) and leaped to his feet, storming angrily out of the tent.

Seeing Will rush to Kamui side reminded him of the security omission, which he was about to tend to as violently as his enraged mind would make it when David caught his attention again.

The undertaker walked towards his Death, dragging him sideways by his arm. "Remember the spell I told you about, the one that dragged the little brat over there? I found this in the boy's hand when he was laying in the storm" he held Seishiro's black ofuda before Alex's eyes "maybe it's got something to do with the spell"

Alex snatched the ofuda from David's hands, glaring at it angrily. What on earth was going on in his camp that everybody thinks they can do as they wish! Was his grip on his men so small! Did they not understand what they are here for!

Never mind, he told himself, not now. He'll deal with this later; right now he has to find out if there is really a land beyond the storm.

He stormed off into each and every tent, calling his men over into as deep into the storm as he could tolerate.

They stood on the cliff edge David found, the undertaker and Death blowing their wings to counter the violent storm.

Unanimously they gasped as the heavenly land Kamui described unfolded before their eyes! It was real and it was there!

"So, there is a land beyond the storm, there is still more to go before we end this journey" Lestate smiled, folding his arms on his chest smugly.

"So we're going there? We're riding onwards?" Victoria chirped, enjoying the sight of the light of day for the first time in almost a year and a half since she became a vampire "We are going there, we can't not go to such a beautiful place"

Alex stared forward in silence, planning feverishly. "If we'll ride there we won't be riding with you two awake (he was referring to the vampires), the sun will burn you in seconds when we get there. No, only I and David will ride. The rest of you stay in your tents, I'll have wagons ready as soon as you (to the vampires again) will be safe inside your coffins"

He turned to scan his men again; they were all transfixed by the glory of heaven beyond the snowy hell.

"Go now, get ready to travel"

They rushed away from him happily, eager to get to this heaven as soon as possible.

Victoria was skip hopping like a child in the blazing snow, clinging to David to coax some smile from him (it worked, she was the only one to ever extort a non-snarling smile from the fire keeper).

* * *

Subaru was running back to camp, he too would skip hop if he wasn't a little older in mentality.

Seishiro was turning to leave as well when the harshest, cruelest, coldest command he ever heard fired at him from Alex stopped him.

"You stay here" is all he said, it was enough.

They were standing outside the storm now and far enough from the camp to block their conversation from anybody's ears.

Raging in silence, Alex held up Seishiro's black ofuda to the assassin's view "Care to explain?" he managed to hiss, glaring fire at the man.

Lighting a cigarette, Seishiro fought to try and make some kind of an explanation.

"**Put that off!** This is no leisurely conversation!" Alex barked at him, taking a violent step towards the man. He was holding himself back from striking the man.

Seishiro laughed scornfully "Would you be as mad at me if it wasn't your precious princely Kamui who I hurt?" Seishiro spat back, irritated by the sudden commanding air from Alex.

He was answered by a powerful slap, knocking him to the ground by his cast-off cigarette. His cheek burnt with pain (no doubt it will leave a bruise, Alex was cold heartedly cruel) but not as painful as his ego. He was _slapped_; Sakurazuka Seishiro, slapped like a mischievous little child!

He leapt back to his feet, about to return a blow when the fierce, almost glowing glare in Alex's eyes stopped him dead on his tracks.

"Now talk like a sane adult" Death hissed at his man.

Seishiro stood in angry silence, unable to recover the humiliation of this little trial from his so far protector and friend.

Finally, after clenching his teeth angrily and clearing his mind from any nasty/snappy/witty/angry remark that might anger Alex even more, he answered "I was fed up with Subaru-kun spending all his time with Kamui and behaving like the boy never tried to stab him in the back once, like he never tried to take me away from him for…."

"Cut the bullshit, Sakurabaka, you were jealous like a stupid little boy" Death spat back. He walked closer to Seishiro, never once removing his blazing glare off the man "You're a spoiled brat! You can't bear the idea that _your_ precious little Suby-kun might, god forbid, spend one second without you in mind all the time"

"But Kamui tried to kill me and now Suba…"

"I told you to shut up about it! My god, I'm taking great measurements not to hit you again you fucking idiot!"

Seishiro shut his mouth, feeling the angry pressure from Alex finally breaking through his wounded pride and silly ideas.

"You think so little of Subaru's love for you! Maybe it's you with the problems since you have such little confidence in how better a lover then Kamui you can pose yourself"

"You don't understand," now Seishiro's tone was softer, clearer then before "our relationship might look perfect but it's fragile, it's touch and go! I was the one who spent nine years ignoring Subaru and acting cruel to him, I'm the one who killed his one and only sister and broke his heart when I shouldn't have!"

Death's anger subsided, replaced by tense observation with only a tinge of his earlier rage.

"Well it's your fault isn't it? Dealt with it! Once you were cruel, now you need to be kind, genuinely kind! And loving! Not _owning_ Seishiro, _loving_!"

"What do I know about love! What I felt once was whatever managed to slip from between the sakura's branches. What I feel now is far too powerful and unpredictable, and I never had the tools to deal with it.

"You want me to control my _emotions_! You want me to act _rationally_ with an outburst of something I've never experienced before and suddenly strike me full force!"

Alex sighed deeply, looking away with a heavy frown. "I don't know what to tell you. I've never been in a situation like yours…..Go back to your tent and tell Subaru what you've done. Face the outcome of your deeds, be a man"

With this he turned beyond Seishiro, walking into his tent to gather up his maps and prepare the wagons for their trip.

He left Seishiro on the edge of the storm where the wind still caught at the rims of his trench coat under the heavy warming coat he wore.

With great discouragement, he turned around and walked to his tent.

* * *

Subaru was just loading their little bundle of laundry to their tent's wagon version when Seishiro walked in. his face was grieve and he was fiercely avoiding eye contact.

Remembering that now he can do it Seishiro lit a cigarette, letting the nicotine sooth his wrecked nerves.

"Is everything alright?" his lover had noted the red hand shaped bruise on his face.

Seishiro finished his cigarette, letting Subaru grow the worry within him to maybe soften the news' blow when they'll come.

It was over too soon.

"I was the one who lured Kamui into the storm" he couldn't face Subaru when he said it; he had to have his back to him. He couldn't let the younger man see the shame on his face.

Shame was another new feeling for him and already he loathed it the most.

"….What?"

"I wove an illusion of Fuma to call him out into the storm. I hoped the little brat would freeze to death in there"

Silence from his lover made Seishiro turn to face him, regretting it immediately.

Subaru was the picture of horror. Not only was the shock of such a confession hit Subaru, but the idea that his 'converted' lover was returning to his murderous habits, and so carelessly too!

"Why…." He managed to exhale finally, starting to shake, tears gathering in his eyes.

Seishiro lowered his eyes, admitting his guilt "I was angry with you always spending time with Kamui until you have no time left for me…..and….that's it….I was jealous…"

Subaru closed the distance between them quickly, his tone rising almost to a shout "And you think so little of me! You're sure that anyone can come in and take me away! You think that if I'll find someone better then you I should still stay with you! It was so easy for you to kill again! You didn't change one bit!" tears were streaming freely from his eyes, his lower lip quivered with the need to cry alone

"**You bastard!**" he dealt Seishiro his second slap that day.

This time Seishiro merely kept his head where the blow tilted it, feeling exhausted from all this talk and emotion. Subaru hit the cheek Alex hit, the pain was returning.

Subaru turned around to storm out of the tent, still speaking "If only you didn't feel like I _belonged_ to you, if only you'd sometime behave like a civilized man and not like that horrible sakura assassin again! How would I know you weren't wearing that Kind Veterinarian mask all this time, how would I know I actually mean something to you but your forever prey! Maybe then I'd have no doubt in my heart that there truly is no one better for me then you, and then I won't be tempted to move on from you"

Subaru was about to leave the tent, about to leave forever! Seishiro watched it without being able to say something or do something to stop him!

What would he say! How would he put some coherent order into this damned chaos in his heart!

Suddenly his chest filled with something bright and wonderful, colorful….it was….no, for god's sake anything but _that_! It was music….

Seeing Subaru inches from the exit to their tent he gave into the thing in his chest.

He did not sing it out wholeheartedly, he was no quite sure he was able to stand the humiliation after whatever this Broadway spasm ended, plus he was not sure it would stop Subaru from leaving him.

He refused the music's will to carry him into powerful emotional hollers.

He let his voice carry out the words in a low husky tone, the first few sentences coming out through his teeth as he still kicked himself mentally for ever letting himself _sing._

"_I lived my life in shadow  
Never the sun on my face"_

It did the trick; Subaru stopped dead, seconds from exiting the tent. His ears must have deceived him, Seishiro-san was _singing_!

"_It didn't seem so sad though,  
I figured that was my place"_

Seishiro-san was singing about his life! He was talking about his emotions! At once Subaru turned to his lover, eyes so big with surprise and eagerness they almost hurt.

And there was Seishiro-san standing, looking at him with painful guilty eyes, looking at him with _loving_ eyes, singing out a gloomy love song to try and talk to him.

"_Now I'm bathed in light  
Something just isn't right_

_I'm under your spell  
How else could it be"_

With a bitter smile, Seishiro looked away

"_Anyone would notice me?  
It's magic, I can tell "_

He raised his eyes back to Subaru and they were _oh _so loving!

"_How you set me free  
Brought me out so easily"_

Seeing the look in Subaru's eyes soften more and more by his lyrics, Seishiro began to advance towards his lover.

"_I saw a world enchanted  
Spirits and charms in the air  
I always took for granted  
I was the only one there"_

He straightened his powerful gaze at Subaru, nailing the green gems to his eyes.

" _But your power shone  
Brighter than any I've known_

_"I'm under your spell  
Nothing I can do  
You just took my soul with you  
You worked your charm so well  
Finally, I knew  
Everything I dreamed was true  
You make me believe..."_

Taking Subaru in his arms, Seishiro embraced him powerfully, begging with his arms for his lover to stay. He only let go as another fit of lyrics wished to escape him.

Looking deeply into Subaru's eyes (already mesmerized and securely his by now) again, he ran his fingers gently across his lover's cheek.

"_The moon to the tide  
I can feel you in sight  
I'm under your spell  
Surging like the sea  
Pulled to you so helplessly  
I break with every swell  
Lost in ecstasy  
Spared from my cherry tree  
_

"_You make me complete  
You make me complete  
You make me complete   
You make me...fuck this "_

Having enough of singing, Seishiro ended his session by kissing Subaru deeply, feeling the younger man melt into the kiss.

* * *

Vash was desperately trying to invent a new card game with Yuzuriha only the cards kept floating in the air and away from him, often to be torn by an invisible force. Inuki was playing tricks on him, using the fact that he could not see him.

It was his duty, as the freelance babysitter, to try and keep Yuzuriha's mind off the famine. The girl was already becoming too thin for her own good.

They were sitting in Venus's gigantic flowerbed, on the ground amongst the flowers while Yutu was discussing office subjects with Aoki at the tea table.

Whenever Venus tried offering Yuzuriha some food from her vegetable garden the girl stared at it hungrily then turned it down saying she might as well take it home to feed Arashi. Such a brave little girl, no matter how much anyone worried about her.

In the meantime Yutu was getting too bored to tolerate Aoki's endless ranting about Arashi and the baby and how they should sacrifice whatever food they have to keep the pregnancy from turning into a miscarriage.

He was tired of the feelings of longing for his wife and daughter talking about the baby aroused in Aoki.

He was tired of being slowly but systematically rejected by his lover.

He was about to say something about it when a huge falcon landed on their elegant tea table with a painfully sharp shriek.

The two men stared at the bird, noting it was not a real bird but a shikigami. It had two pentacles, black and white, overriding each other, on it's back. It gave off an extremely powerful aura.

"What _is_ that!" Yuzuriha stared, noting Inuki sniffed the air around the shiki completely puzzled by the hybrid.

"Must be some kind of messenger from Alex, only he could combine the two onmyouji's powers" Aoki mumbled.

"Eh! Something from Alex!" Vash leaped to his feet, almost knocking the table off it's legs as he rushed to it's side.

The bird let out another shriek as it stared at the blond with shock, even it's shriek sounded confused. It seemed to say "You! What on earth are _you_ doing here!"

"Jeez" Vash leaped from one foot to the other awkwardly "it's pretty darn awkward talking to a bird, 'aint it. Aaaaalex! I got taken here and now I'm Luuuuuuuuve's bodyguard, see?"

The bird shook it's head, burying it in it's wing.

Yutu burst into laughter "It can be very expressional, this shiki of yours. Kudos on combining the lovebird's powers to make it"

Looking at Yutu with clever eyes, the shiki handed Yutu an envelope, staring at him waiting for him to open it.

The neat little letter read:

_For saving the onmyouji love, I thank you with all my heart. I owe you one._

_Alex._

Yutu smiled, feeling the warm and wonderful feeling of fulfiling out his duty successfully. "Your welcome little Death bird" he scratched the shiki's neck merrily.

"Thanks for what?" both Vash and Aoki hung curious eyes at him.

"Oh nothing" he winked back, a mysterious smile spreading across his face.

"Hey!" Yuzuriha jumped to the table side as well "How's Bicky-chan doing?"

Magically pulling out another envelope from under it's wing, the shiki handed it to the inugami mistress.

There was a short letter in Victoria's handwriting (which Yuzuriha needed help with since her English reading was very low plus the vampire's handwriting was awfully childish and sloppy, Aoki gave her a hand) read:

_YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!_

_I have SOOOOOO much to tell you!_

_I miss you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!_

_Look what I found for you in this big oriental market we went to about….three months ago! I don't know…hope you'll like it! Give Inuki a big, BIG hug for me!_

_XXXXXX your Bicky-chaaaaaan!_

Inside the envelope was a round little pin. It was had most brilliant ruby Yuzuriha ever saw, encased within a large frame of intricate silver wiring with several tiny rubies inside the metal encircling the bigger gem.

Yuzuriha's hands shook, tears welled in her eyes as she stared down at the brilliant jewel. Suddenly all her longing, all her lonely friendship, all her worries that Victoria forgot all about her disappeared like clearing smoke.

She dropped to her knees, grabbing both the pin and Inuki to her breast, shaking with her happy sobs.

Aoki crouched beside her, Vash doing the same on her other side.

"I'm fine" she sobbed, flashing a brilliant smile "I'm so happy, that's all….and I'm a little hungry too…" she started crying again.

Now the horrible notion that she might not survive until Victoria came back hit her like a ton of bricks.

She leaped to her feet, turning to the shiki and grabbing it with both hands.

"There's a famine here so I might…..I might not live for you to keep that promise to me! And Victoria would be sad….and Arashi's baby….and everyone…" her voice cracked with tears, her eyes blinded by the flood and her hands shook violently, but her gaze was fierce and her mind was clear.

Cocking it's head sideways in thought, the shiki stayed silent. Then it nodded, staring confidently into Yuzuriha's eyes as if to say 'Don't worry about it'.

Yuzuriha stared at it a little more before releasing it and letting it fade into an ofuda, having served it's purpose.

"Did it say something? This bird thingy? WOW! It turned into a card! COOL!" Vash tore the ofuda off the table, scrutinizing it as if the bird was hidden somewhere inside the paper's layers.

"I think it said 'don't worry'…..I hope it did" Yuzuriha mumbled as she turned to walk back to her home, pinning the gift from Victoria to the knot on the black tie of her old Clamp Campus uniforms.

Aoki and Yutu stayed behind, staring baffled after the suddenly immensely mature fourteen year old.

(tbc)


	27. En Route

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **to Tekko (I do not give you too much credit! You deserve it dear and yes I think Sei-Sei would bury you under the sakura if you joined in the slapping XD). To Skd (what's OOC in Karen? Do tell, I need these things. And to the anon. reviewer from Clampesque board, I'm not sure you've got this far in the chapters but anyways, when you do; hiya! (waves hand).

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY! **To this fic! I've begun writing it somewhere along a year ago! Ah, the memories….the memories…..writing it into the night…..publishing and getting zit for reviews….just like today ha ha! Anyways, happy birthday New World (oh, back then it was called 'The Visitor' or something like that….it only became 'A New World' later when they've got to The Lost Dimension….right…..never mind) on with the story! This is a rather short chapter but it has to be or it'd be too long and diverse in subjects….anyways the next one's gonna be half long then the next will definitely be long!

* * *

**Chapter 27 – En Route**

The night was far too hot, sticky and lonely for Fuma to bear.

He tossed and turned in bed a bit, his straining manhood nagging him to do something about himself.

Fuma had no idea where such needs would come to his head _now_ of all times. He was quit shameful about it really.

Maybe it was the constant surrounding of death all around him, he thought.

He walked down to Yutu's room, trying to wake the man and ask him to work that spell that made him see Kamui when they were singing; maybe they'll be able to work something out that way, together.

Yutu was awake, sitting on his bed looking irritated and tired. Never the less, he greeted Fuma with a bright warm smile, taking a quick glance at the youth's boxers before making his smile a little sneakier.

"P…please, Yutu-san…." Fuma wanted to run away screaming with shame.

"Ah, it's alright, I was your age once you know, as strange as it might sound now"

"I'm sure you were, I don't think you're that old"

"You should really" Yutu giggled, stretching a bit on the bed.

He only caught the whiff of his own slightly seductive behaviour a moment before Fuma caught it, and stopped himself immediately.

What on earth was he doing!

"Yutu-san….may I ask you to work that singing thing again for me….I….well….I'm lonely and…..these days are so difficult for me…."

Yutu's sneaky smile broadened "Are you sure it's the singing magic you want me to work?" he winked, making the teen before him turn into a deep shade of red.

"…Please, Yutu-san…"

"All right, all right, I'll see what I can do…" Yutu closed his eyes and leaned into his bed's headboard, concentrating.

That's strange, it seems like he couldn't pick the sensation of Kamui's love for Fuma….perhaps something happened….

But hang on a minute, he couldn't sense Subaru's love for Seishiro, or the other way around….he couldn't even feel Alex's love for Kamui though the latter was like a bright burning star in a dark night.

Something funny is going on.

Kicking his powers to their highest level, calling out to Vash, Blue Fairy and Venus to recruit their abilities as well, he strained.

And he got nothing! Not a single emotion from any of them! Strange….

"What? What's wrong? What happened?" Fuma almost leaped on the bed by Yutu, grabbing the blond's arm, begging for information.

"Please, Fuma-kun, keep a safe distance from me with that thing in your boxers"

"Ah! I'm sorry….but tell me what's happened?"

Yutu scanned the large bodied teen before him. Fuma was more then anxious, he was trembling slightly and sweaty, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets with worry.

"I think they've opened a distance further enough from us that I can't sense them anymore"

"_What!_"

"They're too far away Fuma-kun, I can't sense them anymore"

"….."

"I'm sorry…"

Fuma hung his head and started crying, collapsing on the little chair by Seiichiro's side of the bed.

Yutu was about to mention something about Fuma crumpling Seiichiro's well organised clothes for tomorrow but found he was not bothered enough and besides, Fuma needs this release does he not?

Yutu crawled on the bed to sit closer to Fuma, placing his hands on Fuma's broad shoulders, rubbing gently.

Fuma collapsed forward, placing his head on Yutu's lap (sidewise, Yutu thanked him for it silently) and cried harder.

When he recovered, Fuma dragged himself back to his bed with a head twice heavier with worries and fears.

* * *

Fuma passed by the room intended for Arashi's baby.

It was now fully furnished and painted with whatever paint leftovers Sorata and Kazuki found in an abandoned house. The room was practically prepared for the baby.

It was supposed to be a happy looking place, filled with the love and hopes of the soon to be new parents, with the impending great love from the rest of the house's inhabitants.

Somehow it ended up being a room for tears.

Sorata came here to sit and mope and worry and cringe at horrid thoughts gathering in his mind with the famine's growing impact on the city.

He slept only three or four hours these nights; spending most of them in that room.

He'd walk around the empty cradle, the rocking chair, the diaper changing corner. Running his fingers along the smooth wood, he wondered if he'll ever get to see his baby in that cradle, his wife holding the babe in her lap and rock on the chair as she breastfed it. Will he ever struggle with a squiggling baby to put tiny pants on it, to wrap the diaper's linen around the little bottom…?

Leaning on the doorframe, Sorata gazed at the gloomy, moonlit room and sighed.

It all came so fast to him and he did not have the time to completely comprehend it all:

Stopping the Battle of the Apocalypse, coming here, settling down with Babe, discovering he is about to become a father, loosing Kamui and suddenly realising he's not Kamui's guardian anymore, getting married.

And now this famine raised its bloody scythe above his defenceless Arashi and his baby, leaving him completely incompetent to help the both of them besides sacrificing more and more of his meals for their sake.

He was already half his weight which was no so bad considering the fact that before the famine he had a little pot belly (one cannot eat as much as Sorata ate and not be affected) but Arashi…..and the baby.

The whole house starved for Arashi's sake, leaving only Yuzuriha with the usual ration of food because the girl was too near deadly malnutrition.

Sorata took another deep sigh and dragged himself back to bed. There's no need to dwell in such heavy thoughts now, best leave such thick plotting and worrying to when (no, **_if_**) they'll need it.

* * *

Arashi came to the room to cry during daytime when no one was around the house.

She'd carefully lower herself to the floor, too fearful of besmirching the brand new furniture with her grief to place her woeful head on them, and cry her heart out until her back ached and her chest felt like a ton of bricks. She cried until her head spun with hyper ventilation.

She almost scratched Karen's eyes out when the woman walked in on her and tried to help her back to her feet.

She begged for Karen's forgiveness almost immediately, she just hated people seeing her cry that's all.

Karen understood and gave her a motherly hug, complimenting her on how the nurse's old pregnancy dress looked good on her.

Arashi collected sadness and worries into her like a funnel from the moment she finished crying to the moment she could cry the next day, saving it all for one concentrated fit of agony.

She hated how everyone around her sacrificed so much for her, she hated how it made her feel, she hated how it made everyone look after enough malnutrition. She hated how according to Charlie, it too, was not going to be enough.

"What do you mean 'not going to be enough'!" she almost barked at him as she gently removed herself from the examination table. She felt Sorata's helping hand clutch hers to try and calm her. She dug her nails into his palm, keeping her fiery eyes on Charlie who turned his back to her.

She was never the barking snarling kind but motherhood's frantic worries had their way of extorting this too out of her, along with many new neurotic traits.

"I mean the food will soon run out almost completely and since you're only in the middle of your pregnancy there's still a great chance the baby will not survive this famine" Charlie sounded calm, careless, and emotionless as he broke the horrid news to the young couple.

Sorata's face was bright white. His wife's was dark red with anger.

"How….." she seethed, shaking and sweating and gritting her teeth (pregnancy's hormones did not do her emotional restriction any good) "How can you just say it so carelessly! This is our baby!" she growled.

She shook off Sorata's calming arms so violently she hurt her lower back banging into the examination table.

Charlie glared fire at her. The air in the infirmary was hot and stuffy and Charlie's sweat gathered in small drops filled with his whitening face powder, hanging just above his frowning curly black bushy eyebrows.

"Can you come here for a second please" he asked in a cool tone, grabbing Arashi's elbow gently.

He walked her and Sorata to the door leading out to the graveyard and opened it with a heavy swing.

He exposed to them the sight of the tall pile of skeletal human bodies awaiting Jacob and Fuma's service, just outside the infirmary.

Sorata and Arashi stood railing, suddenly vacant of all thoughts. The sight was like a punch to their brains, flooding ice cold horror through their skull, dripping it down their spine.

Charlie shut the door and grabbed their shoulders to turn their attentions to him. "If this baby will not survive but the two of you will, which will be most likely if my memory of Rescue Team rations does not deceive me, you will live through this famine and have another baby once this is all over. Do I make my lack of excitement at this relatively small crisis clear? There are three other women in this city that already had a miscarriage due to malnutrition; you are not the only one miss"

Arashi could only blink. The scene she just witnessed still burnt into her retina to think clearly just yet.

Sorata grabbed her into a tight hug and dismissed the doctor (who didn't quite need his approval really). There was nothing they could do.

Arashi could only cry.

* * *

That particular night, when Fuma came to visit Yutu, it was Seiichiro in the future baby's room.

He stood leaning on the empty cradle, lazily rocking the neatly carved basket, smiling faintly.

There were nights when he stood like that all night, looking down at his little daughter trying to comprehend the fact that he is a father now and that this little treasure was his and his loved one's product of love.

Now Yuka was ions away, like his wife, like his former life, like the rest of his family, like Daisuke's grave.

And where was he? What was he doing!

He was already forgetting; getting into a new job, getting into a new relationship…..how could he forget about everything he had left behind so quickly!

Seiichiro knew he did most of it out of the great need to forget about the immense pain being detached from his family caused him and because Yutu was great at comforting and seducing at the same time. He hated himself for doing that, for ignoring and wishing to forget.

And yet he hoped with all his heart that his wife had moved on to find another man she could be happy with and that Yuka would have a father to grow up with.

After all, she was small enough to not remember the days when she had had a father named Seiichiro right?

A heaving whimper raked through Seiichiro's chest, breaking out with this night's first tears.

Yuka growing to forget him…Shimako moving on….no….no….anything but that…..oh why did this cursed dimension take him away from it all! Had it no mercy! No sensitivity!

Yutu had told him, in fact, he saw with his own eyes how this 'lady destiny' cared very little for it's creatures. He didn't have to see how Alex was torn from Kamui or how Kakyou was only informed of the impending Death-Justice war too late to stop it, to realise destiny in this world was just as blind and heartless as his home world's.

But why must he be the victim once again! In his world he could divorce his wife (like he had planned it but never got to execute) and do his best to fight the Battle and survive it. But here? What could he do here!

The feeling of searing emptiness chased the sleep out of Seiichiro's nights, making them bitter and miserable, powerless and pathetic.

Then he dragged himself back to bed and curled on the bed up as further away from Yutu as he could, falling asleep only once he rolled over and spooned his lover tightly.

Out of true love or out of the need to have someone to curl up with, Seiichiro didn't know why he did it and he didn't care; all he wanted was the sleep to chase away his pain.

* * *

That hot moist night did not save it's aphorismatic effect from Kakyou and Dimitri.

In their secluded forest cabin, well fed by the forest which went completely unaffected by the famine, their lives were relatively easy.

Kakyou rode over to his former Battle of the Apocalypse comrades' house to deliver them nuts and berries he had picked in the forest, to help them go through the famine. Like the rest of them, he too was worried about Arashi's health, Yuzuriha's too.

He did not dare ask Dimitri to help him pick food in the forest; it was for his friends he did this and Dimitri shouldn't work himself for them at all.

It was enough for Kakyou that for the most of the beginning of their life together he sat around doing nothing, letting the burden of both their well being lie on Dimitri's shoulders.

At first Kakyou tried thinking of their sexual encounters as his 'rent paying' for Dimitri, but he soon found there was far too much emotion going on between them for such a thing to be the rule.

So Kakyou learned how to take care of the chickens (without getting too emotionally attached to them like he did with Meee and Beee) and collect berries and nuts, firewood deep in the forest and mastered spotting logs big enough to be carved into Dimitri's little one man furniture factory.

That night Kakyou lay on the bed in a lazy sticky afterglow, feeling out his thy muscles trying to massage the small cramp out of them after riding Dimitri earlier that night, when sleep kidnapped him into the dark void of a dreamscape.

This time there was no Lady Destiny to talk to him; there was only the vision itself.

The Lady was there, and another lady too, and Death's convoy.

For the first time in his life here, Kakyou laid eyes on the closest to human form of the Lady:

She had a foxy face with a crooked crescent moon smile with a deep sly bend and eyes the very deep shade of onyx the same as her long sprawling hair. She had pale white skin and slim long arms reaching the little convoy over to the other lady. His Lady seemed young and reckless, yet dignified and somewhat noble even with all of Kakyou's knowledge of her heartlessness and spite.

The other Lady was a lump of bright shining light, like his lady was once before and when the light faded Kakyou could not help the feeling of warmth and kindness from filling his heart.

She was an elderly lady, dressed in the manner of Europen Victorian times. Her tight corset was ivory coloured, her big puffed skirt cream in colour and her lacy gloves the same shade. She wore a cameo at her throat, hanging from a thick black velvet choker. Her greying hair was bound neatly but somewhat loosely to a ball at the back of her head with a black ribbon tying it elegantly.

Despite her soft appearance, her 'sweet grandmother' halo, her bright blue eyes were icicle sharp and frighteningly wise. As she cast them on her darker twin (was Kakyou's Lady _really_ that woman's twin?) they flashed of resentment and elderly disappointment. As she looked down at the convoy riding into her palms her eyes softened and the kindest smile spread on her chastely coloured lips.

While Kakyou's Lady sat in black empty gloom, the other Lady (in fact, the whole half of the vision where the other Lady sat) was a freshly blooming English garden on the thick rich grass of which the other Lady sat comfortably.

Death's convoy was a little bubble carried from one bosom to the other, the tiny little horse ridden figures inside it completely unaware of what was happening to them.

Kakyou woke from the dream with a stunning realisation: there were _two_ sides to this world; a good side and a bad side….and he was living in the bad side….

He shot out of his bed, grabbing his robe to cover himself from the night's air chilly against his still sweat covered body, about to head out on horseback to the city and inform someone.

Then he realised he had no one to tell this to really. Who'd want to hear they are in the bad side! Who didn't already know that things here were bad? Who wanted to know that there's a place about two month's ride from here where things were far, far better then here? Who could afford to move out of this hell to that blissful English garden looking paradise!

No one.

Kakyou snuck back into bed, spending the rest of the night awake, thinking about what it must be like where Lady Destiny is a kind old lady….

He'll go tell Fuma about Kamui being in a far better place tomorrow, the boy would probably appreciate such knowledge.

* * *

The storm of ice and snow blew like a roaring monster around them, pushing at them with fists colder then Lady Destiny's heart.

Alex and David stuck their wings against the wind like maddened birds struggling to stay balanced on a pole's edge, fighting to see something through the white rage beating against them.

Constantly glancing across his shoulder, quite pointlessly really, Alex made sure his powers' grip on the three big wagons held fast against the violent wind beating him and David. The wagons were fine.

They were a little less fine; the freezing storm threw wind razors at the two bare riders, cutting through their ethereal bodies until bleeding slits opened on their noses, cheeks, barren arms and the palms holding their horses' reins. They were not that fine at all.

Much less could be said about the men inside the wagons.

Victoria crawled above her coffin, over to the flap at one end of her wagon, trying to sneak a peak at David's well being. A gigantic ice ball shot into the wagon, landing with a violent crack at the carpet and velvet covered floor of their wagon.

"Jesus Christ in heaven!" she cried, eyeing the ball with fear and awe "I hope David isn't hit by one of those!"

"If I were you I'd shut that flap and curl back here, away from any more of them." Lestate hissed at her from the very back of the wagon. "You know David can't really be hurt by them so get back here and stop inviting cold air into our little den you silly girl!"

Victoria sent a fiery glare at her roommate, obeying his words at the same time. She curled up in the corner of the wagon as far away from Lestate as she could and silently fretted for David's well being.

In their wagon, the onmyouji curled up together under three layers of duvets, trying to desperately stable themselves as the wagon took wild twists and turns, descended sharply and bounced back up again with a sickening speed.

Subaru had very little before he would have to pop his head out of the wagon and spew his lunch out.

Seishiro, on the other hand, seemed to be having fun. "This reminds me of the roller coaster in Tokyo Disney!" he chirped in a tone that irritably reminded Subaru of his Kind Veterinarian days.

"What I wouldn't do to be in Tokyo Bay right now" Subaru hissed, fighting down the nausea.

"What I wouldn't do to _not_ be on my way there" Seishiro mock laughed.

"Why?" Subaru dug his head under Seishiro's arm, trying to use the intimate contact as a distraction from the road's wild tumbling.

"Rainbow Bridge is on the road to Tokyo Bay, and according to Alex it's not a very lucky place for me to be in" he added a nervous little laugh with it.

"Oh be quiet and hold me" his lover shuddered into the juncture between Seishiro's neck and shoulder "**not there you old lecher!**"

Seishiro laughed madly, hiding his rising hysteria (another emotion he just discovered and immediately hated with all his might) with morbid humour.

"Uh….um….forgive me father for I haf sinned…um…hail merry….oh _shyse_!"

"What are you doing Will!"

"Oh god, why did ve not haf a normal priest or somesing in our base…." The werewolf cursed in his native language, trying to whisper it as to not irritate the already edgy Kamui.

Kamui was fighting off the last of his cold's fever, he did not have time for any nonsense and this bumper ride was not something he remembered asking for without wincing painfully at the memory.

"Why would you need that!"

"To pray, pray for out safety…."

"I don't think there are any gods here Will and even if there were they wouldn't listen to a bunch of heathens like us. Just hold on tight and it'll soon end"

Will did so, frantically too, curling up to a ball around the already curled Kamui, grabbing their bed's edges with his newly grown canine claws. His tail was tucked tightly between his legs, his little shrieks and doggy whimpers he stopped subduing a long time ago.

"I hope Alex is all right" he couldn't help that escape his lips either.

Kamui chose to ignore that last remark and concentrated on not thinking he's here, about to die from their wagon crushing and freezing in the maddened snow storm.

As they rode nearer to the magical storm's edge, the bright sun of the other side began shining down upon them through the receding snow.

David gasped; he had missed the clear spring sun of the kind shining down on them now. It's been almost a year and a half now that he's been here in the Lost Dimension and never did it occur to him that he missed clear direct sunshine before.

Then a grim thought shot through his mind; Victoria!

"Oi! Tell Victoria to hide in her coffin from this god damn blazing sun!" he roared through the storm's residue at Alex's general direction.

Passing another low floating fog and snow cloud, Alex shot a sneaky glance at David "Don't worry, fire boy, I'll tell Lestate to do the same too"

David glared at him.

"Aw, you poor, poor little love sick puppy"

"Shut up perver….oh my god…."

They were out of the storm now and out of the Lost Dimension's Dark Side.

They were in heaven. The words were torn out of their mouths at the sight of pure wealth and life teeming all around them.

They were in a place ever so better then the hell they rode out of two months ago.

They were in the Light Side.

(tbc)


	28. Welcome to the Light Side

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **to Tekoo (I know you didn't review the last chapter but if anyone deserves credits for this story it's you dear), DarkAngelD. (thank you so much! And funny thing about you name because that's how I call my original story featuring Alex), Skd (another reader who deserves credits for long running support, cheer her/him people! Ah but the story is no where near an end, no way, there's SO much more to tell. I'm sorry you don't like Equivocal but at least you like this right?)

Also thanks to the anon. reviewer of my blog from Japanese who flattered this story so nicely. Thank you!

I wonder if this fic'll ever hit the 50 chapters…hmmm

Anyways this chapter sees another original character from my Alex-cantered original fic, Tekoo will recognise her since she's read it already (hugs Tekoo) and the other women are mostly from my brain or from other anime/movie/etc.

* * *

**Chapter 28 – Welcome to the Light Side!**

Fresh wind blew gently around them, carrying the scents of wet earth, flowers blooming, baked bread and freshly cut grass. The clear blue sky shone down with a soft warm sun that did not scorch, despite it's high location in the sky.

Like sleepy children walking bewildered into the light of day, the four men hiding in the carriages climbed out of their shelter into the fresh air.

For a moment the convoy men stood in the beautiful brilliance and looked around, too mesmerised to speak. Suddenly it dawned on them how they grew accustomed to the ever cloudy sky of their home, the grim weather that was either too hot or too cold, the constant hanging feeling of impending doom and danger.

The mountain range behind them stretched to both their sides completely barricading this miraculous place from the Dark Side's part of the dimension.

The mountain peaks were pure white with snow shining magnificently under the gentle loving sun. From the snow's edge a lush green carpet stretched down to the great plain around them. Scanning the mountain range they spotted terraces lush with crops descending into the plain.

It seems that agriculture was the main theme in the plain; all around them acres on acres of blooming fields stretched in well organised squares for each crop. Scattered amongst the high crops, little huts made of simple white bricks and a bright brown roofs of twig and straw popped into sight. Some of these huts had workers around them, all appeared to be women.

Several farmers spotted the convoy as they rose from plucking up their yields; these also appeared to be all women.

The farmers who spotted them began making their way through the vegetation to get a better glimpse at the new arrivals. They were indeed all women, dressed practically in bright cheery coloured farming outfits of various designs.

Those who drew near enough to see Alex's armour and sword, the huge black wings of the two riders, the strong black horses and mostly the fact that all of the convoy was made of men, they shrieked and hurried away speaking to each other in many tongues.

The first to snap out of the beauty and richness' shock was David. He leaped off his horse and dashed to the side of the organized dirt road. He disappeared into the sea of green a field nearby formed. When he popped back out his hands were loaded with fresh ripe juicy tomatoes. He had one in his mouth and was chewing and sucking on it feverishly as he walked back to his horse.

Alex gave him an educating stare and David handed him two of the ten tomatoes he kept in his big heavy fur coat. Now that he did not need that he shed it off and returned to his bare-chested appearance.

Alex snatched two more tomatoes from David's stash and handed them over, one to each onmyouji and two for Kamui (and in a way to Will at his side).

"Mmm, this is delicious! I've never tasted tomatoes so sweet and juicy!" Subaru commented, bending forward to keep the dripping fruit's juice from staining his white trench coat. He too shed his cold weather outfit and now began contemplating whether he should remove his coat as well.

"This place has some blooming agriculture going on doesn't it" Alex commented while chewing on a tomato he snatched from the (by now) half paranoid David who in return turned his back to Alex completely and shot several fierce glares back at him across his shoulder.

"The soil is very good" David commented into his third tomato "it's thick and soft, I could feel how rich it was under my feet, very good soil" he nodded, grabbing his fourth tomato and devouring it hungrily.

"It's not fair"

The men turned their attention to Kamui.

Justice scanned the lush fields with worried eyes, his upper lip quivering in disgust "It's not fair!" he repeated, shooting enraged eyes to Alex "Back in the City the crops are all twisted and nothing hardly manages to catch hold in the ground, but here they have such great success and so many crops….surely the City must be in famine by now, and yet here the people practically swim in food!"

"The City is in famine while here they have abundant food, very well." Alex began scanning the road they stood on, focusing on what's ahead.

He leaped into his horse's saddle "Come people, there's a palace ahead of us, let's go over there and talk them into sharing"

The carriages disappeared (leaving only the vampire's coffins' carriage), leaving the men's horses behind. They settled on the beasts and prepared to gallop to the palace.

They didn't need to ride for long; after a few riding minutes during which they scattered several other observing farmers away with shrieks and screams of panic, a group of three riders approached them with a raging pace.

Ridden on strong swift horses, the riders approaching them were women dressed in armours and battle outfits, their faces painted, their swords and lances prepared for the fight.

They did not stop to ask questions; they charged immediately with battle cries tearing through the calm fresh air.

Kamui's horse stopped, turning around to keep him within a safe distance from the fight. Subaru's horse placed him before Kamui as a last line of defence. The onmyouji pulled and readied a flush of ofuda, his eyes devouring as much as he can of these fierce amazons.

A bronze coloured woman carrying a flashy lance with a ring of fur at it's tip and complicated carvings into the colourful wood charged at David. In her left hand, which she hid behind her back, she held a fiercely sharp dagger. Side for her decorated loincloth she was bare-chested.

The undertaker knocked the lance out of her hand with a bat of his wing and snatched her off her white and beige spotted horse. He sat her sideways on his saddle and squeezed the dagger out of her hand.

She in return emitted a series of blood chilling war cries and retrieved her dagger. With a flash she tore into David's chest, carving him down to the line of his pants. Under her black and ochre war makeup her bright green eyes flashed blood thirsty madness as she stared at the white light emitting from the gash she created.

David sniggered and tore the dagger out of her hand once and for all, casting it far into the field behind him this time.

She struggled some more, squirming on the saddle with amazing flexibility until she climbed to her feet and ground her foot deep into David's crotch.

Unaffected by the blow, David dug his fist into her flat muscular tan belly and knocked her off his saddle. Clicking his tongue he drove his horse to place a hoof on her chest between her ample bare breasts.

A tall lean black woman charged at Seishiro. She carried a long shiny machete which she manipulated through the air so fast it became almost invisible. She wore a dress of a thousand tiny colourful beads tied at her neck. Her rough boots were made of hard cow skin and opened at the tip to allow freedom for her toes to stick out.

She too carried other weapons with her; she had three flint bladed daggers tucked into the leopard skin made belt at her waist, a large horn bow and a quiver of ivory imbedded cow skin.

With amazing speed she sheathed her machete and aimed her bow and arrow at Seishiro's shikigami, landing a direct hit into the great spirit hawk. It had hit it's ofuda straight in the middle and tore it in half.

Noticing she rode her horse too close to the man she leaped off her beast and landed before Seishiro's horse.

A hailstorm of red and white arrows charged at Seishiro, which he blocked easily using his magic to form a shield.

He drove his horse to dash around her and snatched her up from the ground.

She squirmed under his strong arms, flexing to kick her long shiny pure black legs at his head. She bit into his arm, managing to tear at his jacket's sleeve to uncover his flesh before she sank her teeth in. She drew blood. Her other hand grabbed at her machete but found it had been snatched by her enemy.

Having received a few powerful kicks to his head Seishiro had had enough. He placed a knife sharp ofuda at her throat and ordered her to seize her fight.

Growling madly, glaring fire at him, she stopped fighting and placed her feet on the ground. She was tall enough to stand on the ground while Seishiro, who sat atop a high horse and was rather high himself, could hold the ofuda to her neck without having to bend down.

The third warrior charged at Alex with a raging war cry. She was covered in a western knight's shining armour, wielding a long heavy sword. She had short cropped blond hair and crazed bright blue eyes with red edges of many sleepless nights.

As she galloped towards her enemy a long gold chain popped out through her chest armour's collar and for a moment Alex was blinded by the sun reflecting on a rather large crucifix emulate hanging from the chain.

As she rode with her sword aimed forward for bloody battle, her other arm held a lance from which a banner hung decorated by a symbol of a medieval France.

The roar of metal against metal exploded into the air as her and Alex's swords, her and Alex's armours collided powerfully.

They drove their horses away immediately, trying to gain a distance between them to allow proper sword fight.

She was swift, quick minded and skilled but Alex had inhuman speed at his side and decades of swordplay experience more then her. After a swift series of movements he knocked her off her horse, severed her lance and snatched her sword from her armoured hand.

As she came tumbling down her horse and crushed to the ground she noticed her two companions were also knocked out of fighting position. She climbed to her feet, immediately stopped by the blades of two swords slid at her neck to stop her from doing anything more.

Kamui could now feel, as his horse's muscles eased, that the battle was won and he was free to control his beast again. Watching the fierce warriors made him declined the silent offer to draw closer to the three men.

Subaru hurried to Seishiro's side immediately, checking his lover for any wounds. All he could see were a few nasty bruises on his head, which Seishiro dismissed with a grin.

"Well!" the blond barked at Alex, sending a wrathful glare at him. She had a heavy French accent and a pathos to her words which made her often spit as she spoke.

"Well what?" Alex answered, slightly lowering his guards.

"Are you going to kill us already?" the warrior under David's horse spat out with a heavy Spanish accent.

"And why would we kill you?" Death smirked at her.

"Because you are men! You are bloody thirsty and beast like!" the blond spat at him.

"You're the one who came charging at us, remember?"

The black woman in Seishiro's restriction began squirming again, reaching out to one of her daggers.

Subaru punched the top of her head. Immediately he drew his hand away, shocked at his own violence.

Seishiro gave him a pleasantly surprised gaze.

"Serves her right for kicking you like that" the light onmyouji mumbled through his deep blush.

"What do you want? Why did you cross our boarder from the monster's side?" the woman on the ground asked. Her voice seemed calmer now despite her flat position on the dirt road and the impending hoof on her chest bone. She was inwardly worried at David's complete carelessness at the sight of her fine body.

"We came here to take your food, to teach you how to share" Alex threw the blond's sword behind his back, stabling his sword on her neck.

"Ha! We will never give you anything! Murderers! Rapists! Pigs! Beasts of blood!"

"Excuse me lady" Subaru interfered, trying his best English at the raging blond "but you seem to know a lot about us when this is in fact the first time we see each other"

"And keep your mouth shut with R word" Alex hissed at her, poking her cheek with the tip of his blade.

"It doesn't matter that we've only met, all men are the same!"

"And you've kidnapped a woman too!" the black woman suddenly roared at them.

David whipped his head towards her pointing finger, fearing Victoria came out to the sunlight to see what's happening and exposed herself to the sun's heat.

But the woman was not pointing at the vampire's carriage, she was pointing at Kamui who sat atop his horse with Will placed behind him on the saddle.

Seishiro bust out laughing, letting his captive go a bit. Alex and David joined in the sniggering.

"I am not a woman!" Kamui trotted over closer to the group, glaring hell at the black woman who was frighteningly able to look him in the eye.

She frowned "Are you sure? And what is so bad in being a woman? Being a man is far worse"

"Why? I kinda like men" Alex mumbled through his giggles.

"You are the antichrist" the blond hissed at him, grabbing at her crucifix.

He nodded at her "I get that a lot"

"You want to take our food you said" the woman under David's horse asked. Her voice was calm now and she eyed David to allow her to climb back to her feet. He allowed her to push the hoof off her chest and, shaking sand off of her exposed skin, she rose and began walking towards Seishiro and his captive.

"The queen will never give you a single grain, not a leaf, never" aided by Subaru's pleading, she managed to free her tall comrade from Seishiro's clutches.

"Oh? Why not?"

"We come from a starving City, there are women and children there who cannot pass a day with one single proper meal" Kamui burst into the argument.

"She will not give you a grain because you are men and you fight for blood" the half naked woman smirked, her catlike eyes sharp and stingy.

"Look around you, warmongers; we've worked very hard to create a healthy, peaceful harmony here. It is only because we are all women and that stops us from fighting amongst each others like rabid dogs. You will not walk in here and demand the fruits of our toil like you own something in this land"

"We will teach you how to share, by hook or by crook, and we will have our supplies for the City" Alex growled.

"How so? You are six men and we are a thousand well trained warriors" the blond asked, folding her armoured arms on her chest.

Alex smiled and swung his hand sideways to the corn field on his right. The long thin shoots quivered as the ground under them roared and rumbled. A hole gaped in the field's edge and a single human palm clawed at its brim. A dead body climbed out of the hole, grumbling lowly as it oozed the stench of rot and damp earth into the clear light air around them.

The zombie stood at the field's edge with the plants from under which he came scattered in a circle around him.

"Surely" Alex spoke, turning to the blond and the bronze girl with a cruel smile "you do not wish for this to happen in all your fields. I can uproot your entire plain of fields this way. Also I think fire would do a fair damage to your precious abundant crops, you wouldn't want that now would you"

The blond burst into a fit of swearing, stomping her foot and waving her fists at Alex. Death sniggered into her mad raving, laughing out into the air as he recognised a word or two in the dirty French she shot at him.

"Enough!" he yelled finally, sheathing his sword "you have until sunset to give the message to your queen and decide how you'll hand over your crops to us. When night comes my vampires will awaken and we will be eight powerful men against you all. If you will not give us your answer by then you can say goodbye to your lovely lush fields and your sweet farmers"

The blond was about to say something when the bare woman touched her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. The women climbed to their saddles, turned their horses around and stormed off towards the far off castle.

* * *

Alex drove his men towards a hill overlooking the brilliant fields. It had a grey stone two floored fortress he planned to use as a resting place and a foothold in this new land.

As he burst through the heavy wooden door a sword and a shower of arrows pierced him, making him take a step back. He leered at the archer facing him and, slicing the air to aim his sword at the woman hiding behind the door to his right, began pulling the arrows out one by one.

Seishiro walked into the large cool room and punched the archer of her weapon. He grabbed the rope Alex tossed at him and bound the warrior to a chair he pushed her into.

She was a flaming red headed in an undergarment corset and a pair of white long safari trousers, her hair packed up neatly at the nape of her neck. Despite her western outfit her weapons were African originated, huge and well made.

The woman with the sword who ambushed Alex from behind the door had thin blond hair falling to her shoulders unkempt. Her bright eyes were also red rimmed and vengeful in a crazed kind of way. Her slim body was clad by a bright yellow sports suit with two black lines at the sides of both her jacket and pants. Her eyes were calm and strong as they followed Alex's handling of her professional, extremely sharp katana which he pulled out of his side and placed against the opposite wall.

She was grabbed and bound, lead to a chair to be kept there with her comrade.

Alex tapped David on the shoulder and motioned him towards a door leading to a rising flight of stairs.

Seishiro stayed behind to keep an eye on the two women. He kindly asked the blond for the origin of her sword. She answered him in fluent Japanese, which highly impressed him seeing she was not of Japanese origin.

As they emerged from the stairways to the rough stone roof a short lightning bolt hit the two men. The source of the blow was a scantly clad armoured woman with wings on her stylish helmet and a long flood of bright red hair.

Alex sneered at her and, changing his sword to the long metal rod, beat her to the floor. He placed the pipe's edge at her throat "I hate Valkyries" he hissed at her.

"Highly over appreciated bitches" David glanced down at the huffing and puffing woman. He knocked the sword and axe out of her reach, grabbing her by the hair to haul her to her feet and bind her.

"Hey David" Alex motioned him, standing on the rooftops' edge looking downwards.

David walked over to Alex's side, the struggling valkyrie in toe.

"Can you set fire to that straw pile down there?" he pointed at the line of neat hey cubes near which three horses stood.

"Sure" he threw a few stones down to scare the horses away from the coming blaze and sent his power to the hay pile below.

"Good, now the palace will have something to worry about" Alex commented, observing the rising torrent of raging black smoke.

He moved across the rooftop and called Subaru to enter the building. The onmyouji was waiting outside, keeping an eye on Kamui and the vampires' carriage.

The convoy began settling in the fort for the rest of the day. Seishiro prepared his bow and quiver and walked out to see if he can hunt a few field hares while David scanned the women's kitchen utilities and prepared them for cooking.

Kamui crushed on one of the woman's beds, looking awkwardly at their new prisoners. He would have sympathized with them, being this convoy's prisoner as much as they were if something else did not bother him.

"Alex…"

Death spun around from his pile of maps, astounded that Kamui chose to start a conversation with something that wasn't an accusing tone. "Yes Kamui?"

"Why did you immediately threaten them? Why didn't you let me explain the situation in the City?"

Alex shrugged "Rich people don't tend to have a taste for sharing and something told me they weren't going to let a bunch of men like us take anything from the proud amazons they are"

"I could have talked to them still, why threaten them? We should strive to establish some kind of a trading relationship with these people, how would you pull that off if you keep snarling like that?"

Alex leaned back on the wall with his box of maps in hand "Because this is what will give them the initial shock and frighten them into giving us food as quickly as possible"

"Yes but they'll think you're a monster! You're asking for charity but now they'll see you as a warmonger devil"

"Whatever it takes to get the food back to the city as quickly as possible"

He turned to Subaru "I sent my shiki over to thank Yutu for your little sing-song spasms yesterday" he turned back to Kamui after making sure Subaru blushed enough "and I spoke to Yuzuriha. She's on the verge of fatal malnutrition. If that's the way she is, think about all the other people. Arashi's baby is also in danger because she hardly gets enough food for it's development"

"Oh god" Subaru gasped "Arashi-san!"

"She's okay for now, as okay as she could be, but she's not going to be able to keep it up for long. You see, we need to get that food over there as quickly as possible"

"Why didn't you say so?" the blond woman in yellow asked in English, staring at Alex with calm, soft eyes.

Alex didn't answer her; he hung his head and crouched to the floor with his chest of maps.

"This Arashi-san, how old is her baby now?" the woman asked Kamui, casting glances at Subaru as well. She spoke Japanese to them.

"I think she's still pregnant, she shouldn't have delivered yet" Subaru answered her.

She hung her head and thought. She turned to her comrades and spoke a soft, fluent, musical tongue with them.

They stared at her, turning to look at the men in their room from time to time. When the blond finished the two other women nodded and stopped squirming on their seats trying to escape.

"We understand your goal now" the red haired woman spoke to Alex "and we would like you to know that we feel no resentment for fighting and binding us" her accent was a very correct crisp British one.

Alex nodded and asked David to make enough stew for the three women as well.

* * *

As evening began spreading a light cool dampness on the land and the light became soft and pinkish Subaru, who was standing at the window observing the breathtaking unravelling sunset, called out "There's a group of riders coming here"

He sent Alex and David to their feet. Accompanied by Seishiro they flattened themselves to the wall at the sides of the door, each readying their weapons for attack.

Alex drew his sword, pulling the electrocuting rod out of it as well.

David prepared a fire ball in both his palms.

Seishiro drew a flush of ofuda.

The men kept complete silence, motioning to their prisoners to do the same.

The three women sat calmly in their chairs, staring at the door. The blond one nodded calmly at Alex.

To Alex' motioning, Kamui pulled himself and Will under the cot they sat on.

Subaru dashed to hide in the niche of the kitchen, drawing out a flush of ofuda as well.

The flaming orange light of sunset set the room on fire, casting its last rays of warmth into the tension filled room.

After a few moments of breathless tension the heavy door swung slowly open.

A porcupine of forward aiming lances and swords slowly emerged from the door. The woman who came through the door were heavily armoured and draped with long black capes that formed a uniform of their unit. They had helmets down to their noses, hiding their features. Each helmet was decorated by a long flowing black horse' tail giving the notion that this was their hair.

Painstakingly slow the women advanced into the room with their weapons ready for a fight.

Seishiro, who was at the unprotected side of the door immediately, attracted the attention of one of the charging women. She called out and swung her sword at the man.

Seishiro ducked, charging head-on into her, pushing her forwards and knocking her to the floor.

Before she fell down she managed to slice a nasty cut at his side with a bayonet she hid in her left hand.

Seishiro wobbled and collapsed to the floor, his guts about to spill out of the wound.

Pushing Subaru violently back to the kitchen, Alex beheaded one warrior and kicked another hard against the opposite wall.

"**ENOUGH!**" the first woman who walked into the room suddenly called. Her underlings obeyed and dropped their weapons.

Alex and Subaru shot to Seishiro, Subaru with hysteria's tears in his eyes and Alex with an open artery.

Pushing Subaru away once more, Alex crouched over Seishiro and began treating the wound with vampire's blood. He scanned the Sakurazukamori's pale sweaty face from time to time to see his progress.

Subaru collapsed by Seishiro, taking his lover's head into his lap and clutching at his palms frantically. He was whimpering and weeping hysterically, fighting to recover the shock of seeing Seishiro take such a blow.

On his behalf Seishiro remained very calm. He smiled at Subaru's tears and whispered calming words to hush his lover's whimpering.

Noticing one of the warrior's approaching metal boots, Will wrapped his arms tightly around Kamui under the cot.

The woman who walked into the room first sneaked up to Alex and, in a flash drew a dagger to his neck. She placed her head by his ear and hissed into it, smiling "There you are, you little troublemaker you" she spoke Yiddish.

Having finished his treatment of Seishiro, Alex whipped his head to glance at the woman, his eyes huge and empty in surprise.

The woman burst into laughter, sheathing her dagger and pulling Alex back to his feet.

She had an under-treated flow of simple thin brown hair down to her shoulders which she carelessly tied at the back of her neck under her great helmet, which she immediately removed, making Alex gasp.

Her face was freckled and tanned, her eyes quick and sharp. It was clear that she was heavily build and strong with great thick arms and a broad back under her armour. Two large black crow like wings poked through her cape. The feathers had a dark green shine to them and an angelic aura of power.

She grabbed Alex by his shoulders and gave him a good shake "What's wrong? You've already forgotten all about your good old friend?"

Alex fought to blink his shock away "D…Dvora!" he managed to exhale finally before her strong arms kidnapped him to a heartily hug.

"Commander, you know this man!" one of the women cried, taking a step backwards. Her comrade behind her was busy untangling the three women captives.

Dvora turned a warm smile at her soldier "Sure I know him, we were in the same world, heck, we even went to the same heaven"

"Oh right" Alex mumbled "you were taken from heaven too?"

"Yeah though I can't really complain you know. I was a guard there and I'm pretty much a guard here. The conditions aren't so bad here either"

"Humph, well, it's hell over at our side"

"Yeah yeah, don't start raving about that again. I heard so many reports of your demanding and complaints today you know"

"Oh! Hey David," Alex turned Dvora to the undertaker who was still flat against the wall "this is the woman I told you about, the one who was like you"

Dvora thwacked Alex's head lightly "Gee, thanks for bringing that up so happily, pervert"

David scanned the armoured woman with a disrespecting sneer "I told you once and I'll tell you again, there were no women amongst us"

She sighed "Men, whatever" Dvora turned her attention to Alex "what's all this armour stuff huh? You didn't look like you came here to beg for food, what were you doing?"

Alex walked over to the cot, pushing the warriors away from it roughly and pulled a Kamui by the arm and a Will by the ear. "I was kidnapping this little troublemaker" he said pushing Kamui foreword.

The commander neared Kamui with big heavy steps, her hands on her sides and a cunning smile on her face. "Well" she chuckled "which one of them is yours?"

"No one" Kamui spat back, glaring.

Dvora burst out laughing "My god Alex, you sure like them when they fight back. Why can't you find a good, kind guy to fall in love with? Why do you always get caught by the firebombs?"

Alex gave her a cancelling glare, which only made her laugh out louder.

"Anyway we came here because the queen wants to see you" she said after walking to the three captives and asking for their condition.

"Tell her I don't want to talk, I want food"

"She wants to negotiate"

"No negotiating, half of your crops or death"

Dvora stared at Alex for a while, her face grim suddenly "It's that difficult to live over at your side, is it?"

Alex nodded.

"Fine. Anyway you better ride to the palace with us and tell that to the queen yourself if you want things to go faster and smoother"

Alex scanned his men. The evening fell upon them and darkness meant that the vampires will soon rise.

"Fine. David and Seishiro you come with me, Subaru you stay here and keep an eye on Kamui. When Victoria wakes tell her she can come over to the palace if she wishes"

"O ho! You have a woman with you? And there I was thinking you were running a little harem here" Dvora poked at Alex's side, drawing a sheepish grin out of him.

She draped an arm across his shoulders and practically dragged him out of the room along with her women, Alex's assassin and undertaker.

The former captives stared at Subaru, who was clearly left in charge, asking if they were considered still captives by them.

Subaru blushed, unaccustomed to this new position. "Uh…no, you're free I guess, as long as you promise not to try and hurt us"

The blond smiled and patted Subaru lightly on his shoulder "How can I hurt a bunch of boy like you?" she sent a motherly caress to Kamui and Will's cheeks.

The youths found the touch surprisingly warm and comforting.

She advanced towards the kitchen to fix them all a dinner.

Lestate popped his head out of his coffin, making the two ex-captives shriek in terror. He smiled charmingly at them and bowed, looking around surprised "Hello, what is this place? Where are we Subaru?"

Subaru explained him and lit a cigarette to ease the last of his terror's residue, assuring himself that Seishiro was well and okay or Alex would have never taken him along.

"You!" the valkyrie cried at Victoria as soon as the vampire rose from her coffin "You're a woman!"

Victoria blinked at her, puzzled. She heard Subaru's explanation but she was still a bit sleepy and disoriented. "Huh? I'm sorry, did Alex do something naughty?"

"Alex said you could come over to the palace if you want to, I think it'd do good to their negotiating"

Victoria stared at Subaru "Where's David?"

"At the palace"

"Well then I guess I'll go have a royal visit. How exciting, I've never been in a palace before, I wonder if it's anything like Buckingham" she babbled as she exited the room.

"Alex's playing the rough tough thug isn't he?"

Subaru turned to Lestate and nodded.

The remaining vampire sighed and leaned against the wall and scanned the three women "Well, at least we have gorgeous women to keep us company" he winked at the British lady, making her look away and blush.

"What? You mean you're not all gay?" the blond woman giggled from above the bubbling pan she handled.

Lestate laughed merrily "No, well…it depends"

She smiled back at him.

"Lestate…?"

"Yes Subaru?"

"Do you know why Alex always keeps me behind whenever he does anything warlike?"

Lestate smiled kindly "he thinks you're too kind hearted to dead with outgoing violence so he leaves you behind"

Subaru looked away, out through the window and sighed.

* * *

The palace shone before them as one by one it's night time lamps were lit like glittering fireflies.

The structure was immense, with great arching dome shaped room set in circles dominated by a big, almost sphere shaped hall at it's canter. The structures were of a smooth dark blue stone with lilac coloured round glass windows from which soft lights shone, each dome topped by a round glass roof of the same colour.

The gates were of the same brilliant stone with heavy arching thick metal doors which swung open to Dvora's cry.

The convoy rode into the palace city.

Within the immense round court a twinkling bustling marketplace hummed. Food stands, fabric stands, clothes stands, little kitchens steamed rich aromas to the air.

The citizens in the marketplace were all women, all well groomed in perfect health. Their faces and outfits showed a great collection of cultures and fashions. Everywhere Death's men cast their eyes they saw richness and health. The atmosphere was cheerful and loud with mixed voices of party people, hagglers, shoppers, good friends meeting; all women.

"When will our City look like this?" David whispered into Alex's ear as he scanned his surrounding suspiciously.

"Soon hopefully"

"About the woman you killed, brat" Dvora shot across her shoulder at Alex "I don't think the queen will approve"

"I don't think I care"

Dvora gave him a hard scrutinising stare before she turned her head forward again, her expression worried and sad.

They entered the main building cluster. Walking through halls decorated magnificently by glass and marble statues, silver artworks, draperies and rich carpets, they walked past many other women guards. Amongst them the men spotted the three warriors they encountered this morning and smiled back at their sneering.

As they drew nearer and nearer the biggest hall the guards became the likes of Dvora and her crew. These women were better armed and the more they neared the hall was the more armoured the guards became.

"Such tight security, what have you to protect yourself from?" Alex enquired.

"We have our own enemies" Dvora replied without looking back.

"You're that afraid of men?"

"It's not just any men, it's particular men we don't like. I'll tell you about it later"

She stopped before a great set of beautifully engraved silver doors and turned to face her guests "Now behave yourself Alex, my queen is a noble gentle person"

"You know I have little respect for monarchs"

"Yes yes yes and you want to teach her how to share. You've never did get over your communist tendencies did you"

Alex nodded with a smile.

"Well, good luck" she knocked on the door behind her twice.

The great doors opened silently and the air around the men filled with sweet scents of incense and food. Behind great transparent lilac drapes the queen's hall lay.

Alex walked in confidently, his hand ready on the hilt of his sword.

The hall was amazing; if the rooms and corridors they walked through were beautifully decorated then this hall made them all pale in comparison. The walls glittered as soft white lamps cast their light on them. A great spider web net of silver chains held lamps above them, the chains imbedded by lilac and blue beads. Behind the men stood two batches of guards, two other batches stood at the queen's throne's sides.

The queen sat atop a great chair of carved ebony draped with delicate lilac silk and strings of magnificent pears. On lush carpets at her sides two ladies dressed in belly dancer attire lay and beat big ostrich feather fans at their queen.

The queen was a petite woman with sharp green eyes amidst a glittering lilac and soft bright blue makeup. Her crown was simple silver elegantly decorated with jet stones and white sparkling diamonds. Her dress was black silk and white lace draped by a lilac silken cape that hung from her crown. Her hair was almost completely covered; it was short cropped almost to her skull and stylishly spiked. From her earlobes great twinkling elaborate silver earrings hung at the sides of her chiselled face.

She and Alex scrutinized each other calmly, taking their time to strategize their next move.

Three ladies in the same belly dancing attire neared the men, holding up silver trays loaded with pastries, glasses of wine and other alcoholic beverages, several freshly cut vegetables in a dip and various other refreshments.

The girls seemed to hover above the smooth black marble floor, so light and smooth their steps were.

Seishiro picked a glass of champagne and gestured for the girl serving him to move on.

David snatched a few croissants, stashing several other pastries in his pockets and picked a few glasses of what he identified as vodka.

Alex refused all the trays and resumed his glaring at the queen.

"Why aren't you eating? You refuse our hospitality?" the queen asked. Her voice was cool and smooth. Not very high and not very low, it was clear and pleasant to the ear. Her pronunciation was slow and completely devoid of any accent. She smiled kindly as she spoke, cocking her head softly sideways.

"Save your food for the starving people of my city" Alex spat back, firming his grip on his sword as he noted the guards at the queen's side readied themselves to move forward.

The queen gestured for her women to be calm and turned her eyes back to Alex. "You are problematic to consider sir. You see we have a city brimful of warmongering men to the west of us. From time to time we catch a spy on our grounds, every season or so.

"Your appearance, and surely your earlier behaviour with my women, does not cast a very friendly light on you. You've not created an impression on us that would in any way encourage us to share anything with you"

"Look at me as a warmongering blood thirsty man, look at me as a monster; I couldn't give a damn about what you think miss. All I want is your food to send to my City, where women and children starve to death every day"

The queen folded her palms neatly at her lap and sighed "And how would we know you are not from the men's city?"

"You shouldn't care, you give us food or we'll destroy you. This is not a plea for relationship miss, this is a threatening demand"

The queen became silent and eyed her guards as they fidgeted about ready to pounce this spiteful man before them.

"Who are these 'we' you threat me with?"

"Me and my men. Trust me we can eradicate you and wipe you off the face of this land. We come from the Dark Side, we are dark men"

"Trust, dear sir, is exactly what this negotiation lacks"

"Oh for god's sake" David burst out, taking a few powerful steps forward beyond where Alex stood.

His face was red, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets with anger. As he spoke his hands balled into fists and shook.

"Your majesty I am my City's undertaker. I am _sick and tired_ of waking up every morning and having to bury skeletons for people! I'm tired of family members brining one of them over to my care and then return the next day with another one of them. I'm tired of hearing women cry as I bury their babies, their husbands, their children, their friends, **_I'm tired_** **_of it!_**"

The guards took a step back. The waitresses gasped. The queen leaned back into her throne, casting her eyes down away from David's fierce glare.

Alex hung his head for a moment then returned his gaze to the queen who also levelled her eyes with his. Both their stares were now softer, more serious and grave.

"I see" the queen exhaled, placing a few pedicured to perfection delicate fingers on her lips. "You have my great sympathy and before you burst out again sir I would like you to give me a chance to speak"

Alex closed his mouth as he was indeed about to interrupt the woman.

The queen turned to a woman who so far kept herself hidden behind a drapery near an exit of the hall to the right of the throne "Bring the treasurer here"

The woman bowed slightly and disappeared behind the door.

A few minutes later two women appeared with the queen's servant.

One was a slightly edgy looking slim girl in space age pants and a glittering red vest.

The second was a scantly clad, well curved and ample woman in a tiny yellow vest and a tiny yellow pair of tight hot pants. A yellow ribbon held her short smooth dark blue/purple hair. This woman had a cocky, semi sexy kind of walk and constantly eyed the three men with a malicious glint in her eyes.

"Your majesty" the latter bowed with a smooth tone.

"Treasurer, I wish you to listen to this man's demands" the queen gestured at Alex.

The treasurer smiled cunningly.

"Half of your crops. Every season. Each time you yield crops, you give half to us. Also I want half of your livestock each litter season."

"What!" the woman shrieked "That's impossible! We'll have nothing to eat!"

"Sweet treasurer" the queen interfered calmly "may I remind you that we have plenty of grain and preserved food stored each season and that the barns in which we keep these are multiplying with every year"

"I want half of your reserves too if you have so many" Alex chimed in.

The women glared at him.

"Very well, it seems that our stocks won't be needed any time in the future as much as they are surely needed in your City.

"Treasurer, you will sit with this man and make a list of all the food we will deliver to their cities in the amounts he will decide."

"But your majesty…." The treasurer objected. She was exchanging looks with her consultant who mostly shrugged and looked clueless.

"I'm here!"

The men and women in the hall turned to look at the blond and red eyed head that popped out of the wall to the left of the door's guards.

Victoria stepped out of the wall and turned to look behind her with a gigantic smile "Look! I walked through the wall! I can do that now!"

"Yes, you can. _Finally_" Alex grumbled.

Victoria ignored him. With a fierce blush she walked to where Alex stood and bowed deeply "Your majesty, I'm honoured to be called here to meet you".

The queen stared at her astonished "Are you with these men?"

"Yes your majesty"

"What is your name sweet girl?"

'Victoria Seras your majesty" she bowed again, giggling a bit. "Wow! I've never met a queen before!" she chirped at Alex.

"Hi David!" she chirped, making the undertaker mumble a shy 'hello' and look away to hide his slight blush.

"When we're finished calculating how much food we're taking the delivery will be made immediately" Alex turned to the queen again, his tone now slightly softer and less threatening.

"Yes, of course. In the meantime please accept our hospitality and stay within the palace city's walls. I give you the honour of dining with me every evening"

"Gee, thanks"

The queen ignored the harsh cynical tone of her guest. She was busy trying to gaze through the curtains on the door by her throne "Who's there?"

A timid young girl walked out hysterically mumbling apologies for not making herself seen before the queen. She had light brown hair down to the mid of her back. Her eyes were rather big, almost gaping, and gave off an almost distressing complete innocence. Her dress was simple; denim with little white ribbons at her shins and sleeves. She bowed deeply before the men in the room and stared at Victoria a little before straightening her gaze directly at Alex.

She was scrutinising him and talking to herself silently, counting something with her fingers.

"What is it Tohru-san?" the queen asked with the softest, sweetest voice.

The girl shook herself back into manners and bowed a few more times "I'm sorry your majesty but my lady wanted me to go see the new arrivals. I'm sorry if I barged in here when I shouldn't"

"You didn't barge dear"

"I'm sorry I stared at you sir" she bowed before Alex frantically.

Alex eyed her suspiciously "Who is this lady of yours that wished to see who I am?"

"Ah, her lady is our city's Oracle" the queen answered for Tohru "she dreams of the future and consults us with what she sees. Men and women from all over our side come to this palace to speak to her of their future. Often she sees things in her dreams and sends a messenger to give pressing news. She is also a very sweet, kind girl." She turned to the young girl "which is why I sent her your help, Tohru-san, when you arrived; the two of you are so much alike"

The girl blushed, beaming a brilliant warm smile "Me and my lady are great friends"

"I'm so happy" the queen clapped a few times.

"Tell your lady to come and see me face to face if she wants anything with me" Alex turned the women's attention to him.

"Ah! I will immediately! Thank you for seeing me" Tohru bowed once more and turned to rush out of the door on her way.

"I guess we'll be waiting here for a while" Alex turned to Seishiro "can you send your shiki to the fort we took and tell the guys there they can come over and settle down?"

Seishiro nodded.

The queen ordered her head servant to organise rooms for their guests.

As the servant turned on her heels to exit the hall and stopped and turned to the queen again.

"Your majesty, the Oracle is here to see the men"

"Let her in please"

Turning their attention to the halls' royal entrance, the men of Death observed the young girl as she walked into the hall.

As the door opened to let her in a flood of small song birds burst into the air of the great hall, chirping happily and flapping their wings to manoeuvre themselves in the air to all sorts of aerodynamic stunts.

The oracle had a great white parrot on her shoulder, balancing safely as she walked into the hall. Her long pure white dress gathered on the smooth floor with a long fan-shaped train. Her small bare feet could be seen taking light steps under the frilly end of her simple dress. Her long auburn hair spread down her back above the short cape she wore at her shoulders, which was in the deepest, darkest, most beautiful shade of indigo.

Her gaze was steady and strong as it lay immediately on Alex's questioning one. "You're Death of the Dark Side" she said, her voice confident and strong if not a bit high pitched.

Seishiro allowed a small "Oh" escape his lips.

"How do you know of me?" Alex glared at her.

"I have seen you coming in my dreams" she answered "you came here carrying my Kamui with you"

(tbc)


	29. The Land of Anthrax

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **To DarkAngel ID the relentless, slightly impatient but greatly thanked for here is this chapter, a few weeks ahead of when I thought I might write it. don't worry darling, I aint gonna stop writing this fic, it's my biggest project and my most important so….yeah. yes! You found out the two women I placed there from places that aren't my brain! Cool! I didn't know her name is Beatrix, cool name!

TEKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Ah, Suby shouldn't be left with Kamui? Why? That danger is far far behind them now since the Fuma-maboroshi incident, don't worry darling. Well more people won't actually pop into the fic more like….errr….flashes of his life. And you deserve credit for a lot more darling. Also I received a message through Lani about you wanting me to update Behind Bars. Funny, I got it on the day I was writing a new chapter of it, henh, it's waiting to be beta-ed darling so don't worry.

Also thank you to the following people who apparently have this fic on their favourite list and did not tell me a single thing so that I will know I have more then two readers…: Lonely Tsukasa, Miko-Tenshi, Subaru's Voice (kyaaa! Darling!) and Xazenru.

Yaaaaay! 20 reviews! This fic's beginning to gain on the number of reviews it had back when I was Meirav and people actually read this.

**AUTHOR'S CHALLENGE: **yes! A challenge! For the 30th chapter celebrations I challenge you all! ('all'…tssk, as if…) to write in scenes for this story! Yes! A scene of your own making! I won't grumble and I won't censure and I won't drop anything out, I'll put everything in as it is unless it'll make the rating soar too high up that is, but your footmark will be in this fic. Yes! You can write what you want into this fic, let your imagination run wild and go for it!

What else? I'll take orders for what you'd like to see and I'll insert it into the fic, no matter how wacky it might be! But, of course, I'd much MUCH, **M-U-C-H **more like it if you wrote in something. Your grammar and phrasing level don't matter and you'll be credited for it (if you wish, you can remain anon. if you want) so WRITE IN! my email is there's a _teeny_ amount of yaoi but nothing descriptive okay?

* * *

**Chapter 29 - The Land of Anthrax (1)**

"I have seen you coming in my dreams" the Oracle said "you came here carrying my Kamui with you"

she did not miss Seishiro's look of mild surprise. When she saw Alex slightly squinting at her trying to fish the memory carrying her name from the back of his mind she glared at the one eyed onmyouji.

"I remember you very well sir" her tone was dark and blaming "from the time you snatched me and Kamui into your maboroshi trying to hurt the both of us"

Seishiro bowed at this, smiling happily to annoy her.

"Kotori, you're Kotori aren't you?" Alex finally remembered the name.

The Oracle turned her eyes to him again "You bring your band of murderers here trying to wreck havoc upon us, monster! You hurt my Kamui and snatched him away!"

Alex pondered if the loving tone in which she spoke of Kamui meant that she did not fully know whom it was the boy was snatched from.

"Oracle" the queen suddenly interfered the duel of glaring. Her eyes were suspicious and amazed "You knew this will come upon us and yet you warned us not!"

Kotori was dumbstruck. She hung desperate eyes at the royalty and wrung her hands nervously.

Her servant, the shy and slightly stuttering young girl who spied upon Death's men for her mistress, now stepped forward nervously. "Umm….your majesty" she bowed quickly "it's not that Kotori-chan didn't tell you, it's just that…." She blushed and became silent.

The two girls exchanged desperate panicking looks with each other before Tohru turned to the queen again.

"It's just that Kamui was….well….is…very special to Kotori-chan and when she first dreamt that he will come to her she was so excited that she didn't want to say anything that might stop these men from coming and bringing Kamui with them….you see?" by the end of this her nerves were so unruly and her panic so deep that she was crying and blushing so bad her face was dark red.

The queen leaned back into her chair and stayed silent for a while, tapping her bejewelled forefinger on her slim lips. She nodded finally and smiled a little to hint the two girls that there is no more need to panic.

With this Kotori turned her fiery eyes back to Alex "Let me meet him!" she demanded, her voice cold and mature again.

Alex sniggered.

Seishiro chuckled.

Kotori glared.

Alex calmed his breathing and hung amused patronizing eyes at the teen. After a long while of exchanging his cancelling mockery with Kotori's demanding glares he shrugged "Maybe"

"_Maybe!_"

Alex nodded at the queen and turned around to leave. He turned back to the ruler once again before he exited through the great door "I will meet the treasurer tomorrow morning and we'll begin making a list and get the food over to our City as quickly as possible"

The queen nodded and sighed deeply, leaning her forehead on her long fingers once the men were out of the room.

* * *

Kamui stared up at the ceiling in his new room. The walls were lilac which, for some reason, he found a bit disturbing (it's a pretty colour but too much of it can prove tacky).

The chamber was fairly large and roomy, with great big French windows, it's doors decorated with intricate silver vines and leafs. The ceiling contained three awe filling pointy high domes from which lamps hung, fashioned as branches carrying candles and blue glass leafs.

His room contained a large comfortable sofa, a large white marble bath hidden in a niche draped with slightly see-through bright blue satin, a big richly scented wooden table and a large canopied double bed covered in velvet and round comfortable cushions.

Will dragged himself to the bed and crushed there, immediately appreciating the softness of its mattress and crawling under its covers to snuggle up there for the night.

Kamui, on the other hand, walked up to the windows, opened the large glass doors, and stepped out to the charming small balcony overlooking the palace's court, it's rich buzzing market and the fields beyond it.

Night time spread darkness all around and one by one the lights in the small farmer's huts were lit like tiny blinking fireflies. He walked to the other balcony from which he could look at a beautiful garden, lush with tropical wild plants creating a brilliant, well organized jungle.

Elegant little garden torches were being lit by women servants draped in Arabian and Asian style who, from time to time, looked up and noticed him looking down at them.

They ignored him and carried out their mission of lighting up the garden to better allow the youth to see its glory.

Kamui inhaled the sweet scent of blooming flowers and rich cooking from the market. He exhaled it slowly, unwilling to let the brilliance out of him so quickly.

It seems everything here was perfect, nothing was wrong, nothing was twisted or painful or difficult. Like the women moving in the marketplace, like the servants who lit the garden torches; everything ran smoothly here, calm, silent and effortless.

He felt a pang of guilt for being here in this richness and wonder while his friends back in the City faced starvation and depression everyday.

A knock on the door of his room took his mind off of it. He invited whomever it was in.

Alex stepped into the room, his strides long and awkward, and his eyes darting back and forth from Kamui's. Something was up and Alex knew it was going to cause a fuss. From his stance Kamui knew Death is going to lose the fight. When did he ever win it with Kamui?

"There's someone here who wants to see you Kamui"

Kamui shot his eyebrows up. Someone here who wants to see him? Who could it be!

A sudden rush of happiness and hope sprang up in him; he had noticed that, since Alex and Dvora both came from the same dimension but landed at it's two different parts, maybe there's someone here he lost and was looking for him?

A sudden flame of hope sparked up inside him and he took an involuntary step forward.

Alex took half a step backwards and a deep breath, prepared to defend against whatever it may be.

Kamui hung huge hopeful eyes at him, eyes quivering with excitement and hope. "Is….is it mother? Is it mother looking for me? Did she land here when I came here too the first time?" he drew nearer to Alex who stopped backing away.

Death was taken by surprise. He was sure Kamui had guessed who it was, he didn't expect Kamui to suddenly think it's his mother looking for him.

Poor child, he still carried the scar from his mother's burning, stinging his soul, refusing to heal.

"No Kamui, I'm sorry, it's not your mother"

The light turned off in the youth's eyes and his stance slackened.

"It's Kotori, she's the Oracle here like Kakyou is and…."

"_Kotori!_" the light was back "you mean Kotori! Kotori? Here? Alive! She's alive? Kotori!"

Will shook himself from the comfortable sleep which folded him so lovingly in the soft bed. He reared his head and stared at his master bouncing on the balls of his feet before a slightly awkward and annoyed Alex.

"I'm going to see her! Where is she?" Kamui was about to storm out of the room when Alex grabbed him by the wrist.

Mauve fires glared at Alex, then at the captured wrist, then back at Alex.

"….You can go see her tomorrow"

"No! I want to see her right now!"

"Kamui!"

"ALEX! I haven't seen her in such a long time! When I met up with her again I didn't get to see her for very long either! I thought she was dead! Alex, please, I thought she was dead!"

Alex let go of the wrist but shut the door instead with his powers.

"Be back for dinner"

"I'll have it in her room"

"_Be back for dinner Kamui!_"

Kamui huffed in complaint and stomped his foot.

Alex glared, this annoying spoiled child behaviour was starting to get to his nerves "Kamui, may I remind you that you are a captive here and that this is a war, not a joyride! You're lucky you can come and go as you please instead of being chained and locked down!"

Kamui hung his head and sighed "I'll be back for dinner okay?"

Alex nodded "Be here for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the other days we'll stay here, may they be short and swift to pass"

Kamui chirped and stormed out of the room, his werewolf zooming past the threatening Alex to follow his master.

Alex remained in the room and sighed. After a few moments of rubbing his temples he turned around and left the room to meet Dvora and David over a bottle of vodka or two.

* * *

Kamui walked into an immense room of pure white; white walls, white draperies across the wall with white silk embroideries, white chairs and sofas and a white great bed at the far corner with a canopy much like his room's bed.

Everywhere he looked he saw large white bird cages filled with colourful birds in various sizes, the doors open and the birds flittering around all across the huge hall.

Amongst these batting wings and squeaking chirps Kamui saw her, standing by a cage with a few tiny orange parrots on her small open palms containing a small nound of bird seed on each hand.

She turned her head slowly to him and her eyes grew almost twice thier size.

"**_KAMUI!_**"

"**_KOTORI!_**"

The tiny orange parrots shot to the air as their mistress dashed towards the boy. He returned her dash and soon they were in each other's arms, sobbing with joy and clutching at each other like there's no tomorrow.

They dropped to their knees on the white marble floor, crying vigorously for a long, long while. Rocking sideways gently, they cried the pain of their last encounter away until their hearts were left with nothing but the joy of their reunion after so long.

Tohru stood aside and wept silently, dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her indigo shirt and whimpering at how wonderful it all is.

She had noticed Will walk into the room a few minutes after Kamui walked in and signalled for him to join her.

Shyly, he did so, and was immediately caught and hugged by Tohru who looked for someone to share her mistress' joy with.

This sudden burst of affection from a person he's never met before stuck such a deep chord in Will's heart that if he had any emotion beyond friendship toward Kamui or Alex (an emotion beyond deep terror in the latter's case) it was wiped out completely now.

Still crying and shaking a bit, Kotori guided Kamui to a large comfortable sofa in her room and sat him down to talk to her.

Tohru brought tea for them all and the four teens began a fluent happy conversation lasting until the very mid of the night.

Kamui spoke of what had happened to him since he parted ways with Kotori, of his kidnapping to this world and back to his home, of his re-kidnapping and what happened since then.

Kotori clapped her hands to her chest and gasped "My brother! Fuma! He's not the Dragon anymore? He's free?"

Kamui nodded, the tears of joy wallowing in his eyes again.

"Oh how wonderful! I'm so happy" she burst into tears again "I was so worried….so worried I'll lose the two men I love" she covered her face with her hands, letting herself go a little to cry out the gaping pain of the past.

Kamui skipped a lot in his story when it came to Alex, referring to him only when he came to what Death has done and how it helped, but also how it hurt him.

"And who is this?" Kotori asked, turning her big teary eyes to Will who stared down sheepishly into his tea cup trying to make himself not blush too deeply at Tohru sitting a little too near him.

Kamui introduced Will and explained what he is and how he's helped him (again, skipping _a_ _lot_ about the werewolf).

"Kyaaa! So you're a werewolf! Wow! I've never seen one before!" Tohru chirped and grabbed Will into another hug. She tickled him behind his ears and snuggled him up closely as if he was a puppy and not a boy of Kamui's age and physic.

Will blushed even more but did not fight against the loving arms.

Kamui exchanged a few looks with him and chuckled, happy to see someone found place in his heart for the abandoned ostracized pup.

Even Kotori clapped her hands and chirped merrily at the sight of Will's ears and tail, yelping that it's the cutest thing she's ever seen and that Kamui should have himself a pair of these.

They were all chirping in Japanese around Will and most of it went flying high above his head but from what he heard of Kamui and Subaru's conversations he could understand the main themes of the discussion around him.

When Kamui explained him what 'kawai'(2) was he frowned and growled a little to prove his roughness, only making the girls giggle some more.

Kotori, in her turn to speak, told about her arrival straight from the ocean dreamscape which she shared with Kakyou into the marvellous fields around the palace.

At first she was hired as a servant in the palace's guards' quarters, which she did not object to and found quite delightful.

Soon she began having dreams of the date of the next rain season, of the successes or relative failure of this crop or the other.

Her foreseeing dreams about the location of spy patrols from a city of men a distance from the palace gave her the duty of an Oracle to the queen and a high value in the eyes of the land's women.

Tohru had joined her two months ago and immediately they became great friends.

Kotori's life had been a joyride, painless, free and happy. Her world became complete and perfect when one night her Lady of Light (which is how she referred to her world's half' destiny deity due to her kindness and her dreamscape of blossoming bright flower field) showed her the sight of Kamui bound and brought before her by a black winged demon.

The Lady of Light had told her that Kamui would be snatched from her just as quickly as he had been given to her and warned her little Oracle that she should watch her tongue, but these prophesies were far too grim for Kotori to share right now.

Kamui spent most of his time in the women's castle almost locked up in Kotori's room, spending his days in joy and laughter to live them as fully as he could.

The four teens would take walks across the palaces' beautiful gardens and halls, tour the libraries and galleries and enjoying every moment of it. If it weren't for Alex's command that Kamui would attend at the meals held in the dining hall the visitor's rooms circled and the he would sleep in his room, he'd spend all his days in the castle with Kotori.

He obscured only one thing from her: his relationship with Fuma. He only spoke of Fuma when he mentioned how delightful her brother will be when he'll know she is still alive.

He felt a little bit guilty about it whenever Kotori and he would fall into an awkward silence and his senses told him the girl was hoping he'd use that break to kiss her.

* * *

The meetings with the royal treasurer and her helper had started on the wrong foot. The treasurer tired sweet-talking to Alex using her brimming sex appeal and soon discovered, quite bluntly (Alex had said "Quit leaning forward like that miss, I'm gay"), that Alex was not at all interested.

Then came the arguments over how much should be given to the city, arguments which burst again and again whenever Alex discovered the woman in yellow ordered her helper to lie about the crop numbers and various production speeds and efficiencies.

This lead to such deep mistrust between the negotiating companies that Alex had forced the two ladies to go out to the shops and fields in the land to see the facts with his own eyes.

Wherever they went Alex had demanded half of the products, whether it was half a field's crops or one of the two rolls of fabrics in a fabric boutique (there were no 'shops' in the palace market, only 'boutiques').

Having heard enough of Alex grumbling about the greedy miserliness of the treasurer and how horrible he is in bargaining, Subaru had taken on himself to attend these meetings to soften his Death's roughness and appeal to the ladies with his calmness.

It helped, _greatly_, and soon the negotiations were running smoothly without a single argument to complain about.

Subaru took great pride in it and had been praised greatly for it by both his lover and the much grateful Alex who promised he'll never forget how Subaru helped him translating "Those damn cackling chicken's blabber into sane English"

The theory that whenever someone is taken from their world into the Lost Dimension half (or a few) of them are taken to the other dimension's side as well was proved once again; the yellow clad treasurer was a fellow bounty hunter on the space ship from which Spike had come and her helper, a lady named Kochanski, was from the same world as Ace was.

When they were not negotiating, Alex and Subaru split each to their own occupations around the palace.

In fact, the Death riders were hardly ever together as before while in the palace; the place was far too vast and wonder-filled to make them remember any commitment they had within the group besides the romantic ones.

Their meals they had together, and always in their rooms' dining hall but these were finished quickly so the diners could be free again to roam the magnificent new land.

Victoria had spent her nights roaming the land with David who soon shook the last fragments of icy shell around him and showed her to the fields dragging back whatever farming knowledge he still had from his days as a youth.

She was a wonderful listener, nodding and humming and asking questions whenever she didn't understand anything or when she felt David liked the subject he spoke of. Though she didn't understand many of the things he said and her mind often became dizzy with knowledge overload, she could not object to her heart's wild beatings at David's figure under the moonlight talking to her so freely while looking her in the eye and paying such great attention to her.

In the women's land, in the palace, in the beautiful gardens, in a tiny charming little niche perfectly made for such things, they had their first kiss. Chaste and quick, followed by many awkward mumbles and blushes from both parties, it was nonetheless a kiss of love un-regretted for by the two.

Lestate had spent his nights in a part of the palace where the women kept their fancy furnishing, clothing and various pampering utilities where he admired and enjoyed the styles and fashions of the place.

He gained a pair of good friends; the royal designer and his assistant.

They were the only two males allowed in the land. They jested that it is only due to the fact that they are lovers.

It is due to Lestate that the Dark Side's City had won a delivery of the palace's almost complete collection of furnishing the queen and other resident's cast away. These items were not broken but simply tired of and could be used better by the City's needy ones.

The rest of his time Lestate spent with Alex, with whose friend Dvora he enjoyed joking about his Death.

Subaru and Seishiro spent their time exploring the palace together whenever the light onmyouji did not help with negotiating.

The sights of beauty shared together served to straightened their bond and create memories to cherish and treasure forever.

Ignorant of Death and Love's plans for their future, the couple saw this as a sort of a honeymoon holiday.

* * *

It was time for five o'clock tea in Kotori's room, where the four teens ended up after a long day of roaming the castle, yelping and giggling.

A tall dark servant walked into the Oracle room, pushing the pristine silver tea trolley before her whilst humming a powerful tune.

Will thought he heard something familiar in that tune. It was like someone was whistling at him from the bottom of a deep dark abyss on which's edge he stood looking downward.

The three other teens were just discussing the palace's 'makeover' quarters and how Kamui and Will should go there tomorrow to have some better clothes fitted for them.

Tohru had insisted that Will will find something better to wear then the rags he was wearing at the moment. When she turned her head to the werewolf she saw that he was not listening.

He was staring straight into the eyes of the servant girl, his orbs huge and amazed, slightly frightened, but mostly shocked.

The woman was very tall and slender, slim and agile. Her hair was long, straight and black as the night. Her face was pale the way that half-breed vampires of her type was, with only a few freckles across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks. Her eyes were bespectacled and quite big, black as her hair with the dark red tint of her kind.

Will stared at her and she stared at him, both frozen the way they were when their gazes crossed; Will was reaching eagerly for his tea and cookies while the woman was just bending down to bring each teen their cups.

"R….Rip" Will mumbled slowly.

"Schrödinger" she said and frowned a little at the fact that, though she heard the other three speak of him she did not hear his name but the reference to him as 'Will'.

"Will? Who is this? Do you know her" Kamui suspicious was nagging at him.

The suspicion was affirmed as, since she was still bent down horizontally, a necklace the woman was wearing came slipping out of her suit's collar and a large golden swastika shaped pendulum swayed back and force on it with the necklace's swing.

"No, I don't know her" Will spat and finished fetching his tea and cookie plate. He shot his eyes sideways, frowning.

The servant straightened her back and turned to bring tea to the others.

Glaring at her, Kamui refused his venomously and kindly but firmly told Kotori to ask for new tea brought by another servant.

The servant girl shrugged and rolled her tea trolley away, muttering profanities in her mother tongue, to the sound of which Will cringed.

That evening Dvora brought a large silver tray loaded by freshly picked fruits.

While she and David feasted over the round simple wooden table Alex had in his room, Alex did not eat a single one.

"Oh come on Alex, have a cherry, they're delicious and juicy"

Alex glared at the fruits "Nah, don't feel like it"

"Why, they _are_ delicious" David added, munching on a cherry stalk. He was eyeing the sunset through the window to see if it was time yet when Victoria was up.

Their first kiss had happened yesterday and though he was not yet eager to take this new development onwards he was more then willing to repeat the act again, if he would be allowed to do so.

"Ah, why should I eat these riches while my friends are starving back in our city" Alex grumbled, even drawing his elbow from the table as if to force his hands away from the temptation.

The other two glared at him.

"Eat and drink for tomorrow you will die (3)" they said in unison, unintentionally.

Alex stared at them and sniggered. He would have said something but his senses told him that an intruder was at the door to his room, an intruder who surely has a death wish if he comes into this room without his master when the three of them are together.

"Do you want die mutt?" he barked at the shy werewolf cringing at his doorstep.

Dvora, who had heard of Will from David, turned sharply on her seat, and so did David.

"I….came here because….uh…." Will was dizzy and nauseated and so sweaty his new satin shirt clung to his chest and back, great dark circles spread on the fabric under his arms.

He shook his head a little and bettered his voice "There's someone I know here" he said finally when his voice was restored.

Alex shot to his feet, his fellows' eyes hung on him "Come my friends, we have some hunting to do".

It had been the worst timing in the world for the servant girl to do the work she was doing, at the time she was doing it. She was making bread buns for the other servants, a task she insisted upon doing alone as a token of trying to socialize with them.

Though her long rifle was with her, leaning on the table where she worked (she carried it everywhere with her, even to her kitchen duties), it would not serve to protect her from those out for her blood now.

The great oven was gurgling with fire to her left as she rolled and squashed and fashioned the dough into neat little balls and placed them on a long hard wooden tray she'll slide into the oven's raging mouth.

As she worked she hummed her favourite opera, which only served to worsen her situation.

As they stepped silently into the great kitchen room the hunters kept complete quiet, sneaking up on her from the shadows dancing on the walls like the fire in the oven.

She first noticed them when her rifle was snatched from its place on the table. She looked to her left and saw a pale strong hand with a number on its skin grab her rifle near the nuzzle and, with the aid of another powerful arm at the hilt, snapping it in half like a twig.

She opened her mouth to say something but her breath was knocked out of her by a powerful bunch to her face and the wooden tray, now without the little balls she made, pushed into her stomach.

She folded in half and gasped for air.

She was pushed backwards and, to her horror, she realised that her back was now turned towards the great gaping oven. The heat was scorching her back, lashing out to devour the fabric of her black jacket.

She sent her long slim arms to the sides of the great source of fire and clung to it with all her might.

As she fought to save her life she saw before her, holding the big wooden tray and pushing her backwards into the fire, two people; one was a guard captain she saw running around the palace and another she recognised from the other kitchen ladies' gossip about the group of men who came to the palace. They didn't say a word, didn't even have any expression on their face, the fire danced in their intense eyes and that was all.

Finally overcome by their sheer force, the servant was hurled into the fire, the great black iron door of the oven shut tightly on her with the tray's long slim handle used to lock the door.

The kitchen became dark as the fire no longer cast its great roaring orange light around it. The only lights were those of a dozen little candles burning on the shelves around the room, casting giddy golden rings around them.

The three remaining in the kitchen stood silent in the dim light.

"Now that" the woman said "is what we should have done"

"I'll drink to that" said the man who sacrificed his date with a vampire for the hunting spree.

The other man walked out of the kitchen to leave the two for their little celebration.

As he exited the room he walked past a werewolf who stood at the doorway all along. The man stood still for a while and shot a glance at the sombre werewolf.

"Good job boy" he said and walked on.

Will gasped, feeling his heart race again and not out of fear.

* * *

"Oh look! How beautiful" Subaru had tried to stop himself from saying that but it was too late.

He and Seishiro were exploring the inner circle of gardens in the palace. These gardens were surrounded by rooms in the palace and acted as a small breath of greenery and fruits for those who lived in the palace and were too occupied to walk all the way to the official gardens.

The patio they've walked into was a stylish traditional Japanese garden. At it's centre, circled by well balanced black rocks and well combed bright grey gravel, stood an immense ancient cherry tree.

Its trunk was knotty, its many limbs were thick and far stretching and it was absolutely booming with powerful cheery pink blossoms.

Subaru had shut his mouth tight and awaited his lover's reaction to these words who had twice been almost deadly to him.

It seemed that his limbs were frozen at the sight of a tree almost completely replicating that which he knew far too well ages ago. He could not remove his eyes from it though he wished to tear them away and turn his back to the tree.

Seishiro walked up to the gigantic plant and placed a hand on it's trunk, the other hand involuntarily reaching for his cigarette back while moving so that the blood (like he had on his hand in days in which he did this every night) won't stain the fabric of his suit too much. He caught himself doing this and stopped, looking up into the tree limbs sinking back into far away childhood days when the only tree he could climb was a one very similar to this.

He looked at Subaru and smiled kindly, walking back to his lover's side. He wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist and drew their lips together passionately, softly.

When Subaru opened his eyes again after the kiss they were trusting again, calm and assured of his safety. The nightmare was over a long time ago, there was no reason to fear anymore.

"Ah look Subaru-kun! A bush of red camellias! How lovely. They're my favourite flower you know"

Subaru would have been surprised to see his lover admire something like flowers and in such a happy tone but his voice was snatched away as he noticed a familiar tingling to the back of his palms.

He looked down and saw the old scars of worse days glow on his pale skin.

"Seishiro-san! What are you doing!" he demanded.

He was not answered. Seishiro moved before him, his arms slightly stretched sideways as if shielding Subaru from something.

The light onmyouji turned to where his lover gazed and saw a short petit woman standing at the entrance, staring at them.

Her face was round and sweet, her skin creamy white, her eyes big and deep the same shade of Seishiro's remaining eye.

Her hair was so long it almost reached the floor and she wore it with several small braids combined with satin ribbons and pearls. She wore a magnificent long black silk kimono with an embroidery of delicate sakura petals so brilliantly made they seemed to be drifting downwards as the fabric moved slightly to the delicate fresh wind through the garden.

She stared at the two, her slim eyebrows soaring high in her porcelain little forehead. "Seishiro?" she asked. Her voice was clear as smooth running water.

"M-mother" he answered under his breath.

Subaru gasped.

She took a few tiny steps forward, gliding on the floor like an elegant geisha. She stopped a little away from them. The pink petals rode on the wind and caught in her hair, running down the immaculate hairs like bubbles in a waterfall.

"But you were a mere child when I last saw you Seishiro" she said with her eyes scanning the grown man before her "oh how you've grown!"

Both onmyoujis gave a deep sigh of relief; this was not this Seishiro's mother, she was the mother of another world's Seishiro. Nevertheless she was a Sakurazukamori, as Subaru's marks showed.

The woman now gazed at Subaru and a tiny sweet smile appeared on the dark red slim lips.

"Oh my Seishiro, you've your prey with you! And a Sumeragi at that, how brilliant!"

Seishiro was still as a rock and calm, but inside a roaring fire raged within him.

All the times in this world he got to think back at his life and what his mother has done to him. He never thought he'd have the chance to say something to her.

But what _can_ he say to her! This is not the mother who educated him! If she was taken from him when he was a child, this other world him, then surely she did not yet burn her madness into him.

In the meantime he quaked slightly as his mother's replica took a few more tiny steppes towards her overgrown son.

Seishiro leaned backwards a little "H-he's….he's not yours" he mumbled, a drop of sweat dripping into his eye spreading pain into the only seeing orb.

The tiny pale hand reaching out to caress the side of his face cringed and drew back. The big eyes twitched in pain and surprise.

Suddenly Seishiro understood something: this mother of his is just as lost as he is, just as suddenly bombarded by emotions, just as apart from the tree as he is!

Suddenly there were only the two of them in the world; brimful of emotions they did not want and could not control bursting out through the mask suddenly cracked and flaking.

They were both lonely and frightened and miserable and lost like little children in a huge hostile forest, flailing monsters amongst elves and pixies long accustomed to the great woods.

His heart reached out to the tiny woman before him. He was engulfed by the need to gather her into his arm and cry with her for all the sorrow and anger and hate and remorse they were both showered with as this world tore them from the numbness of the sakura and into a world where they can no long hide in the shadows and be content, where they have to socialize and….and **_feel_**.

But he did not.

She hissed at him, _hissed_, and backed away from him, madness in her eyes. Turning her back to him she flung an ofuda at him before disappearing down the corridor.

The spell grazed his cheek and opened a searing gash which immediately began to bleed. It had been a much worse spell she cast on him but Subaru's countering ofuda had disarmed most of its sting.

Seishiro was blind and deaf to the fussing of his lover over his wound; he was too engulfed by thoughts.

Did she react that way because she thought the same thing he did in those few seconds and shunned it out hatefully thinking it a pathetic weakness?

Did she back away due to an animalistic fear that, having exposed herself as a weakened predator, he will try to kill her!

Or maybe….maybe she was as maddened as his mother?

Seishiro was silent and musing for the rest of the day. He sat in the large chair in their room, a cigarette slowly burning away between his fingers and stared forward powerfully, his brow frowning slightly.

Subaru had snapped him out of it finally with tears of panic in his eyes. He was terrified that the encountered had somehow made Seishiro withdraw into his heart, so much he resembled someone Subaru knew once.

Alex had been there as well when he awoke from his musing, he was the one who ordered Seishiro out of his daze. He stayed to keep an eye on Seishiro. He forced Seishiro to eat a big meal instead of the lunch and dinner he missed and interrogated both men of what had happened today.

Eventually he had spent the night in the onmyoujis' room sleeping in the same bed as them.

When he noticed the two men on both his sides (this time Seishiro was in the middle with Subaru and Alex sleeping by him) he lay and stared up at the ceiling, still pondering things. He was like a mindless, speechless idiot, flipping through a book in a strange tongue, staring at the pages shocked.

Finally he let fatigue have the better of him and sank into a bothersome sleep.

His dreams were filled with little boys falling from tree limbs and, with broken arms, bruises, and twisted ankles, crawling to their mother sipping tea, her hand covered with blood and a corpse of a boy his age at her side.

The next morning he woke with the two men neatly snuggled up to him, deep in peaceful sleep.

He looked down at Subaru's innocent sleeping face and smiled. He did not end up a crazed frightened beast like his mother because he had Subaru-kun here to help him out of it and teach him how to be human again. He tightened the hold he had on the younger man and squeezed the sleeping body a little.

Then he looked down at Alex and found a clear, innocent expression on the man's face. He did not seem his age this way, he seemed like a small frail boy, weak and begging to be loved. His palm was clutching at the blanket drawn up to Seishiro's chest as if it would help to keep him there in the warmth and comfort.

Seishiro felt a bitter sting to his heart.

* * *

Kamui had spent another happy day with Kotori, only this one had ended in a somewhat sombre, gloomy mood.

The Oracle looked down into the green tea in her cup (her servant had changed, she had noticed and made Kamui look at Will who answered him with a steady powerful gaze) and sighed.

"What is it Kotori-chan? What's wrong?" Kamui asked, sitting a little closer to her on the sofa.

Kotori looked away, a single tear dripped silently down her cheek.

"There's a rumour around the palace" Tohru answered for her mistress, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders "that the negotiations are drawing to a close and that soon you'll be away from here again"

With this Kotori burst into painful tears, throwing her arms around Kamui who returned the hug.

"The dream said it! the Lady of Light told me, she told me you'll be snatched away as quickly as you were given to me….but for it to happen so quickly" she whimpered miserably "I thought that surely you'll stay here for a little bit longer" she sank into sobs again.

Kamui rubbed her back trying to cheer her up a bit; his heart too had sunk when he heard the news. He heard them from Subaru this morning.

"I don't want to lose you a third time Kamui" Kotori whimpered on into Kamui's shoulder "I don't want to lose you again! That man, he's so evil for taking you away like that" she gasped and burst into another fit.

"I wish I could join you, I'm sure her majesty won't object! And then when you'll finally return to your city I'll be able to see Fuma again!"

"Yes if only" Kamui sighed in return.

"Oh Kamui" Kotori drew herself off of Kamui's shoulder and hung big watery eyes at her old childhood friend "can't you speak to him and ask him to stay here for a little while long? I'm not talking about taking me with you, that might be too much, but….but can't you talk to him a little?"

Now three pairs of eyes hung at him miserably, hopefully, demanding him to act as their saviour.

Kamui thought for a while. His mind buzzed with a million suggestions and ideas but all of them were sure to fail. Alex had an iron will and nerves of steel when it came to insisting upon something happening the right way in this 'war'.

Then again when did Kamui ask Alex to do something and did not receive it after enough reasoning and nagging?

But surely Alex won't agree to this, no matter how nicely he'll ask him…..

And yet……just how nicely had he been acting towards him? If at all?...surely……

Surely…..if he gave Alex something…..then the man would be content…..won't he?

Kamui gulped, slowly forming a plan. It'd be a great sacrifice and he'll have to do something he might not want to but….for Kotori….and for Fuma when they'll come back home both him and Kotori, Fuma would be so happy…..

Fuma won't have to know, would he?

"I….I think I have a plan…."

The eyes stared at him in awe and wonder.

* * *

That evening Alex's room had been filled with cheerful voices and ringing laughter as a past mischief was told of by Dvora. Lestate had had a ball with it, getting into specific details and how Alex had messed up there.

Of course they didn't really laugh at him and that often Alex would get his revenge while teasing the other two. For now he let them have a good time at his expence.

Generally he was most pleased with the way his two good friends were getting along so very smoothly.

Usually Dvora would probably cringe away from a fancy, witty creature such as Lestate but her spirits were good and her mood lenient. She seemed to have finally calmed down here and came to be at peace with herself. Alex was very happy to see that.

Lestate had found Dvora a brilliant source of information about his favourite subject and never missed an opportunity to ask another question about his Death.

That evening, as they lazed out on the large comfortable sofas in Alex's room a knock was heard on the door.

Dvora answered it merrily, giggling at how she became so comfortable here that she behaves as if it's her room.

The giggles ended as the door opened and Kamui stepped into the room, silent and humble. He was blushing and averting his eyes from Alex as he hung his head a bit.

He was wearing something very smooth and very flattering Kotori had found him a few days ago; a shining black with violet fragment, satin-like fabric. The suit had made him quite a sight eyes and the fresh blush in his cheeks only added to his beauty.

The silence in the room weighted down on the people.

"May I speak with you alone Alex?" Kamui asked clearly, his voice calm and confident, yet very humble.

Alex darted looks at his comrades and they began leaving the room.

Dvora threw a happy face at him with her tongue sticking out before disappearing into the corridor.

Lestate walked out calmly, slowly walking past Kamui. Before he walked out he turned to Alex and threw a single thought thread towards him.

'Watch your step'

Alex tore his gaze from Kamui, trying to not to become blinded with the sheer beauty, and turned to his maps again.

"May I speak to you Alex?"

* * *

David, and Victoria who were about to join to the meeting in Alex's room had just arrived to see the two guests leaving.

The undertaker had noticed Kamui entering the room before. The door closing behind him and the look in Lestate's eyes turn an alarm in his mind.

"What's the brat planning?" he turned to Lestate who walked up to a large window in the hall "You can read his mind vampire, what's he up to?"

Lestate took his time to answer. He gazed up at the beautiful moon above, its rays making his skin glow unnaturally and his eyes turn into bright blue opals.

"If Alex steps into it then it is entirely his fault. No don't walk in; he should learn his lesson….both of them should"

David clutched his fists and ground his teeth.

Victoria threw a worried gaze at the closed door.

* * *

"May I speak to you Alex?"

"What is it now!" Death spat back angrily "Probably want to spend your nights with that little dreamy idiot. Did you tell her about you and her brother? Eh?"

Kamui remained calm "Please don't attack me Alex, I didn't come here armed with demands and accusations" his voice was so calm and cool, yet pinched with misery.

Alex turned his doubtful eyes to the boy.

Kamui returned a mature solemn look, his cheeks still flushed, as if wishing to reveal something terribly secret to Alex.

Death wished to remove his eyes from the bewitching beauty but found that he couldn't, it was far too great for him to overcome.

"What is it Kamui?" he asked softly.

Kamui cast his eyes to the floor, turning his head sideways again with just the tiniest pained expression.

"I've….." he flushed even more "I've been thinking about….well….no…I've….." he sighed and looked to the other side, fighting not to meet Alex's soul searching gaze.

"I've recovered my memories from the first time I've been here" he said, finally gathering the courage to look at Alex for a single glimpse "and I've remembered how good you were to me, and how kind and loving…" a single tear escaped and rolled down his burning cheek.

Alex slowly climbed to his feet. This….wasn't…happening, right?

"And….it's hard for me to try and think….I mean….to try and decide which…."

Alex took a step towards him.

Kamui lowered his gaze even more, wishing to hide his burgundy face "Which to be with…." He finally whispered.

Alex was at his side, yet still weary and aloof.

"It's just that I can't remember everything" Kamui went on, his voice a mere whisper, too shy to speak "I can't remember how we were…..alone….I mean….intimate……

"I only remember little things about myself….monstrous things because I was a vampire but I can't remember the gentle things….if there were any….I mean…..it's just important for me to decide…..if…..if it was human and okay….."

He suddenly gazed up at Alex, directly into the bewildered foggy green deeps who stared down at him as if he was the greatest treasure about to be revealed to him.

"I thought that if you could remind me….just once….of how it was"

The strong arms grabbed his shoulders. Caught. A soft thumb caressed his chin to tilt it backwards a little.

Alex scanned his face hungrily, impatiently "Kamui" he said hoarsely "do you mean it?"

"Yes, please Alex" the bait whimpered.

The arms circled him, his chin was tilted backwards a little more and here, in a second, their lips would meet!

"No…." Kamui turned his head sideways, away from the kiss "I mean….if I'll kiss you that spell will work and….well…I want my head to be clear of any influence, I want to think for myself"

Alex, who was very much on the verge of loosing himself to this wonderful experience and his needs, which he repressed in the long bitter nights and days, took a deep breath and scanned the beautiful tiny face in his hand as he planned his next move.

He kissed Kamui's eyes closed, then his cheeks, then his delicate neck where he rained a hundred tiny soft kisses each hardly revealing the storm of want in their giver.

Kamui kept his eyes closed tight and let his mind drift far away. Drifting as his mind was, he did not let it drift too far for he knew that Alex's ears were acute to his thoughts and if the name of a certain youth might arise there then the plan will be doomed.

He found himself on the bed, his shirt open and his pant almost the same, the soft lips playing wonderfully across his skin while the marble white fingers explored him hungrily.

He noted that Alex was not the attacking, hungry, lustful beast he thought he might be; he did not hurry to expose anything, nor did he rush to please himself as well. Instead Alex kissed his skin on every inch of exposed skin as if charting the boy.

He thought, with much surprise and slight joy, that Alex was appreciating his body, worshiping it in this behaviour. He was thanking him for letting him have this chance.

His heart stung at this notion, he was doing something wrong. But before he'll even bring it into coherent thinking Kamui wiped the notion away to keep it hidden.

And damn it! It felt so _good!_

Why did he feel like this! Why did he whimper and sigh and moan and arch into the lapping tongue and warm hands over his body? Why was he, in small fragmented words, asking for more or giving the man above him directions?

He yelped as he sensed what Alex was doing now and the warm waters of pleasure washed over him like a tidal wave. His breath quickened and his own mouth had lost contact with what his mind allowed it to do. His fingers ran through Death's smooth long black hairs encouraging the man to do more.

He really was enjoying this, treasuring this because……because…..

Because Fuma never did this to him. He never made him feel like this.

Fuma was a young man of much passion and very little experience. His opportunities with Kamui he spent quickly, rashly, inconsiderately, leaving the boy not unsatisfied but definitely wishing there was more of it.

Compared to Fuma Alex was a master in this arts; ages of experience combined with his unending love for Kamui made him know the boy's good spots by heart, his need to not blow this rare chance up heightening his behaviour to it's best. He took these spots in Kamui and played the boy like a piano's keyboards, making the boy dance and sing to his tune.

Kamui knew this and for a moment thought that this is far, far better then what he has at home, that in a sense he was accepting the fact that Alex is better then Fuma.

That's impossible….impossible… he won't fall for it, not like this, not for such a silly selfish reason such as good sex, would he!

He loves Fuma! He must think of Fuma, must keep his eyes on the prise and remember what he came here for; for Fuma and Kotori, and fight the pleasure back.

Only there wasn't anymore pleasure. The touches stopped and the lips no long caressed him.

Kamui opened his eyes and saw the man bent over him was glaring menace at him with glowing turquoise eyes. His face was almost completely red with anger, his orbs horrifying.

Kamui cringed and kicked himself to sit on the bed, drawing his garments back on; the plan had backfired on him! Shit!

"Kamui" Alex growled, his voice deep, hoarse, demonic "what have you done?"

Kamui squirmed back into his pants, leaped off the bed and began buttoning up his shirt.

His heart raced with the deepest, keenest terror he ever felt. The terror was worse then when he had noticed that Seishiro's execution will not go through, that Death's powers were getting stronger and soon, soon his punishment will come. The terror was worse then when the Dragon possessed Fuma and hissed hateful words into his ears after pinning him like a butterfly to the concrete slab behind him.

"_What have you done Kamui!_" Death got off of the bed, starting to march towards the youth.

Kamui whimpered, backed up against the door he fumbled for the handle and escaped into the large round hall outside their rooms.

"_How dare you play such a dirty trick on me Kamui! **How dare you!**_" Death boomed at him, wrath in the form of a man.

The other Death riders were there, all staring amazed at the sight. They've never seen Alex so mad at the boy he loved so much before, nor did they see Kamui so very frightened.

Kamui walked into the dining table and, seeing he has nowhere to run, decided to speak up a little. "I wanted to ask you to allow Kotori with us so that when we'll return she'll be able to meet Fuma…"

"_You know we won't return so quickly Kamui! Not until you'll let this man off the hook!_" Death shot his arm to point at Seishiro.

"_What on earth makes you think I'll let that idiotic bitch along with us! What made you think of such a conniving, **dirty trick!**_"

The powerful slap hit Kamui so hard it tipped him over the table, sent him rolling across it and down to the floor on the other end where he laid whimpering and crying with sheer panic.

Death sent the table flying against the wall where it crushed into a million fragments with the might of the blow. He marched on towards the boy who managed to gather himself to his feet again.

Will shot himself before his master, defending the boy with his body. His eyes were powerful and resolved though inside he was preparing to die for this act of rebellion against the one man who could kill him with a snap of his fingers.

"**_You dare stand before me mutt!_**" Death roared and grabbed the werewolf by the side of his head, flinging him to where the table lay scattered in a pile of chips and broken limbs. He knocked the youth unconscious against the wall.

The strong white hand that caressed him so lovingly a few minutes ago now lashed at Kamui's neck and squeezed tightly as Death carried the boy away into his room.

"No, no please….Alex I'm sorry, I'm so sorry….please…." Kamui choked on his tears and the powerful steel hand on his windpipe.

"_I don't think you've learnt just how imprisoned you are here Kamui. I think you have too many liberties and it has gone to your head, brat!_"

"No please….Alex **_PLEASE!_**"

A cage of cast iron, two meters on in width and length, appeared in the boy's room with its door open.

Kamui looked across his shoulder as much as he could and began to futilely beg even more.

"No….please…..please….no….."

He was flung into the cell, cuffs and chains immediately clamping on his wrists to bind him tightly to the wall behind him. The heavy door slammed shut limiting the light to a single stripe coming from the little slit of a window.

Kamui crumbled to the floor as much as he could and sunk into his misery, his anger at his own stupidity and the pure fear of what might come next.

He had spent the day there, laying cast away on the cold floor with nothing but his tears and the echoing of his whimpers to keep him company.

* * *

"……"

"……"

"Won't you speak to him?"

Will raised his suddenly age-old eyes to his veterinarian and kept them there for a while. He looked away and shrugged.

Seishiro began tending to his wounds as soon as he noticed Alex turning his back to the boy yesturday. He picked the frail body from the pile of woodchips and brought him to his room where, on the table on which he spread a spare sheet, he tended to the injured werewolf.

The meeting with the wall had rendered Will with a heavy concussion which lead to him nauseated, incoherent and dizzy for the rest of the day. Only now was he finally beginning to shake the last veils of the searing headache. Gladly he had not suffered from cracks in his skull or internal bleeding in his cranium, something that could have ended his life quite quickly now that he was on hostile territory with only a limited veterinarian to his aid.

His shoulder had been dislocated, which was easily fixed but not without great pain. His arm was broken, his elbow was slightly cracked.

Seishiro sent Subaru down to the palace's hospital to fetch him a proper arm sling and medical plaster.

Subaru had been a bit reluctant to help the werewolf cub at first but the screams of pain and miserable canine whimpers had finally overcome him.

The hand Alex sent to claw at the boy and yank him away from Kamui had pulled the hairs from around Will's right ear, leaving a partially bald patch on the side of his head.

The black ear's tip had been torn away leaving an ugly wound behind. Seishiro had managed to fashion the skin to leave a relatively aesthetic scar.

Now he sat crouched by the werewolf checking on his shoulder and the stitches in his ear.

Will sat on the floor leaning on the heavy door of Kamui's cell. From time to time a tiny whimper managed to make an escape from the iron room and out into the air.

"Vhy should I speak to him" Will sighed finally.

"….Because….I thought you were good friends…"

"He has done somesing bad and ist now being punished for it…I haf nothing to say to him…"

Seishiro gave Will a doggy biscuit he found around the palace and ruffled his hair fondly as much as he could between the bald patch and the large painful bump on the boy's head.

He did not expect such an answer but found it pleasant and good nevertheless.

It was the afternoon of the day after Kamui's wicked trick and the sun was already setting. Tohru had come to Kamui's room three times already, asking about the two boy's absence which worried her mistress to no end.

Will had told her shortly of what had happened.

He did not give into the soft caresses and chirps of worry at his bandages and wounds, he bore them with muted pride and refused to be praised for his bravery.

Tohru had just been there, trying to open a conversation with the silent and suspicious Seishiro by Will's side when Alex stepped into the room heavily.

The three stared at him and immediately hurried to their various hiding places, each knowing they've done something wrong by being there.

Alex walked up to the iron cell, unlocked it, and flung the door open.

Slowly, weakly, Kamui raised his stinging swollen bloodshot eyes to the menacing man at the doorway.

"The negotiation is over. I'll be down securing the caravan with all the food and products and then we'll be riding out of here. Go spend whatever time you still have with that little bird-brained Oracle of yours"

His voice had been cold and commanding, powerful as it echoed from the iron walls.

He turned around and left the room to go and gather zombies which will escort the undead horses for the huge caravan acting as the rescuers of the Dark Side's City.

Will walked into the room and helped his master get to his feet.

Kamui gasped as he saw the werewolf's wounds "You shouldn't have done that Will, you shouldn't have protected me….it was my sin, my idiotic acts, I should have paid for them alone"

Will looked at his master for a while and finally smiled, embracing the twin youth as much he could.

They hurried to walk over to Kotori's room to make use of their now limited time.

* * *

"_**Oh my god Kamui!** What had they done with you!_" Kotori leaped to her feet and shot over to the two boys as soon as they entered her chamber.

Kamui had half his face covered in a nasty black and blue bruise, his eyes swollen and red. He was sickly and pale.

"Calm down Kotori, I got what I deserved, please, sit down, and don't cry"

"Oh! And he hurt Will too, that monster"

"Kotori _please_, I told you….I've done a very, very bad thing and I got punished for it. Please, don't worry about it"

Kotori threw herself into Kamui's arms and burst into tears.

"I've been told that you'll be heading out tonight…" Tohru said while rubbing an herbal medicinal ointment onto Will's injured ear.

The two youths held each other tightly, crying and sobbing powerfully.

They've spent their last three hours together like that.

Tohru had given Will a rosary necklace of white and black beads as a farewell token from her.

The werewolf blushed and mumbled a choked 'zank you'. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and a long hug which he returned ever so gratefully.

The chamber's large door swung slowly open, Alex stood at the entrance in his armours "Come Kamui, we ride"

Kamui got up, pulling Kotori after him sobbing and hysterical.

She cleared her head and turned her mature and calm eyes to Alex.

Sobbing and hiccupping slightly, she spoke to Death "I bid you now, formally and properly, to let me and my servant ride with you for the rest of your journey.

"I will not be a hindrance and won't act against you. I only wish to ride with you until you'll reach your city where my brother is, I haven't seen him since the Dragon slew me"

"No"

Kotori whimpered angrily.

"I'm afraid your company only serves to stir the wrong ideas in Kamui, and besides, you are a luxury he is not entitled to have in his status" Alex's voice had been cruel, powerful and dark.

He turned to Kamui, who hung his head and avoided eye contact with him "Come on, we haven't got much time"

Kotori held tightly to Kamui's hand and refused to let go.

"Please Kotori, I have to leave" Kamui begged of her, his eyes so sad.

Kotori burst into sobs and refused to let go. Tohru came to her side and tried to sooth her to no avail.

"If you wish" Alex suddenly spoken in a soft and mannered tone, surprising the four youths in the room "I will inform you when Kamui will be back in the city. Then I will send my riders to escort you safely to our city where you'll reunite with your brother. How does that sound to you?"

Kotori blinked, astounded "That sounds…fairly nice I think"

"I thought so too" Alex smiled, turning to leave "Fuma should be happy once the both of you are there, to have both his sister and his lover there by his side"

"His lover!" Kotori cried out "Are you suggesting that me and my brother…." Then it hit her.

Kamui turned his eyes away form her, another mischief backfiring on him.

Kotori hung huge shocked eyes at him.

Her hand let go of Kamui's.

"Kamui…..you….." she huffed, refusing to believe "you…..and Fu…..Fuma…." tears choked her "you and Fuma….all this time….behind my back…..

"but…..but you love me, don't you Kamui!...you said you'll marry me when we'll grow up! You promised!

"Oh and….and all this time….and when you came back to Tokyo….I was nothing but a background noise to you wasn't I!"

her voice grew angry now, bitter and broken.

"Kotori, I…." Kamui was silenced by a slap from his former friend, landing on the bruise making it sear and ache all over again. He cringed and ground his teeth to stifle a yelp of pain.

"How dare you! I hate you! You _lied_ to me! You _fooled_ me! You bastard! Get out of here! I don't ever want to see you again! GET OUT!"

Kamui did so, his head hung and sad, tears wallowing in his eyes. He did _not_ want this to end like this, to have such a bitter parting with Kotori.

As he walked the palace corridors behind Alex he had noticed the man's face reflecting off a shield hung on one of the walls; Death was smiling victoriously.

Alex told Kotori about Kamui and Fuma on purpose! Was it revenge for last night? A dirty trick for a dirty trick?

If that's the case then Kamui deserved it, he knew it, and walked on with another burden of pain to carry.

* * *

As they left towards the far off land stretching beyond the palace and it's surrounding crop fields the Death riders, when they turned their heads and looked backwards, could make out a huge convoy stretching out from the palace towards the huge mountains where they came from almost a week ago, trailing on like a long thick snake.

The numerous carriages were run by undead, relentless, tireless horses that were ordered to run beyond the animal's physical capability in the times they were alive.

On each side of the carriages a thick line of zombies ran to secure the convoy, running at the same inhuman pace as the beasts.

In their current speed and their straight line course the convoy would reach the Dark Side's city within a matter of a few days and the starving City would be saved.

Alex had kept his promise to Yuzuriha.

(tbc)

* * *

(1) not the disease but the castle full of lustful women 'nuns' from Monty Python's brilliant The Holy Grail. Go watch the movie if you don't believe me, it's good for your sanity!

(2) cute in Japanese, mostly referred to small pink things with big eyes a chirpy voices, Mokona like, chibi forms etc. also said when referring to a good looking girl who behaves herself like a stupid and, mannered giggling idiot to attract the boys.

(3) this is something I came up with, it is no where in the protocols or the testimonies of the group Dvora and David are supposed to have been imprisoned in. apologies if this offends anyone.

**A.N: **wow! A lot of slapping going on in this chapter ne? oh well. Hope you liked this, don't forget to R&R and remember the challenge!

Wow, 28 pages….da-amn! 't's been a long time since I last wrote such a long chapter.

Anywways rest assured that Kamui won't run anymore bitchy tricks on Alex. Rather the other way around, but I digress….


	30. Salvage

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: ** to Lonely Tsukasa (I don't think you should be sad nor mad at Kamui at this point, he's still growing up and learning his lessons, thank you so much for the compliments!), to LadyOfTheBlackWings (you're unnerved? Why? Ah yes, well, don't let it get into you too much I'll be too flattered to have a fic of mine take such effect on someone, henh. I'll take a look at your fic ASAP, I have to kick myself out of the laziness and return to writing fitness again), to Subaru's Voice (hey girl! Haven't heard from you in a while and I'm so happy you like this story as well! Thank you darling!), to Iwannasleep (that's a nice name you've got there XD, I'll write more of Subaru then XXXD), to Kizune (your name is very similar to my beloved darling beta's but never mind that. Not enough of Kamui and Fuma you say? Really? In what way? Which perspective of them am I missing? Ah and you love Dimitri and Kakyou, awww, thanks!) also many, many thanks to Feather-Chan and Teko who took up my 30th chapter challenge!

**AUTHOR'S CHALLENGE: **yes! A challenge! For the 30th chapter celebrations I challenge you all! ('all'…tssk, as if…) to write in scenes for this story! Yes! A scene of your own making! I won't grumble and I won't censure and I won't drop anything out, I'll put everything in as it is unless it'll make the rating soar too high up that is, but your footmark will be in this fic. Yes! You can write what you want into this fic, let your imagination run wild and go for it!

What else? I'll take orders for what you'd like to see and I'll insert it into the fic, no matter how wacky it might be! But, of course, I'd much MUCH, **M-U-C-H **more like it if you wrote in something. Your grammar and phrasing level don't matter and you'll be credited for it (if you wish, you can remain anon. if you want) so WRITE IN! my email is as 30TH CHAPTER! May there be a thirty more chapters….kidding….there might be XXXXXD

* * *

**Chapter 30 – Salvage**

Fuma struck the hard dark brown earth under his shovel. The metal head gave off a dim ringing complaint and nearly bounced off the hard surface, vibrating.

Fuma sighed.

They have reached a layer of earth which was simply impenetrable no matter how hard they tried. They tried dampening the ground to turn it into easily shovelled mud but failed. They tried sharpening the shovel's blade (it had grown blunt since they began working in the cemetery) but that too left the earth unaffected.

This had happened before with the two other mass graves Fuma and Jacob dug but despite that they attempted over and over to dig the graves deeper.

It's not that the graves weren't deep enough; it's the fact that too many die before Fuma and Jacob manage to prepare the next grave. They have to pile bodies in layers which is hardly a dignified form of burial. Also, whenever a body explodes there's the danger that it might break through the earth covering it, which they did most of the time.

Fuma picked up body bits, re-covered and re-buried people so many times he had grown blunt to it. The sights only flickered before his eyes once or twice a day and that's it, they left him.

"Jacob-san, it's pointless, the earth here is just as hard as in the other two graves" he hollered to the man who stood outside the grave preparing the bodies about to go down into it.

"Ah" Jacob let a chain of unrepeatable things in his language "I bet it's got something to do with this damned dimension, it's making itself hard for us to dispose of our bodies properly. It's doing it so that we'll all be sick like you"

Fuma was amazed to hear this. He had recently become very ill, suffering high fever and twitching spasms, and only now was he able to somehow recover into working condition.

He was still a bit dizzy and light headed with fever but insisted on showing Jacob that he was relentless and would not leave him with all the work. Charlie said it was because of the bodies and ordered him to wash his hands and face before he dines and wash completely before he enters his home as to not infect anyone else.

Only now did he hear Jacob recognise and register anything about his illness.

Fuma was about to say something about it when he noticed the ground was shaking a little bit.

He shut his mouth and opened his ears. He could hear hoofs beating the ground by the hundreds.

"Oi, sick brat, your little policemen are having a riot over there" he heard the new undertaker call out to him.

"Help me out of here!"

Jacob reached out to him and pulled him easily out of the grave. He scanned the youth with his usual cancelling frown "You've lost weight".

Fuma forgot about the Noters and stared at him amazed.

"I need workers here, don't starve off to death, you hear me?" was the bark he received.

A group of ten Noter riders and three carriages stormed past them towards the Great Cliffs, forcing Fuma to look away from the suddenly caring (in his own way) Jacob.

He spotted Lion riding along with another group and called out to him, running down the hill towards him.

"Lion-san! Lion-san! What's going on? What are you guys doing?"

Lion's eyes flashed white as soon as he heard Justice's call. He slowed his ride and turned his great white horse to walk back to Fuma.

"Our men at Dragon Valley spotted a huge convoy marching at high speed towards the Craters. They've already begun crossing it and we're positive they're heading towards the city"

"So?"

"Our men noted the convoy was made of hundreds of large carriages and zombies"

"….Zo….zombies?"

Jacob joined them at the bottom of the hill "Zombies you say? Something from Alex you mean?"

"It seems so" Lion's face was grey with worry though his eyes still glittered with hope.

"What….what will he be sending here in such great numbers?" Fuma felt his head spinning, his fever returning.

"We don't know, all we can do is clear the citizens away from its path and shoot at it in case it's something dangerous"

"And how do we know if it's dangerous or not!"

Lion remained quiet.

A wild rider approached them, a messenger from the Dragon Valley Noters. He landed on the ground before Lion's horse and saluted both his commander and Fuma. His heavy knight's armour seemed heavy and stifling in the day's humid hot weather.

"The convoy emerged from the other end of the Craters and still there are more of them entering the Craters from the other end. My commander stopped the count of carriages at three hundred but there are far more then that.

"It's all dead horses and dead men securing them from both sides on foot. We still have no guess of what it might be.

"It's expected to arrive at the City in a matter of less then an hour"

Shudders and chills raked through Fuma's body. He felt faint. "What new devilry is this?"

"We don't know Boromir" Charlie walked over to the youth, a small happy smile playing under his tiny fake moustache "but my senses tell me it's nothing bad"

"How can we be sure! It's from Alex isn't it" he barked back, still trying to figure out what Charlie called him just now.

"Whatever it is, standing here and talking won't solve it" Lion spun his horse around and headed out towards the cliffs and his men.

Charlie turned back as well and began arranging for as many medics and nurses to head out and prepare themselves for whatever this convoy will bring to the City.

The sound of a powerful gong rang through the air.

Fuma turned his eyes to the City council's building. The gong called for all Rescue Team members and reserve members to gather and prepare for action.

"Well, it seems I'm being called" Jacob sighed and struck his shovel into the ground. He walked away from the cemetery, followed by a feverish Fuma.

* * *

A gentle hand landed on her shoulder and shook her carefully.

"Yuzuriha-chan"

The haze was too deep to shake off right now. She was oh so tired.

"Yuzuriha-chan"

It was Seiichiro's voice, so warm and gentle, trying to wake her.

"Yuzuriha-chan"

She opened her eyes slowly and tried to sit up. Her body felt like damp rags weighing tons.

"What is it Aoki-san?"

"There's an immense unidentified convoy driving to the City, it'll be here soon and all Rescue Team members are called to action. Even I and Yutu-san were called"

She blinked and shook her head gently. It was supposed to be a stronger shake but her body seemed to have a mind of its own these days and refused to do as she told it.

She smiled and dragged her feet to the floor. She tried to get up and nearly crushed right down to it immediately.

Seiichiro caught her, alarmed and pale "What is it? Are you not feeling well?"

"No…just a little faint that's all, I'm fine"

"You're not fine, you didn't eat anything yesterday, and you hardly ate the day before yesterday either"

"I'm fine" she looked down at Inuki. The spirit seemed to have lost weight too and she could tell that he was becoming fainter and fainter as her soul weakens. But he'll do, he'll have to.

"Could you please carry me Aoki-san? Inuki can fight, I'll tell him what to do but….it seems like I can't walk properly…." Her voice came out faint and wavering.

Seiichiro was almost sick with worry, his mind numb with shock and horror. He picked up the frail girl (almost a mere skeleton by now) and walked out of her room.

As he walked down the stairs he could hear Arashi and Sorata speak in the living room.

"You can't be serious about going out babe!" Sorata's voice was never so harsh and commanding towards his wife before.

Arashi pulled out her sword and was examining its blade "I'm going and you're not"

"What! You're the one who's pregnant with our baby! It's in enough risk as it is right now!"

"I said I'm going, I'm needed and a petty thing such as pregnancy will not stop me" never was Arashi so cold and commanding toward her husband since they became an official couple. Her tone now was that of long ago days when they were two random Dragons of Heaven with no personal connection.

She began walking out of the door.

"Arashi!" her husband roared after her.

"Come with me but don't protect me, if you wish to live to see your baby born" her voice was calm, her face relaxed. She turned around and walked out of the door.

"Everyone's being so brave" Yuzuriha mumbled in Seiichiro's arms, fighting back fatigue's sleep.

* * *

The convoy did not stop at the entrance to the City, it carried on running in a straight line into the City. As it arrived at the Cliffs it suddenly took flight, running on air, and climbed to the Cliff top.

By the way they entered the city and the approximated line of their advance it was presumed that its stopping point will be before the City council building.

The Noters had spread out in two lines between which the convoy rode, leading all the way to the council's home.

At the end of the lines the Rescue Team members gathered, their powers and weapons ready.

Ace stood with a sword he used on in cases of emergency and a rifle he borrowed from the Noter's extras.

Spike stood with his pistol in hand and a grenade in the other.

Karen stood between them with balls of fire in each palm though in her hearts she hoped that whatever it was coming from Death did not need such a treatment.

Tara was chanting, calling up spells and forces to gather around her, ready to pounce.

Seiichiro placed Yuzuriha down and prepared wind razors spinning around his palm.

Yutu stood by him with his whip ready in hand. He too prepared circles of water around his other hand.

Vash stood at his side, his revolver and built-in pistol ready. He stared at the approaching convoy and mumbled to himself that he never saw Alex use such a force or conjure something quite like this.

"I guess you just never saw that side of him" Seiichiro answered his mumbles in a whisper.

Arashi and Sorata stood side by side, their weapons ready, their gazes intense and their nerves on the verge of wrecking. Being near each other in their condition and their earlier fight made them the more dangerous and agitated.

Yuzuriha leaned on Inuki and took deep breaths to try and find strength within her to fight if she needs to. She fumbled her tattered school tie and ran her fingers across the pin she received from Victoria.

"Please don't let this be bad" she whispered "he promised help, not hurt, he promised. Like he promised to make me immortal….please let him keep his promises"

Jacob stood with his sword pulled out, sweating and agitated. Fuma stood by his side, leaning on a rock to keep his fever from taking him completely. He did not know of what use he'll be here but his Noters were here and so should he.

Iceman sat on his white and gold horse, his sword ready, circles of ice wind spiralling around him gently. He eyed both Fuma and Lion on each of his sides nervously.

When action's time comes which will he choose to protect!

Charlie sent his nurse Nuriko forward to the line of Rescue Team members, ordering her to use her inhuman strength for now before she'll use her nursing skills.

He turned around and scanned the five carriages of medics he brought with him to the lines. He emptied the infirmary from almost all it's nurses for this, he probably left a few patients in the infirmary that might die in this time but this thing needed more attention then them.

The City's citizens drew back to hiding in their houses, peering out the windows nervously. Mothers hid their children in small bunkers they prepared for previous attacks. The men prepared their forks and shovels for whatever might come, standing by doors and windows to preparer for attack.

The air was tense and tight, heavy to breath from heat and humidity.

The men sweated heavily as they scanned the approaching convoy with worried suspicious eyes.

Undead hoofs beat the ground slower and slower now, coming to a stop where they were guessed to. The zombies stopped running as well, standing limp at the sides of the huge carriages.

Silence was thick and electric as they waited their judgment.

Alone in his forest cabinet, Kakyou sat curled up on his bed. He rocked back and forth, chewing on his thumb's nail. "She showed me a good convoy, she said it was help but…..can I trust her?" he mumbled, in a panic.

"Can she be speaking the truth? She is he Dark Lady, she's treacherous and deceitful…..she said it would be a good convoy….is it?...Is it really!...Oh god"

* * *

The convoy's creatures stood still in the hot air for a while as those who are living around them moved agitatedly.

Then it began to sink; the horses and men disappearing into the ground as if it was liquid.

The living around the convoy gasped.

All that was left was one zombie whose eyes now flared up in turquoise. He walked forward towards the City's mayor.

The Rescue Team members thickened their lines and blocked its path.

The zombie stared around emptily, his rotting flesh releasing foul smells in the hot air.

"Death gave me this message to you, mayor of the City" he said at last, his voice deep and gurgling. Drops of black fluid splattered out of his mouth in tiny showers as he spoke, a trickle of it trailed down the side of his mouth.

Arashi almost doubled over with nausea. Fuma held his breath to keep down his own sickness.

"He says 'We are in the Lost Dimension's Bright Side where everything is healthy and rich. We've reached an agreement with a nation there for them to send you these supplies to help the famine. Here you have food and grain and whatever else we were able to find there. We will convince other nations we'll come across to do the same might we find equally wealthy ones' that is the end of his message"

With that the zombie shrugged and sank into the ground like the rest of his undead comrades.

He left the City staring amazed at the abandoned carriages.

They blinked.

The silence weighted down heavier. Was this some kind of trap or was it real! All these carriages are filled with food!

"It's his promise!" Yuzuriha's chirp sawed through the air suddenly. Pulling at her last bits of strength she leaped forward to the first carriage "He promised he'll help me! He promised! He brought us food!" she was yelling by now.

"**_Yuzuriha!_**" Karen leaped towards the teen, grabbing her and pulling her away from the carriage.

But Yuzuriha had already managed to take hold of the blanket covering the first carriage and, as Karen pulled her, she pulled it off.

The men and women around the convoy, the citizens in their homes, the City council members, the medics and Rescue Team members, all gasped.

A heap of corn cobs sat glittering like gold in the hot rays penetrating through the clouds.

With a great roar the citizens flooded out of their homes and, almost crushing the Noters down with their stampede, rushed to the carriages.

Blankets were torn off the carriages to recover heaps of carrots, cheese lumps, bread loafs, heaps of bunched up herbs, mountains of lettuce, mounds of roots vegetables, eggplants, marrows, cages of ice containing immense meat lumps from cows, sheep and various birds.

Cries of relieve, joy, alarm and even panic cut through the air in cacophony.

The carriages kept coming, their escorts and horses immediately sinking into the ground.

Carriages contained well covered cages filled with live chickens and ducks. Huge cages on wheels brought heavily sedated but definitely alive fat cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits, even ostriches.

The citizens tore into whatever carriages containing immediately edible foods and began ravaging them, even eating the roots still covered with dirt. Their cries of joy were stiffened as their mouths filled with food.

The Noters and Rescue Team members stood crying silently with joy as they scanned the miracle playing before their eyes.

Only one person did not find this wonderful and joy filled. Only he studied the citizen's behaviour and fully registered the immense danger within it.

"**_STOP EATING!_**" Jacob stormed out of his line and into the mass of people around the carriages.

"**_STOP EATING!_**" he sent his powers to bring the blankets over the carriages again, leaping on to the edge of one of the carriages.

The citizens did not heed to him, they pulled him and tore him off of his stand, beating an kicking and scratching him away from their food.

But he fought back, kicking and scratching and biting if he had to

"**_STOP EATING!_**" he spread his wings, massive glitters of light and colour in the shape of angel wings, creating a sonic boom along with it to stun people out of their madness.

It worked; the citizens drew back from the carriages, shocked and frightened.

"**_DO NOT EAT RIGHT NOW!_**" he roared at them "**_eat something small at first, let your body adjust to it and then eat a normal meal_**"

The men and women grumbled and booed at him.

"**_DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND, IDIOTS! You'll gorge yourselves to death! You'll eat too much for your starved bodies to handle!_**"

They became quiet, but still frowned and mumbled at him.

"**_I've seen it happen! It happens, believe me!_**"

Fuma scanned the carriages until he found what he was looking for. He wobbled over to it and climbed over to its edge, uncovering it a little to confirm his suspicion.

"**_LISTEN TO ME PEOPLE! You went through all these hardships to survive the famine, do you want to die now at its end because of such a petty reason!_**"

The citizens stood silently, finally convinced.

"Jacob-san!"

The new undertaker snapped his head angrily towards his helper. He saw the youth uncovering a carriage full of small sweet looking buns. These would do great for a small first meal.

He turned to the citizens. "**_Take one bun each and eat it, here, the brat'll give them out to you. Wait for a while and only then eat more!_**"

Fuma was suddenly attacked by hundreds of outstretched hands, shaking and quivering as they begged him for the buns. It was like a nightmare to observe; behind each hand was a pair of eyes blazing and crazed, starved and begging for his aid.

His head reeled, his knees almost popped out of action under him. It was like all the people he buried before now reached out for him.

There were so many to help and he was so weak already….

"**_WHAT ARE YOU DOING BRAT! GIVE THEM FOOD FOR FUCK'S SAKE, ARE YOU DEMENTED OR JUST PLAIN STUPID!_**" Jacob came leaping from carriage to carriage towards him.

Fuma shook his head and snapped himself back into coherent thinking. He pulled his whole body to this last effort and began placing one bun in each hand, a palm at a time.

Jacob landed by him and began helping him, shouting and swearing at people from time to time if they came back for seconds more then once.

To a roaring order from Lion the Noters snapped themselves back to action and began herding the citizens into an orderly line, keeping people from coming back too many times and handling people who lurked those who already took a bun to rob them.

"Arashi-san! Arashi-san!" Fuma cried out to his house members. He snuck five buns and spilled them into Sorata's hands, who handed them over to Arashi.

She stood with one bun in her hand, staring at the carriages and at Fuma feverishly handing out food for the starved people. It was all so big, too big for her to comprehend.

"What's wrong babe? You need to eat! Eat babe, for our baby, for you!" Sorata shook her powerfully while trying hard not to gobble down one of the buns he held for her.

"I can't understand it" she whispered in a daze, her eyes huge and glassy "I always thought the baby will surely die and that you'll die too….I almost accepted it"

"There's nothing to understand and nothing to accept lady, just eat the damned food already!" Jacob shouted at her across his shoulder.

It snapped her out of her trance. She looked at the bun in her hand and immediately stuffed it into her mouth in one bite. The large round puffy pastry making her face swell up all of a sudden as she fought to chew on it. She reached out to the second bun in Sorata's hand. She snatched it so powerfully she scratched her husband's palm into bleeding.

He winced and smiled at her. She was going to live, the baby is going to live, and everything is going to be alright.

He was on the floor, unconscious, three seconds later.

Crouching by him, Arashi shook him while trying to grab attention to her with a mouthful of buns.

Charlie walked over to her beaming brightly. He motioned for another medic to help him wake the man up.

A minute later Sorata was up again, eyeing the buns still handed out by Fuma and Jacob. "I'm hungry" he growled and tore himself out of the medic's grip. He snuck up behind Fuma and stole three buns for himself, stuffing his mouth with them like his wife.

Charlie burst into laughter and he scanned the couple; both standing by each other with great big full mouths, chewing feverishly in silence.

* * *

Yuzuriha was clutching her bun with her bony hands, giggling insanely as she held it to her chest.

She was in Karen's arms now, curled up in her lap and giggling like a child.

"Eat Yuzuriha-chan, for god's sake, eat!" the fire master wept at her, her tears falling to splatter on the sickly looking pale skin of the scrawny girl in her arms.

"Eat please, you'll die if you won't"

"But he promised and he kept it! Karen-san I won't die, I'll never die because he promised and he kept it, he kept it can't you see?"

"**_Sweet Jesus in heaven girl, eat already!_**"

Yuzuriha only giggled harder starting to shake involuntarily now.

Karen crossed herself "Forgive me if I'm being too violent but by god I'm going to have to force-feed you if you won't shut up" and with that she tore the bun out of Yuzuriha's hand and stuffed it into the girl's mouth.

Yuzuriha giggled into the pastry.

"**_Chew_! Chew, for fuck's sake, bite into it!**"

Yuzuriha stopped her twitching and complied, her huge sunken eyes never leaving Karen's pale worried face. She ate. She was saved.

Ace took a deep breath of relief at this and wrapped an arm around Karen's shoulders. He handed her a bun and kissed her on the cheek.

Karen kissed him back intensely, suddenly clinging to him forcefully.

Spike wondered off to assist Jacob after Fuma had fainted with fatigue. There were still so many left to feed and so many buns to give out.

Now the outpour was not of citizens but of Noters who became half starved these days themselves.

Jacob suddenly seized his handing of buns as a familiar sound came to his ears; the neighing of horses.

He dropped the buns in his hands and stood up from the crouch he was in.

A row of ten carriages stormed over (the convoy was still spilling into the City, even now) to the other side of the carriage where he stood.

The zombie leading it stared at Jacob, scrutinizing him. "Are you Jacob Lewinsky?" it asked him.

Jacob did not answer. He was too busy staring bewildered at ten long carriages where sedated sleeping tens and hundreds of horses were packed shoulder to shoulder in groups of eight each carriage. Now it was his turn to reel.

"The….the pervert br…brought this to m-me?" he huffed eventually.

"Death gave me orders to bring this to a Jacob Lewinsky" the zombie answered tonelessly.

"Well, numbskull, do you see anyone else who looks like me here!" Jacob leaped down the carriage and immediately climbed on one of the carriages, running his hand on the backs of the sleeping horses.

He tore off the side of the carriages one by one and woke the beasts with his powers. Climbing on top of one of the beautiful, strong, huge horses, he clicked his tongue and began leading the beasts towards his home.

"Jacob" Lion cried over to the horse master. He was trying to climb on to the bun's carriage and take over where Jacob abandoned his job but was blocked by Iceman who did it for him.

"I hope you plan on sharing these wonderful animals with us"

"We'll talk about that later" Jacob barked back at him across his shoulder, already sending his beast to a canter and leading the rest of the pack after him.

Lion laughed and shook his head.

"are you alright Justice?" he turned to Fuma as soon as he finished making sure his children were all eating or receiving their share.

Fuma lay in one of the medics' carriages, slowly munching on a bun while given a shot to fight back his fever.

He looked up to the man and smiled faintly.

"Come on you can do better then that, give me a real smile. The dark heavy cloud is now gone from the City; you can smile and laugh now"

Fuma shook his head, still scanning the carriages pouring into the City, parking in rows by those already parked.

"I won't be able to really smile and laugh until I'll have Kamui with me again" his eyes were pained now, tearful.

Lion sighed and gave him a hug and another bun.

A cry pierced through the air and everyone turned their heads to see Charlie storm off towards a new line of carriages now coming to a stop in a seventh row.

These carriages were dyed white and marked with a red cross sign on each side.

The doctor tried to climb on one of the carriages but failed. He too was starved and weak and working in the infirmary endlessly all this time finally took its toll on him.

Blue Fairy came floating to his side and pulled her husband into her boat. She turned it around the carriages a while until it gained enough latitude to allow Charlie to climb on top of them effortlessly.

With the aid of his wife he tore off one blanked by the other, uncovering carriage loads of syringes, medications, herbal balms, gauze rolls by the mile, three carriages filled with shiny metal operating tables, drip poles, surgery equipment and hospital beds.

He collapsed to his knees, amidst boxes on boxes of pills, and burst into tears. Blue Fairy wrapped her arms around him with a wonderful beaming smile, her eyes running freely as well.

* * *

Five hours later and the carriages finally stopped arriving at the City. Now the Noters and Rescue Team members began raiding them to unload what was left and dispense it properly.

The City council members were feverishly forming a plan of rations and the construction of barns to keep the immense amount of food people surely couldn't store in their homes. Unlike any other meeting they've ever had, they didn't burst into bitter arguments, not even once, as they crouched above the lists they've made of what they received.

Now was not the time to argue; the citizens will soon be completely ready to receive their food and will come to demand it with rage and violence like only those who have been starved and saw food given to them can.

"Oh sweet Jesus" Karen laughed, her hands trembling as she folded back another blanket.

"You've been saying that a lot lately Karen-san" Sorata returned his laughter.

Checking on Arashi every few minutes, he felt strong enough now to help out in unravelling the gifts from the Bright Side.

"Well, this is a miracle isn't it?" she was clutching her crucifix rosary as she worked.

"A miracle is worked by the gods Karen-san, this was worked by human beings"

"Ah, but perhaps the lord helped softening their hearts towards us"

Sorata shook his head and sighed, it seemed that he was talking to a brick wall.

"But seriously now, look at this!"

Sorata peeked into the carriage Karen uncovered "What the!"

"Furnishing!" Vash, who worked with Sorata, now climbed over to the spoken carriage "Furnishing!"

Karen burst into wild giggles, Vash became immediately infected.

"They think we need furnishing more then anything" Sorata shook his head, repeating his words to Arashi who sat on a rock by the carriage and was nibbling on a sandwich Sorata made her.

"We do need furnishing you know, I mean, everything we have is second hand. It's bad luck; we never know who used our furnishing do we? It's bad luck I tell you and it's a miracle that we got new furnishing"

Sorata stared at his wife. Then at Karen who was now chanting something religious (probably, it was in Latin so he assumed it must be religious). He was surrounded by women blinded by faith. He shrugged and began pulling at the carriage's side to open it.

"Fabrics!" Tara called out from twelve carriages down theirs "They sent us fabrics! Oh I bet Lestate had something to do with it, I can't find a single roll of velvet here" she dug herself almost shoulder-deep into the fabric rolls "ah, there's one….and it's in mustard. He hates mustard. That little bastard, leaving us with only one roll, and in his least favourite colour. He probably did it on purpose and is saving all the rolls to himself"

"Don't be ridiculous Tara-san, there must be something here" Yutu insisted as he dug through another carriage loaded with fabric rolls to try and prove her wrong "……no there isn't….."

They were so busy they did not notice the huge falcon flying low above them. The two combining pentacles on his back were hidden from them.

It flew all the way to where Yuzuriha lay on a sofa in one of the carriages. With a shriek it landed on the armchair by her feet.

Munching slowly on a sandwich equal to Arashi's, she looked down at it and beamed.

"You kept your promise"

The bird picked at its wing shyly.

"You did, you did, I'm so proud of you"

The bird shook its head.

"Hey! What a pretty birdie!" Kazuki popped her head out of a sea of grain in a carriage, pointing at the shiki.

"Kazuki-chan! Get out of there for the love of….uh…." Karen eyes the slightly impatient Sorata "…of me. It's grains not a swimming pool"

"Aw but it's fun"

The shiki turned its head back to Yuzuriha after scrutinizing the cloned girl with grains tangled in her white hair.

It wobbled over by Yuzuriha's head, clutching madly at the sofa's fluffy body to stable itself with its powerful claws.

It bend its head down until it's beak was by her ear "You look better, starved still, but better"

"Am I the only one you care about?"

"No. I care about the City too but of the City's safety I'm sure now. I need to make sure you're alright"

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I'm Death; I take care of my creatures and men. And you'll one day become one too, won't you?"

Yuzuriha nodded "If you'll keep that promise too"

The shiki winked "I will if you will"

She sent her small bony palm, now shaking no longer, and caressed the soft spell-made feathers. The shiki leaned into the touch.

"Hey! There's that bird again" Vash was by Yuzuriha's side immediately, grabbing the shiki and bringing it to his eyelevel.

The shiki poked at his nose and made him shriek.

Yuzuriha burst into laughter, kicking at the sofa and clapping her hands with happiness.

Both Vash and the shiki stopped what they were doing to see the suddenly revived girl so happy and alive.

Having seen his job done, the shiki disappeared, leaving the double pentacle ofuda behind in Vash's hands.

"Hey, if I keep this will I get something?" he scrutinized the slip of paper.

Still giggling, Yuzuriha shrugged and took another bite off her sandwich.

* * *

"She looks so thin!"

"Indeed, she was very close to death"

Victoria gasped "Really! Oh my god…."

Alex wrapped an arm around her shoulders, making David wonder if he should snap a nasty remark about it or not. "Don't worry, she's beyond it now"

The vampire hung huge happy eyes at him, then at David. She shook Death's arm off of her and crushed into David's arms "I'm so happy".

David wrapped his arms around her involuntarily and fought to find something to say or act.

"Um….uh….ah….err….you see….ah….uh….yes….I….guess….then"

Alex smirked at him.

He raised two middle fingers back at Death.

Giggling and throwing nasty looks at David, Alex exited Victoria's tent.

He stopped for a moment in the clearing at the centre of their night time campsite. Listening to the wind, he waited.

Suddenly he shot his hand forward and snatched Will out of the gush of air he ran in.

"Ah, ouch, ouch, ouch" Will was grabbed by his injured ear, it's stitched only due to come out in two day's.

"Tell your master that the convoy arrived at the City and everyone's alright and saved. I don't quite feel like talking to him just yet, now go" Alex growled at him and released the werewolf.

Hearing the news Kamui smiled faintly and ruffled Will's hair a bit. Then he snatched him to a long deep embrace.

These last days have been very heavy for Kamui; he spent most of them looking deep into his soul and thinking over many things in his life. The events of the last few days in the Palace had forced him to look back and think over again and again about his life, his behaviour, his existence and many other important subjects.

And it was not easy. The guilt of what he's done both to Alex and to Kotori was, in itself, too heavy for him to carry. But he will think it over and he will re-calculate his behaviour and he will change. He must.

"Lestate! For god's sake, that's half of the fabric's delivery you've got there stoked up in your tent! Have you no shame? This is the City's rations you've stolen for yourself"

"Bah, they won't eat velvet would they?"

"Oh good god…."

"What is it now? The Anne Rice puff acting up again?"

"Oh you be quiet you Braham Stoker monster!"

"Oi!"

"Err, David"

Kamui turned his back to the cheerful sounds of the camp and walked into his tent to spend another night of contemplation and soul searching.

"Keep us out of this; we're just trying to smoke in peace here"

"Now David, David don't! Vampires of his kind are sensitive to fire, **_DAVID!_**"

"Shut up, pervert!"

(tbc)


	31. The City of Men

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: ** to LadyoftheaBlackWings (which fanfic luv? Tell me and I'll read it), Kakyou-chan whose review I already answered through our LJs. Wow, I can't believe such a brilliant and respected authoress read my little baby! If TrenchKamen and Tanuki-Dono would also read this I'll be in heaven! To Kizune (I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter that much, yayz!), Feather-chan (why the convoy got there so fast? Because none of them were human, they were all zombies who moved as fast as Alex made them move and since Alex is POWERFUL they ran REALLY fast. I hope this explains it clear enough since you did have a point with that. And I'm so glad to hear you're still working on that challenge! Even if it's 'not so flashy' and I didn't ban anything, must have and maybe they've got a point since so many idiots out there with no balls flame people and run away un-avenged), to iwannasleep. (harlo to you too XXXD Kamui not being gay honey? Well, maybe when pigs'll fly or something coz Clamp sure didn't make him in any other mode XXXXD) and to Tekoo my precious my love (you just can't get enough of Alex now can you dear? Oh well. You know you got me tripping over why on earth you want to know so much about fing Will for fk's sake, why him!).

**Author's notes: **Greetings A New World readers, I come to you with news of A New World extras!...well….extra.  
I've written an A New World Characters File with information about A New World's original and fandom characters (which aren't X originated that is) and also with lost of info on A New World itself and on The Lost Dimension. I will be publishing it on my Lj (link found in my profile) since it's none-plotted and cannot be published here so go check it out if you wish to know more about this fic!

**Warning: **A lot of Hellsing references in this chapter, sorry if you don't know Hellsing the manga and can't understand what it's all about. The full scheme of the story about Alex's time in Victoria's world is still hiding in my brain, maybe I'll write it down as an annex someday.

* * *

**Chapter 31 – The City of Men**

Past the land of women lay a huge track of land completely empty of anything civilized.

It reminded Death's men of the huge grass flats they rode through after the Craters and the forests they travelled back in the Dark Side. These flats, according to a sneaking suspicion most of them had, were…..well….boring.

"Oh sure it's nice and blooming and green, like everything in this place but…." Subaru turned to his lover for help with forming his thoughts into words.

"It's boring" Seishiro finished the sentence.

Alex pulled the slim painting brush from the new flap of map he opened for the part of the Light Side beyond the women's land, and raised his eyes to the two men sitting in his tent sipping tea Subaru received from the treasurer's helper "Boring! How so?"

"I don't know really, it's a kind of a hovering feeling I've been having ever since we first stepped in the Light Side. Like nothing will ever happen in here, nothing _really_ interesting that is" Subaru spun his tea cup slowly above his open palm.

"Nothing _really _interesting like monsters attacking the City, killing and destroying everything in their path you mean?"

Subaru blinked at Death "N-no! Not like that…."

"Yes like that" Seishiro cut Subaru's speech "this place is boring because nothing exciting and dangerous will ever happen in here. Why, even what the women spoke of, of the men spies and everything, it doesn't sound half as interesting as what goes on in the City. All these men want are agricultural hints and peeks at naked women, frankly I've seen sheep sheering more interesting then that"

Alex chuckled and shook his head "Well be thankful we don't have any adventures at all to keep us occupied"

"But it's boring here"

"Seishiro, this is the place we'll stay while Kamui brewed his decision about you and it's a good, adventure-less place in which I intend to stay"

"Alex, he'll never change his mind. You might as well get used to the idea"

Death stared at the Sakurazukamori, frowning as if he is completely unable to comprehend what Seishiro said.

"Do you believe that in honest?"

Seishiro nodded.

Subaru clutched his tea cup nervously. He sat there gnawing his lower lip and clawing his cup as he watched the two men stare at each other.

"Alex…what if he'll never change his mind? I mean….." he sighed "As much as I enjoy this journey, I want to go home eventually"

"As do most of us" Seishiro added.

Alex bowed his head and bit the end of his brush. For a long while he was silent before finally speaking, his voice low and grave "When we'll return home and Kamui remains unchanged I will threat both Justice's lives to never dare to touch you again. And I will keep that promise, like I keep every promise I make"

The onmyoujis stared at Alex bewildered.

Seishiro shook his head slightly, as if to be rid of a troublesome thought "If they'll try to put me to trial again you'll kill them both? Kamui included? You'll have the strength to do that! I don't believe you"

Seishiro climbed to his feet and was about to leave.

Alex took a deep breath to call him back angrily.

The sound of a heavy motor nearing the camp cut through the tense scene.

Pulling out his sword, Alex shot out of the tent, followed by the onmyoujis.

The flats around them were so straight and smooth and so silent in the night that the motor which was still a few miles from them could be clearly heard as if it's already in the camp.

Scanning his men, Alex burst into Victoria's tent, then into David's. "Where are they? The lovebirds, where are they?"

Lestate walked out of his tent calmly, trailing his palm on the outline of his tent flap "They went out for a small romantic walk if I'm not mistaken"

Alex growled, sending a fiery glare at Kamui and Will who sat by their tent, staring around aimlessly.

"Get yourselves inside the tent, you're not here" he barked at the two, avoiding eye contact with Kamui on purpose.

Sighing, Kamui climbed to his feet and pulled Will along with him. The deep wound in his relationship with Alex was healing slowly; for now he was still hanging between the little punk under sever rough treatment for what he's done and his former status as the admired prisoner.

The motor drew nearer. Sounds of trampled ground and torn vegetation suggested the motor belonged to a jeep or some other powerful 4X4 vehicle.

"This is the first time I hear a motor running in this world, whomever has it is very lucky to not have horses as the only means of travel" Subaru sighed, folding his arms on his chest.

"You mean you still didn't get the hang of that stand-up-sit-down motion I thought you" Alex sniggered, making Subaru glare at him and blush.

"**ARGH! SLOW DOWN YOU CRAZY AMERICAN!**"

The convoy's men blinked. Kamui and Will poked their heads out of their tent against what was they were told.

"**I said _slow down_ already, so slow the _'ELL_ down!**" the voice was of a man, high pitched in panic and carrying a heavy French accent tore through the air from a distance. The motor drew close to them, soon whatever it belonged to will be at the camp.

Picking up signals from the motor's direction, Alex sheathed his sword. He remained in battle position though, just in case.

A huge muddy green jeep leaped its way towards the camp, hitting tiny rocks and bumps in the ground at high speed. The machine seemed to have lost its roof, chains replaced its doors, mud covered its sides and front, one of its headlights was missing. It's wheels where huge, tearing at the earth and sending sprays of it backwards in long rainbow showers.

At the lower front seat sat two men;

At the helm was a blond man with long hair tied in a ponytail and sunglasses despite the night around them, a cigarette in his mouth and a slightly mucky business shirt and pants. He was armed with two magnums, by his seat and the passenger's laid a bazooka almost as big as Victoria's Harconen.

The passenger's seat was occupied by the man whose screams Death's men picked up. A French man with long wheat coloured hair tied neatly in a single long braid. He wore beige coloured uniforms of a strange design and a wide Australian-styled hat which he folded up above the side of his face where he wore an eye patch. The French man was also armed, carrying a M5 in his lap.

Behind the two strangers, on the slightly higher back seats, sat a cheerful Victoria and a cranky David. They seemed to have taken a ride with the two men, despite the situation seeming more like a kidnap then the friendly act it was.

The jeep stormed into the camp and stopped inches from Alex who remained where he was, glaring suspiciously at the two strangers.

The blond driver lowered his sunglasses and winked at the ominous man before him. Alex did not change his stance.

Victoria leaped down from the jeep and yanked the French man from his seat into a tight hug, dragging him to Alex like he was a kitten she found.

"Look! This is Pip, he comes from my world, he was just recruited when I was kidnapped. It feels like I haven't seen him in ages!" she shrilled and hugged the French man so tight his face became red.

"Now police girl, remember I have ribz and you 'ave vampire power ha ha ha"

"Eeek! I haven't been called 'police girl' in ages!"

"Damn crazy American driver" David climbed out of the jeep, sending powerful glares at the shrugging blond slouched at the helm "I never liked Americans, damn dogs do nothing but damage and rampage" he walked away to his tent, his tail between his legs.

Alex yanked the wide hat off Pip's head and examined it "A Wild Goose eh? A good bunch they were"

Victoria let go of her friend's neck on which she hung herself earlier "You know his company?...how come Alex?"

A violent shudder caught Death "Ah….err….where did you meet each other, where do you come from Pip?"

"Us? We come from ze city of men a few miles away from 'ere"

"We were on patrol when we came across this lovely young lady and her grumpy friend" the blond at the helm finally spoke. His American accent was a heavy southern one, oozing out between his lazily grinning lips.

Alex walked towards the blond's seat "On patrol means you're guarding your boarders, who from?"

"Women mostly but also trespassers like you guys"

"Ei, shut up stupid American, you 'ave no right saying little police girl ere is a trespasser"

"The cutie 'aint no trespasser, this armed-to-the-teeth fellow right here sure is"

The blond levelled a powerful stare with Alex.

Both men seemed to be at equal power levels or equal confidence anyway. Death's men who watched them wondered if the blond, who appeared human, knew what he is staring at so carelessly.

The next moment the jeep burst into flames, trapping the blond in a ring of fire.

"Call Victoria a 'cutie' one more time, make a nasty remark about her ass or her chest again" David growled, standing on the jeep's hood, covered in flames "go on, I dare you"

"A-ah! No need to panic my young friend, I have absolutely no intension for this lovely young lady" the flames began licking at his long hair "I-I mean, Ms. Seras here, I am a married man and love my wife and child more then life itself"

The flames died down, leaving David unharmed on the hood. He leaped off of it and tore Pip's arm away from Victoria's waist with enough force to get the massage through.

Victoria wrapped her arms around David and leaned her head on his chest, forgetting whatever horrid suspicion she had about Alex's knowledge of her world.

"Bernadette! Claude! What are you doing!" a powerful voice boomed behind the jeep.

Alex pulled his sword out, entering battle position again.

Two horse riders stepped into the camp slowly, surveying the people before them. Both of them were blond and heavily built and both seemed very powerful.

One, with shoulder length hair, wore heavy blue and green dragon themed armour and a wide dark purple cape. His eyes were completely cold and emotionless as he sized up the convoy's men one by one.

The second rider was immense, towering high on his horse with a powerful back, arms and legs. His long straight hair fell beautifully on his back and the roman styled white cape which hung from his fancy space age purple outfit. He wore white gloves to his large palms and white boots which suited the strange v shaped vest looking accessory above his suit.

The second rider was scanning Alex intensely with fiery blue eyes which made Alex dig his heels into the ground and move uneasily.

"Ah Shogun-san and Iason, how nice of you to join us" the American suddenly spoke in fluent Japanese, startling the onmyoujis and Kamui, who realized he just walked out towards the new men in the camp.

"Ah ha ha, we were on patrol sirz, we really were" Pip mumbled "but, you see, we came across this lovely….err…a friend of mine from my original world and we just 'ad to stop and say 'allo"

"Wow, they made you commanders despite your handicap" David sniggered viciously.

"What handicap?" the huge rider frowned.

"You're blond"

"Hey! I'm blond" Victoria piped up angrily.

"In my world being blond makes you superior then the rest" the immense commander smiled back, half with charm and half scornfully.

"That only makes us hate you more" Alex hissed at him, intensifying his battle aura. He was so heated up for battle his eyes began changing colour to turquoise.

The huge blond turned his eyes back to the bristling Death "Your hair is black but your eyes are the purest green, hmmm. I like mongrels, especially those with attitude"

It only made Alex more edgy and defensive. It seemed the innuendo in the blond's voice made him neurotic and giddy.

Subaru remembered the incident in the pirate's camp and shuddered, worried about his Death.

Two slender palms landed on Alex's tense shoulders "Boys, no need to hiss at each other. The noble man from my nation here" Lestate gestured to Pip "is familiar with the English twat, she belongs to us and not to the Anthrax land if this is what you're thinking. There's no harm in our convoy, handsome gentlemen, so please lower your guards…all of you" he was referring to Alex as well.

The armour drabbed blond frowned, turning to Alex "You are the convoy who robbed the women of half of their stock?"

"We are that exactly, have you heard of us then?" Lestate smiled brightly.

"Our king gave us order to invite you to our city might we come across you in our patrols"

"What for?" Alex spat, still glaring fire at the huge blond who smirked back at him with a condescending, dominating icy stare.

"Our king wishes to congratulate you for your breaking of the queen's spirit and your amazing campaign in the land of Anthrax. He assumes you've travelled for a few days between our two cities and might be in need of a rest our city is more then willing to provide.

"Our king also invites you to take whatever we have to offer as supplies for your city in need"

"He does, does he? Well….we just might do that. The night is still young I suppose, how far away is your city?"

"Half an hour' ride in average speed" the armoured blond answered.

"You're more then welcomed to our city" the second blond smirked.

"I see you're keen on loosing your…."

"Let's ride there then!" Lestate cut through Alex's threat, rushing off to shepherd the convoy into their tents to pack up and mount their horses.

Alex did not change his stance or moved away until the bigger blond turned his horse and rode back to the city. Pip, the jeep's driver and the armour drabbed blond will guide them to the city.

"So, the Light Side took in people from Victoria's side as vell" Will mumbled, staring at Pip "ven I vas taken I vas just leaving a briefing about ze Vild Gees"

"Will" Kamui's voice was stern and cold.

The werewolf whimpered.

"Come on, we need to get ready for another ride" Kamui walked into his tent.

He was nervous because of something and he didn't know what it was. There was a hovering tension in his mind which he did not sense since he was in his original world. There was something here from back there, something from the Battle's forces, but what?

* * *

The City of Men was a lump of carved iron sticking out on a high heel behind which a huge mine spread for miles away. The city walls were hard rocks covered by large iron shields, huge vicious looking iron spears poking between the shields at its bottom. Higher up the walls were long thin crack from which barrels of rifles poked out where guards armed posts all along the city's front. Four watch towers loomed above the city, another two towers stood at each side of a large golden hall atop another, smaller hill in the navel of the city.

"Do you really need such heavy protection from Anthrax?" Alex turned to the armoured blond riding next to him. He was a lot calmer now since the harassing second blond rode forward before them and left him alone and without those burning eyes of him.

"Actually we were only practicing our ability to manufacture weaponry and defensive equipment. The land of Anthrax rarely ever sends out anything violent and when they do they always send a delegation to warn us to not repeat what were we doing which enraged them" the man's blue earrings glittered in the young moon's light.

"And what do you do to enrage them?"

"We try to steal their agricultural secrets. We have our own mouths to feed, which our workers are a little less able to provide. We are all craftsmen and swordsmen, not farmers. Then again, we have no choice if we wish to feed on anything but bread and hunting meat"

"Say, how do you know Japanese so well?" Subaru asked the driver in the jeep by which he rode. Victoria and David were sitting in its back seat again, their horses tied to its back and marching along to the vehicle's slowed speed.

"I was a producer of a Japanese singer back in the US for a while, and then I was a producer for a Japanese band just before I was taken to this place"

"I see…."

"You're gay aren't you?"

Subaru choked and turned to a nice shade of red.

Seishiro chuckled.

"I can tell, you see, the singer in my band was like that. Guess you kinda develop a sixth sense about those things after a long enough while of working with you people"

Subaru chose to ignore the man for the rest of the ride.

Lestate was deep in a passionate French conversation with Pip.

The huge heavy city doors opened towards them, letting them in a thick tunnel cutting through the walls of the fortified settlement.

The City of Men was a lot like Anthrax's palace city; filled to the brim with people of only one gender busy in recreational activities after a long day of work. Only here there were more beer stands then fabric shops, more merrily singing drunks and lowly brawling men then lightly chatting citizens. A faint scent of musky sweat and urine hung in the city's streets.

"Christ, everything's so dirty and beery here. What a mess, typical for a place brimful of men" Victoria sighed "you need a women to help you get your act together people"

The men she rode past eyed her with mixed hunger and suspicion.

David wrapped his arm tightly around her, bending a little above her as he glared at every man looking towards the vampire.

"Are you jealous David?" she chirped at him, a charming blush tainting her cheeks.

"No, I just don't want what happened the last time we were in a settlement of men to happen again"

She blinked at him and, blushing even more, leaned into him until she was practically sitting in his lap.

The large golden hall they were riding towards was not built on the ground as it seemed at first; it was emerging out of a lump of an iron-covered building resembling a long barrack, an immense house.

They climbed off their horses and walked into the building through a guarded door, right into a cosy warm environment of multiple living rooms with burning fire places and scattered dining halls.

"These are our barracks, where the men of this city live. Above us is the palace itself where the king lives. He spends most of his time here amongst us though, the strange monarch that he is" the commander guided them down winding corridors from which sleeping rooms, dining rooms and armouries opened to.

The walls were a dark muddy yellow, the floor was wood or dark red clay. Furniture's were tattered and worn. Used food utilities were scattered everywhere, filthy and forgotten. Some of the walls were decorated by maps, some by pornographic drawings and some by animal skins.

"Why 'barracks' and not 'home'?" Kamui dared to speak for the first time "I mean you're not _really_ at war here, are you?"

The blond turned to him and shrugged "The men seem to like calling it this way"

"Tssk, trust a bunch of testosterone-infested males to get a kick out of defining everything in army lingo" Lestate sighed.

Victoria sniggered.

"There's nothing wrong with testosterone-infested men, as log as they take it out the right way without harming anyone" Alex winked at her, smirking.

"We have men here who speak like you" the blond said monotonously "if you wish, their quarters are that way" he pointed at a corridor to his left.

"Why are they in a different quarter of the barracks?"

"…..No idea, they just settled there on their own. Sometimes they move out to live with one of the men, sometimes someone moves in with them"

"And you're okay with it?"

The blond shrugged "We have no choice; they refuse to live with the women. Sometimes someone new runs away to Anthrax, but then runs right back here, frightened"

The convoy blinked at him.

Seishiro burst into laughter "Rabid yaoi fangirls are a bitch aren't they" he managed to say through giggles.

Alex and the Japanese convoy men burst into laughter as well, making the jeep driver sigh and slam his palm to his forehead.

Victoria planted herself at the entrance to a large room, ogling at what's inside "Master!"

Alex shot to her side, staring into the room with miserable, sad eyes.

Inside sat a man in fabulous dark red armour. His face was narrow and place, his large red eyes slightly bulgy and large. His long flowing black hair falling down the back of his chair smoothly. He had a long black moustache which he twirled around his forefinger playfully. He was surveying a map laid before him on a table, a map a young armoured man by his side was explaining him about.

"Alucard….it's Alucard….before Hellsing got him…." Alex mumbled mindlessly, grabbing Victoria's attention.

"You….you mean it's not my master?"

"No Victoria, this Alucard is free. He is also a lot weaker then your master was…."

"Ah, that is Prince Dracula, a handful to feed but a brilliant commander. He is particularly good with new recruits" the blond commented.

"He is, is he…" Alex sighed, his eyes still immensely sad.

"Alex…" Victoria reached over for Death just when the man was grabbed from behind by a vigorous youth.

"Daddy! Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy!" a slim young man with long brown curls down to his shoulders crowned by intertwined branches of fresh flowers, wearing a white roman toga and sandals, hung himself on Alex's neck as he bounced up and down merrily.

The convoy ogled at Alex in shock.

Slowly, shakily, Alex turned around while peeling off the arms around him and holding them carefully in his hands "A-Andy?"

"Daddy!"

"Alex?...You have a son?" Subaru exhaled, putting to words what was running wild in everyone's minds.

Alex grabbed the young man by his shoulders, shaking him slightly "What are you doing here Andy! How did you get here?"

"I dropped in here right after you daddy. It was a bit scary at first but I'm okay now. This place is groovy daddy, I'm having a ball" he giggled back, beaming brightly at the grave taller man looming over him.

"A-are you safe here?"

"Safe daddy? Oh, yeah, tee hee. If anyone wants something from me I get along with it, I'm okay if that's what you're worried about daddy"

"This is your _son_ Alex? You….you never told me you had a child" Kamui heard himself say out loud enough to be heard by Death, immediately regretting it.

Alex stared at him, dazed.

Kamui looked away shyly.

"What are you doing here Andy? This is no place for a flower power child like you"

"I'm a love consultant!" the young man chirped, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"A what now?"

"Do you remember riding through a seemingly empty village on your way here from the land of Anthrax?"

Alex nodded, still frowning and anxious.

"Well…sometimes…..when the men are hungry and so are the women….they go out and meet in that village….and I'm there to help them find each other"

"You're acting as Love on Earth" Alex whispered, eyeing the youth amazed.

"Oh no daddy, not like uncle Alexander was, I'm just…..helpful that's all"

"There's something….heavy about him when you look at him standing by that boy you know" Subaru whispered to Kamui. Both were mesmerized by the strange sight before them.

"Yes…like the child is….uh…it sound ridiculous but that boy seems to be sucking the light out of Alex, like he's taking something from him"

"Leaving Alex all cold and hard….what a strange pair"

"Ah daddy look, this is my helper; Kodu-kun" Andrew pushed a young man who stood behind him all this long, staring at Alex suspiciously.

"H-hey, how you doing mister Andrew's father…." The young man mumbled, nervously shifting weight from one leg to another "I never imagined your dad would be such a….well….warlike thing" he whispered to Andrew.

The cheerful young man blinked at his father "Yeah, I guess he is kinda heavy and all, but he's a neat dad too" he threw his arms around Alex again.

Awkwardly, Alex wrapped his arms around the youth. He didn't like the position this put him before his men. Subaru and Kamui were already staring at him funny.

"The king asked me to bring you directly to him when we come across you, we've already delayed enough" the armoured blond suddenly made his presence known.

"Ah yes…err, Andy, daddy has something very important to do now so please stay here okay?"

"You haven't seen your son since you was taken from your home world and that's all the time you're willing to give him!" Subaru suddenly burst.

"Ah, Subaru-kun, I think you shouldn't…." Seishiro placed a calming arm on his lover's shoulders.

"I will keep you entertained young man" Lestate wrapped an arm around Andrew's waist, dragging the young man down the corridor belonging to the city's gay community.

Alex shot Lestate a grateful look behind his shoulder. He then turned around and followed the blond commander.

Understanding the meeting is meant for their leader, the convoy followed Pip and his comrade to the reserve accommodations where they'll spend the rest of the night.

Walking at the end of the group, Kamui couldn't help peeking into every room they walked past, looking for what was now fully bothering him; that nagging, itching sensation at the back of his mind. Something was here, but what? And why was he feeling so nervous?

* * *

Alex entered the golden chamber of the king's throne.

The walls were thick wood carved as emerging men of war, strong robust horses and ample women of great beauty. Between the carvings, long velvet drapes hung in dark green Lestate was bound to be enchanted by for years on end. Walking past the draperies, Alex made a mental note to himself to tell his vampire of the hall.

"Ah, the great captain enters" Alex heard a man's voice call him from the end of the hall where a modest wood and gold throne stood.

On it sat a man in his early fifties, his golden locks grabbed forcefully by white hairs, curling down to his shoulders. His short beard had long lost its yellow taint, fading into old age's white. His face was not quite wrinkled as much as it was marked by ages of worry and care, as soft lines carved through his brow. His cheeks bore the slight wrinkles of a man who laughed a lot and shouted a lot, his lips hid under his beard.

His eyes were intense green, seeing right into the man walking towards him. They bore an amazing resemblance to Lion's soft fatherly eyes, also capable of firing up in anger and action.

He sat leaning to his side, the kind of posture which indicated his back was perhaps sore or cramped. His fingers groped at the throne's armchairs nervously seeking something to do with them. Under his dark green tunic a suit of scales armour was obviously glittering gold, as were his boots.

The king sized Alex up thoughtfully.

As soon as the man's appearance became completely clear to him Alex stopped immediately, letting the hilt of his sword go. He couldn't help the strange sensation of attraction to the man before him, a strange magnetism.

"Please don't refer to me as a captain, nor as a leader, commander or anything of the sort. I'm none of those"

"What are you then?" the king's voice was soft and deep, the strength of a well experienced monarch obvious in his talk, so used to speeches and proper manners.

"I'm me"

"You are our love counsellor's father, so I heard. I must say I'm surprised by the both of you"

"Oh?"

The king shifted position to a more upright one "I would've never imagined Andrew had sprung up from you. And I would've never imagined a man your age was a father, nor that a man of your stature bore that particular child"

Alex opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again. The king's eyes made him dizzy.

"You taught that child to love the way he does?"

"….You knew his love?"

The kind chuckled nervously "Well, we all fall for his charm once in a while"

"Not all at once and not too forcefully I hope"

"Oh no," the king waved his hand dismissingly "no one here, as rough and lustful as they may be, can find the dare in them to harm the boy"

"I wish we'd change the subject"

"I can imagine you would, it is always an awkward subject for parents to speak of"

"I can't say I'm that much of a parent….never was really, so I think"

"Indeed it seemed you're not the one who raised him. If you would he would know how to hold a sword, how to fight"

"I had another child whom I taught all those things" Alex bowed his head, lowering his tone as well.

"And…."

"I've already requested that we'd change the subject"

"Right" the king pushed himself off his throne with a long moan of an old man "I was about to congratulate you on your achievements in the fields of Anthrax. Of how you managed to subdue that stubborn queen I am still at a loss of ideas"

"I did a lot of snarling and growling"

The king burst out laughing, patting Alex's back powerfully.

Alex shuddered and turned his face away; hiding the fact he was blushing. What was wrong with him!

The king rubbed his chin thoughtfully "And it worked, so, congratulations. Now if only I had what you had to point at their throats and force the same thing out of them"

"I really wish you wouldn't do that, the women worked very hard to achieve what they did and unless you do the same you don't deserve a grain of what they earned"

The king stared at Alex intensely, frowning to try and understand where that particular remark came from "Whatever do you mean man?"

"I mean….work hard for your food and you'll deserve it, steal it away and it'll turn into poison"

"Hmm" the king walked away from Alex, towards a corridor to the left of them, his hands gathered behind his back thoughtfully.

"There was something I was about to offer to you, but you seem to want to sting me instead of bow before me"

"_Bow before you_!" Death hissed "Whatever made you think I'd do that!"

The king turned sharply to Alex "Because I am humbly giving you accommodations for the night, that's why, and I am about to offer you whatever my city can donate to yours"

"If you will not _'donate'_ it then I will do a lot of snarling and growling to make you _give_ it anyway" Alex sharpened his glare, toughening his stance.

The king stared at him for a long time "I see you are as Iason described you; an underdog whoose grown to be a great commander"

"I am no commander, I've told you already"

"Suit yourself" the king turned his back to Alex and resumed his decent down the corridor. He turned to Alex again "come with me then, see what my city has to offer"

Alex took a deep breath and followed the king, keeping a safe distance from the other man.

The king knew many wars, killed many men, he is a Man of Death in many senses. This would explain the strange magnetism Alex was feeling for him at the moment. That did not serve to make Alex any less nervous about the king.

They entered a huge hall, bigger then the king's throne chamber even, filled to the brim with various weapons of iron and gold.

Spears of various lengths hung down from the walls, swords of many designs and styles were held by manikins wearing matching armours, shields hung from the upper parts of walls, a herd of stuffed horses stood in various positions, modelling armours suited for the beasts.

Then the hall changed its theme near its end, turning into quite an impressive armoury of fire weapons. Alex identified an amazing variety of rifles and guns, revolvers and muskets from many different worlds and many different styles.

"W-where did you gather all this from?" Death gaped, feeling the objects' deadly power enhancing his into buzzing new levels.

"From the minds of my men" the king answered, tapping his finger on his left temple "and from our mine's ground, rich with materials fit for the building of these things"

"You want to tell me you're surrounded by lands rich with metals and minerals specifically used to build weapons!"

"I know" the king laughed "it surprised me as well. It seems almost as if we were all dropped here for this very purpose." he shrugged "Who understands the heart of this strange world"

"Who indeed?" Alex mumbled, musing as he scanned the huge hall's collection "But wars are bad, wars are evil. Wars corrupt the human heart and soul, twists the brain into suffering and agony or bends it over the hurt and suffering of others….."

"I see you've been to many wars" the king's voice came from directly behind Alex now, right by his ear.

Alex turned his head to meet the king's inches from the others'. Their lips met a second later.

The air buzzed in his head, swirled and gushed like a storm at sea. He was being pulled and pushed at the same time, pushing and pulling as well.

Something was wrong with this, something was not right and it was not just the fact that he wouldn't do it unless this place reeked of death bearing.

Kamui was in this city, sitting in his new room alone or with Will. What was Kamui doing now, while he was playing around with some Man of Death that's a complete stranger to him?

He tore himself off the king, who was still holding his shoulders softly. He blinked away the fog of heat and need "I-I'll get back to you about what my City needs of you….I-I'll talk to you later, I-I have v-vampires to feed a-and my people to see through…..A-Andy must be wondering where I am…."

And with that Alex turned around and practically fled the hall, leaving the king mouthing behind him.

* * *

Alex stormed through the corridors back to where his men were, thoughts equally storming in his mind. What was he doing! What is he doing!

It's the same mistake he did with Seishiro when he was kidnapped; following his destiny to attach himself to Creatures and Men of Death. It never ended well. Someone was always in pain; someone was always hurt because, in the end, he always bore Kamui deep within his heart.

It will never work as long as his love for Kamui' was there, someone always gets hurt….

"Alex"

Death stopped.

Victoria took a step out of the room where she stayed, where David and her had a bit of a private moment when curiosity and a nagging suspicion woke the vampire into action.

"Alex, you knew my master, didn't you? You've met him; you've been to my world. Where? When? I don't remember you coming to our world….was it before I was taken into Hellsing?"

His head bowed, his voice low and grave, tightening his palms into fists, Alex sighed "No, I came to your world after you've left"

Victoria shuddered "Come into my room" she pulled him by the arm, dragged him to a chair in her room, sat him down and pleaded David to leave them alone.

Feeling she needed someone to be there when it's over, David hovered by the door, listening to what's happening inside.

"Tell me, when did you come to my world? When did you meet my master?"

"_What are you? Death? I've never met him….although….ah, but you're here and alive are you not? So let us speak, my charming little Death" _

Alex cringed, the voice in his mind physically hurting him. "I was looking for Kamui, travelling between worlds to find his home dimension where the Doctor's machine took him…and I came into your world….."

Victoria sat on a chair by Alex's, her blood-tainted eyes intense and glowing in the moonlight coming through the window. "And….."

"I met your master in a subway train where he was engaged in a fight with a catholic maniac, the one whose hits you bare"

The vampire gasped, reaching for her throat and a thin scar at its front.

"I stopped the maniac and killed him. Then I spoke to your master and he told me about your organization. I was enraged; how could humans control vampires like they were puppets! How could humans imprison vampires immensely stronger then them!..."

"_I am the bird of Hermes; I ate my wings to make me tame" _

"And…." Victoria urged Alex as she noted he was zoning out on her.

"And I came face to face with Integra…I told her I'm going to destroy Hellsing if they won't stop hunting vampires, if they won't release your master of his curse

"And I was just about to leave, but then she showed me the chip…."

"The Freak chip" Victoria gasped "and then what happened?"

"I recognised the marking on it and filled with such rage that I couldn't remember where I came from or what I was doing before I got to your world. All I could see was vengeance and death to those who tormented me.

"You see, I could sense a bit of myself in those chips; they….they imprisoned the me of that world back in the war and they tore me apart into tiny particles to turn humans into vampires and ghouls. I wanted to annihilate the group who killed me so much, I forgot about Kamui completely"

Which wasn't all true, it was Victoria's master that made him forget as well, just like the king did not half an hour ago.

"_Say your prayers little one. Don't forget, my son, to include everyone" _

"_You look creepy sneaking up to someone while saying that"_

"_Ho? And why is that? Because I'm a big bad vampire?"_

"_Nah, you don't scare me, it's just what you were saying and the way you were saying it with that fire in your eyes"_

"_Ah, my cute little Death. I hunger"_

"_Here, bite my throa…ah…."_

Alex shook himself violently, noting Victoria's eyes were burning with misery and hope.

"When I returned from my quest…..Integra had found my TARDIS and….well, she managed to imprison me with equipment she had in her world….she wanted me to become a part of Hellsing and fight my own children of the night…..which I completely rejected and refused to do…..because I was reminded of Kamui and I realized I couldn't stay"

"_You're so young, Death, and so full of hopes. You'll change, you'll see. Old age does that to you"_

_The powerful vampire looked away from his Death his chains. "If you wish to survive your power's long life you must change. You'll find that, whatever you've been once, you'll become the complete opposite of. You'll be a bird of Hermes like me one day. You'll be a monster and not a hero one day. You'll see"_

"_Alucard….I'm so sorry….I forgot…."_

Tears of blood dripped down his cheeks. Alex shut his eyes and burst into silent whimpers "She made me fight your master; if I win I'll get my TARDIS and be free to search Kamui again and if I'll lose….she'll have me as her slave, just like Alucard"

Victoria edged forward on her seat, that horrid feeling growing sour and ice cold at the shallow of her stomach "And….."

Alex leaned his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands "To win…I had to kill your master"

Victoria gasped, clawing at her seat's armchairs powerfully as if awaiting the blow.

"_This 'Kamui'…..he's in your blood, I've seen him, I've looked into his eyes and saw you….he seems….to be able to make you happy._

"_Death, I've seen how you fought them, you were avenging your endless pain…..it's a pain you deserve to heal….and this 'Kamui'…he will make you happy…..and so….._

"_I forgive you…."_

"_I'm so sorry…..Alucard"_

Alex shook the chair he was sitting on; he was sobbing violently as he told the end of the story to the vampire before him.

By the end of it Victoria was in tears as well. She was not as sorrowful as Alex was, she was not gaping in pain, throbbing with her own betrayal as her new master.

She was aflame with rage. She shot to her feet and vanished through the wall of her room, dripping blood tears on the floor on her path.

She burst into Kamui's room, her aura lashing out dangerously.

Will hit her so hard she flailed and sunk into the wall behind her (which belonged to the onmyoujis, who were just interrupted during a rather private session).

When she came back she found the werewolf was grabbed tightly from behind and restrained by Kamui.

"Don't attack her Will, she's far more powerful then you." Kamui spoke softly into his doppelganger's ears "If she has something against me then I probably deserves it. And since I deserve it there's no reason for you to defend me from it"

He let Will go and stepped forward to face the panting vampire.

Victoria's eyes were crazed as they burned into Kamui's, glowing red with anger now rather then the night's influence on her vampire body.

"When he travelled to save your sorry little ungrateful ass he came across my master….in order to get to you he had to kill my master…..**_BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH_**!"

Kamui closed his eyes through the scream and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes again, calm and controlled, he spoke back "I didn't tell Alex to do that"

"Yes you did, you filthy little slag, you told him to come and get you! You lied in his face and told him you _loved_ him!"

"I was still unaware of the nature of my love to Alex, and I was completely convinced that I really loved him"

"No, bitch, you lied to him because he could save you and you were in danger, so you lied to him!"

Kamui gasped. She got it right on the money, hitting his deepest most shameful secret.

Tears came flooding out in crystal rivulets "I…._I didn't ask for his love! I didn't want him to love me in the first place_!"

"**_Bullshit_**! _You seduced him, you cheap slag_!"

Kamui collapsed on the nearby sofa, burying his face in his arm "I didn't! I didn't! I didn't think it'd grow so bad, I didn't think it'd twist like that….I didn't know what I was playing with…..I didn't ask for him to love me _like that_" he burst into such a miserable fit of sobs he knocked both Will and Victoria into shock.

The vampire blinked, fighting to make put some sense into all this new information bombarding her in one miserable night.

"Well" she huffed "well…..then….stop….stop playing with him already, because you see what he'll do for you" her voice was levelled now and calm, despite the tears choking it.

Kamui raised his wet face to her, sobbing "I will, I am….I've learnt my lesson….I know what I've done is wrong"

"Then…..then stay away from him, stay away from me as well; I can't stand the face of you….." she shot back into the wall (thus scaring the onmyoujis just when they began resuming that session fully).

* * *

When she burst back into her room she found it was empty.

Then she blinked the blurring tears away and noticed David standing in the shadows, hunched and anxious.

She burst into his arms, sobbing hysterically again.

As soon as she calmed down again David let her go a little "Alex left something for you, well, a bunch of somethings actually"

She turned around to where David pointed at a table and a bundle sitting atop it in the dark. She walked towards the table and examined the bundle.

Her master's clothing! His burning red coat, his wide brimmed hat, his gloves, the boots, the Victorian suit, the red tie.

His Cassull lay at the bottom of the bundle. Victoria cradled it as if it was a kitten, dripping blood tears on it and endlessly wiping them away as caresses the deadly weapon's body.

David wrapped his arms around her but she shrugged them off. "I-I have to change for a moment….can you leave?...do you want to stay?"

David shrugged "It wouldn't matter to me"

She blinked at that comment and, testing him, began unbuttoning her shirt.

David remained unchanged, blinking at her carelessly.

She removed her shirt and slipped off her skirt.

The undertaker remained unchanged.

She stood before him in her bra and underwear, the moonlight caressing her curved figure.

The fire keeper did not change.

Blinking back the shock, frowning.

Hoping to forget the newly discovered problem, she began putting on her master's items. She changed the leather body suit to a figure-hugging short black dress with too little of a skirt and too much of a neckline.

David walked back towards a chair and resumed his observation from there.

Frustrated, Victoria tied the flaming red tie to her throat where it decorated her slender neck magnificently. Her boyfriend did not seem to register the change.

She threw the heavy coat onto herself and ran her hands up the sleeves. They were too wide for her and a little too long but she didn't care; it only served to symbolize her mourning burden even more.

She slipped the boots on and changed their soles to fit her tiny feet. Then she slipped the gun sling onto her side and placed the immense, heavy gun into it. She put her master's gloves on, and then put the hat on.

She stepped before the mirror in her room. She laughed bitterly; she forgot she couldn't see her own reflection in a mirror. She walked up to David.

"How do I look?"

David scanned her up and down thoughtfully "You look tough and strong. Why are you crying?"

"This is my master's outfit…."

"I know"

"He's dead now…."

"I heard"

"And you wonder why I cry!"

"I am beyond the ability to cry for the dead"

Victoria choked a sob "Then….at least hold me while I cry"

"Always and forever". He held her.

* * *

"Daddy's avoiding me" Andrew swirled the wine in his cup lazily, observing the cup's gold twinkle in the candlelight.

Lestate, sprawled on a large soft sofa in the young man's room, observed the strange boy carefully "Well, he does seem out of place by your side, and I apologise if I'm hurting you while saying it"

Andrew smiled softly "You're not hurting me; I know he's out of place around me. I know why he's avoiding me as well.

"You see" he straightened his back, sitting up in his chair after leaning on the nearby table "I am made of my father's loving ability and his need of love. When I'm there by his side he's incapable of loving as powerfully and as greatly as he does usually, he weakens. He doesn't like the way I make him cold and numb like that"

"Your father's love powers are that great?"

"Not great, simply essential to him. He is addicted to love you see, he needs it like air, like food, like energy. When I'm near him…I bite into his very core….so he avoids me"

"But you've lived with your father before, yes? How did you get along then?"

"Back then he was with someone who gave him love, so he had it coming to him naturally, but now….now he receives love from no one and the gape only makes him more painful"

Andrew frowned suddenly, his eyes losing their focus. He gazed off past the window above Lestate, into the night outside and beyond "Daddy's changed Lestate, why is that?"

"He was fooled by a very beautiful young man whom he loves more then his own life and his own creatures"

"That's not good"

"You're correct, my beautiful friend's beautiful boy, you're very much correct"

"I don't want to meet my daddy here anymore, it'll only cause him more pain" tears rolled down the young man's soft full cheeks "I want him to be happy"

"You and me both my friend, you and me both"

The young man cast his eyes at the vampire at his side "You'll keep him safe Lestate? You'll keep him from falling down, from hurting himself, will you?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that my boy. Your father is beyond repair when it comes to that wretched little brat; he is chained and cuffed.

"He's on a leash, and when he chooses to yank on it and fall there will not be a thing in the world I could do to save him; I'm far too weak to save him"

"Then who will save him?" the boy whimpered.

"His enemies will, they have to"

Lestate caught a glimpse of a man walking past Andrew's door and for a moment his heart skipped a beat when he noticed it was Alex, who might have listened to their conversation.

But it wasn't Alex; it only _looked_ like Alex….damn, that young man looked like Alex….

* * *

Kamui lay sprawled on the sofa where he cast himself after Victoria burst through the wall. He was staring at the dark red floor, musing silently. Will sat on the floor by his feet, looking up to his master.

The werewolf turned his face to the door when he saw a strange looking young man walking into the room, shutting the door silently behind him.

The young man looked vaguely familiar to him, something about his wheat coloured hair and his tightly shut mouth, those ever-exhausted intense eyes….who did he resemble?

"_Fuma_!" Kamui leaped to his feet, rushing straight into the young man's arms.

Will cocked his head curiously. He never met Fuma but from what Kamui told him he'd expect Fuma to look more like Alex. The young man caressing Kamui so vigorously did not look anything like Alex.

"Kamui…."

"Will this is Fuma" his master turned to him, his eyes now running with tears of joy, his hands shaking violently, his voice high pitched with excitement "he managed to somehow sneak all the way up here…**_oh my god_** **_Fuma_**!"

"Shhhh!" the young man clamped his hand on Kamui's mouth "Do you want that damned monster to hear us!"

Kamui's eyes widened. He removed the hand gently from his mouth and threw his arms violently around the young man, leaning forward to catch the man's lips.

The man backed away "Not now Kamui, for god's sake, we have to run away now not fool around!"

"Right! You're right! Come on Will, we're running away!" Kamui chirped, clapping his hands enthusiastically "What's wrong with you Will? Will!"

Will was snarling at the young man, the hairs on his back bristled, making his shirt draw back and cling to his chest "This isn't Fuma Kamui….I don't know who this is but it's not Fuma"

"What! Don't be ridiculous, I know Fuma when I see him and this _is_ Fuma!"

"Kamui!" the young man barked "If the stupid dog wishes to stay here let him, just come with me already before we'll get caught" he grabbed Kamui violently by the arm, yanking the boy to him.

Will was between his master and the young man in fragments of a second, his teeth sunk into the offending arm's flesh, his growing claws scratching at the invader's chest.

Then he recognised the young man….the face he was glaring into so far cleared before him suddenly, as if a veil of fog vaporised away from the face.

Those soft kind eyes, the only eyes ever to look at him with unconditional love pure from blame and anger, the eyes who watched him grow and protected him from those who offended him since puppyhood. The eyes whose meaningful stares replaced the man's forced silence, the eyes he loved so dearly, more then anything and anyone else in his life.

His mouth was not filled with bloody arm flesh anymore, it was gaping at the man before him "C-Captain…..!"

Kamui frowned at the bewildered werewolf and Fuma; what was going on! Will was behaving as if he knew Fuma, but a moment ago he was aggressive towards him as if Fuma was the enemy. What the!

It looks as if whatever Fuma did, he somehow disarmed Will by showing him something. A mask, a mask of someone Will missed, someone Will….

_**Someone Will wanted to see more then anyone else! **_

Kamui knew exactly who could wield that chameleon ability; the Dragon!

The violent electric blow of horror raked through Kamui's body with icy showers down his spine. _The Dragon_ was here, in his room. _The Dragon_ just disarmed his Will, his only line of defence since Alex isn't here.

_Alex!_

Kamui tore the door open, bursting out to the hall outside his room, running in panic "**_HELP ME! HELP ME! THE DRAGON! IT'S HERE!_**"

The Dragon grabbed him by the throat a second later, choking his plea into silence.

A white shiki slashed through the Dragon's arm, opening a nasty deep gush a little under the bite mark Will left there.

A shower of vicious white spinning ofuda rained on the Dragon, knocking him away from Kamui and slamming him against the wall, covering him with a thousand little cuts.

Subaru placed himself before Kamui, ofuda fanned in each palm, his eyes burning green.

"Help me….." Kamui whimpered behind the light onmyouji, his hysteria yanking high pitched whimpers from his mouth "Help me!". He was never quite so petrified, not since his little trick on Alex backfired on him.

The Dragon sent an explosion through the pack of shiki, blowing the two men before him away and slamming them into the nearby wall. He stood there victorious for a while before his scalp was carved into by the claws of a gigantic hawk bearing Seishiro's inverted pentacle.

The black hawk spun in the air and prepared for another attack when a ball of energy blew it into shreds, sending Seishiro to the ground with throbbing magic backlash.

The Dragon took a step forward and found he was surrounded by violently storming flames, hissing and snarling as they reached out to his limbs.

Through the blinding heat Alex stepped up, placing his sword at the Dragon's neck like he did once upon a time in a world far, far away.

"Dragon" Death hissed, his eyes glowing turquoise "I see you never learned when to quit"

The Dragon snarled, blinking away the blood seeping into his eyes from the wounds in his head.

A moment later the wounded head fell to the floor, detached from its body.

The ring of fire died down. David walked away from the hall and back to Victoria's room.

Subaru cast himself onto Seishiro, whimpering begs for his lover to regain consciousness.

As soon as Seishiro opened his eyes again and smiled up to Subaru, the younger man barked at him "Why did you do that! Why did you attack him so powerfully when you knew he could beat you and that the sakanagi would rip you apart!"

"Shhh Subaru-kun, I'm all right now, I'm fine" he hissed as he climbed to his feet again, aided by Subaru and Alex who began tending his wounds "Besides, I hit him so hard because he hit you hard…..it's a new instinct of mine"

Subaru threw his arms around Seishiro and caught the man's lips with a passionate kiss.

"Ah, well, three's a crowd you know." Pulling away from Seishiro violently, Alex turned to Kamui "Are you alright Kamui? Are you hurt?"

Kamui fainted. A moment later he was awake again and shaking so hard Alex had to grab him powerfully to help him stand upright as they walked back to the youth's room. "I'm fine I guess…..I was just frightened out of my wits….the Dragon….what's it doing here!"

"My theory is that he was taken to the Light Side when we were taken to the Dark Side, right after I demolished him"

Kamui pulled away from Death and bent over the toilet seat in his room, letting his dinner go from the blow of the shock.

When he was finished Alex handed his a glass of water, which he gulped down hungrily. Kamui wiped at his mouth and looked around nervously "Damn this stupid dimension! Damn it and its all powerful healing abilities! Damn it to hell!"

"Shhhh" Alex was pulling Kamui to his lap, rubbing his fingers through the silky raven locks.

Kamui squirmed away powerfully "I shouldn't do that; I need to learn to recover things on my own. Go away, now…..please" he climbed to his feet and stormed into his room, shaking Will violently out of his daze.

Alex disappeared from the room, his head heavy with thoughts.

* * *

"Will!" Kamui shook his bewildered werewolf violently "Will! Snap out of it god damn you!"

Slowly, Will turned his dreamy eyes to his master.

Kamui grabbed the youth's broken arm and yanked at it violently until Will whimpered out powerfully.

"Will! Whoever you saw in the Dragon it was from your home world wasn't it?"

Will nodded, growing a powerful blush.

"Do you miss that person? The group he belonged to!"

Will welled up in tears "I might not miss the group he belonged to but I haf the right to miss zat person…." He burst into a sob, covering his face with his healthy hand.

Kamui grabbed that hand and removed it, forcing Will to look him in the eye "Will, that man was very bad"

"No…."

"He was bad Will!"

"_No_! He vas kind, kind to me, he vas the only one who vas kind to me. He vas the only one who didn't lie to me"

"_WILL_! You have to forget him completely if you want to be forgiven, if you ever want to belong again. Forget about him, banish him, immediately!"

Will shook his head, shrugging Kamui off of him and wobbling to a corner in the room. He curled up to a ball there, the way Kamui does when he's deeply hurt, and spent the night crying his pain away.

Kamui was about to say something extremely mean and educating to Will when a knock was heard on the door to his room.

Alex stepped into the room, scanning the crumpled werewolf and the shaking pale boy.

"I need you to come with me for a moment Kamui"

Kamui took a few frightened steps backward, staring at Alex in horror.

"Don't worry, it's me and not the Dragon. Anyway, I hardly think it's me you want to see more then anyone, am I right?" his voice was dripping thick oozy bitterness by the end of his words.

Kamui shook his head and sighed. "What do you need?"

"Nothing too painful"

They were walking side by side down the barracks' corridors on the way to the king's gigantic display room, where Alex asked the king's best blacksmiths and gun makers to meet him.

"Victoria nearly clawed my eyes out today, thanks to your little story time"

"I had to tell her the truth; she was bound to find out eventually. I'm sorry it's you she lashed out on, she shouldn't have"

"No, she shouldn't"

"Kamui…."

"What?"

"There's no need to say rebuking-ly bitching things to me, there's far too many rebuking-ly bitchy things I can say back"

"I'm sorry"

"That's a good boy" they stepped into the huge room.

Kamui gasped, blinking "W-w-wha……What is this place!"

"I know" Alex smiled "kinda kinky, isn't it?"

The king frowned and edged himself towards Alex.

Alex edged away.

"Well Kamui, pick a type of armour and tell these men how many Noters you have in Dragon Valley who will have the new equipment"

Kamui whipped his head to Alex, mouthing silently "Really?"

Smiling, Alex nodded "Oh, and tell them what type of bullets your Noters need because they can make that as well"

Kamui stared at the men before him, laughing nervously "Well….They need M-16 bullets….and some actual M-16s…"

"We can't promise much of the plastic bits of that particular weapon" a man with a long beard of dreadlocks and a heavy Jamaican accent stepped forward, bringing with his a wave of grease smelling air "but we'll do our best with whatever wood we can get" he turned to the rest of the men, who nodded heavily.

Then he turned back to Kamui "What else young man?"

"Uzis too….and…uh….what do they call that other invention of theirs?" Kamui turned hopeful eyes to Alex.

"A Galilee assault-rifle"

"Ah, and bullets to that too please"

"Your Dragon Valley Noters could use a M203 or two"

Kamui blinked "A what now!"

"The grenade launching attachment Kamui"

"Oh….that's what it was"

"Yes Kamui"

"My king!" the immense Blond burst into the hall, walking right past Alex carelessly this time. He bent down and whispered something into his leader's ear.

The king's face fell, his so far amused eyes darkened as they turned to Alex.

"You've killed one of my most promising commanders" he boomed at Death.

"You mean the Dragon, who attacked my convoy" Alex gestured to Kamui, levelling his glare with the king's.

"He did that?" the king seemed unconvinced.

"And even if he didn't you'd still provide us with what Kamui asked, as we agreed earlier"

"I remember no such promise"

"Sure you made it, right after I mentioned how I can snarl and growl a bit….."

Sighing, the king turned to his blacksmiths "Go on men, do your duty." he returned his tired gaze to Alex "Will you stay here until the weapons will be made?"

Alex exchanged looks with Kamui, both unable to come to a decision on the matter.

"It will be an honour for me to accommodate such great warriors with me for more then just one, adventure filled, but short night" the kings meaningful eyes landing on Alex made the decision suddenly simple and clear.

"No, I think we'll finish the night here and scurry away tomorrow morning, but thanks for the offer king. We'll be going now, come on Kamui"

Alex practically dragged Kamui away from the hall and back to their rooms.

"Didn't he…."

"Shut up Kamui"

"But he did, didn't he?"

"Kamui, _shut up_!"

Kamui chuckled, making Alex spin around and face him "What's your problem!"

"Nothing, just that he did it in a really, really obvious and pathetic way that's all"

Alex disarmed his stance and disappeared into his room, muttering various unrepeatable words referring to the king under his breath.

The night was so eventful he didn't notice it was almost morning and he didn't feed the vampires at all today.

He sent his thoughts to seek out Lestate. The vampire assured him that he was not hungry a bit and that his son was keeping him such splendid company that he forgot about feeding completely.

Victoria brushed away his reaching thought tendrils. She refused to speak to him or see him either, no matter how much he knocked on her door and pleaded softly.

She did not speak to him for a very long time afterwards. She was far too deep in her mourn to care for the man who started it all.

(tbc)

* * *

**A.N: **woot! Looky looky, a nice long chapter just like in the old days. I'm so proud . 


	32. The Home Front

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me!

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: ** To my beloved Teko (a nice fatherly side of Alex! I thought I portrayed him as a crap father….hmmm…), to Iwannasleep (Harlo! **_Will is not cute._** Ehem. You should like Vicky-chan, she's just an innocent little girl that's all), to Kizune (I'm sorry. I'm really, really, really, very sorry my dear…..I'm glad your faith in this fic isn't lost yet), and to LadyoftheBlackWings (I read your fic! Did you get my review? Who's screwed up? What's screwed up? Yup, that was K alright there was a Kudo Kazahaya there, the divine Nakago -nosebleed- and the, sexy, Iason Mink –nosebleed2- Crimson Wave? Nani?).

**Author's notes: **Greetings A New World readers, I come to you with news of A New World extras!...well….extra.

I've written an A New World Characters File with information about A New World's original and fandom characters (which aren't X originated that is) and also with lost of info on A New World itself and on The Lost Dimension. I will be publishing it on my Lj (link found in my profile) since it's none-plotted and cannot be published here so go check it out if you wish to know more about this fic!

**Warning: **_mild _lime and _mild_ language.

* * *

**Chapter 32 – The Home Front**

Morning. A sleepy yet energetic Yutu climbs down the stairs to the kitchen, rubbing at his eyes and yawning, before letting the first smile of the day crack his face in half.

A nagging vision lingers on at the back of his mind, reaching out to flash before his eyes as they try to concentrate on placing his feet safely on the stairs before him.

Opening his eyes for the first time this morning and finding an empty bed. The sheets bare the signs of his lover's body, marking his path as he dragged himself out of Yutu's warm embrace and out to the new day. The pillow still crumpled where Seiichiro's head nestles a few minutes ago.

For those who know Seiichiro as intimately as Yutu now knows him the evidence of him leaving bed on his own is a shock.

Despite his hard boiled appearance, his devotion to his work and his life's straight lines of obedience, order and strictness, waking up in the morning is beyond his abilities.

Mornings shed light on Yutu shaking Seiichiro up until the whole bed would tremble.

The few birds nestled on the tree outside their window were often ruffled by the sounds of Yutu screaming at Seiichiro to wake up, his language slowly dragged to the unrepeatable words before finally giving up.

Sorata, whose room's door was next on the corridor to the (currently living in the house) two male lovebirds, was often torn out of his own dreaming-while-walking-down-to-the-kitchen by the sight of Yutu dragging Seiichiro out of the bed by force until the man was up on his feet.

Waking up to an empty bed made Yutu's morning exciting at first. There was a time when, on their days off from the office, Seiichiro would rise early to make them both a breakfast and bring it up to Yutu in their bed. That cause made him wake himself up on his own.

These days waking up to an empty bed besmirched Yutu's cheerful mornings. These days, instead of sitting on the bed's edge and savour the new sun's warmth, Yutu would immediately rise to his feet and shuffle down to the kitchen to see _it_.

The ominous sounds of _it _going on in the kitchen never failed to catch Yutu and rip at his nerves before he got there to get his daily dose of misery.

"Ah! Good morning Arashi-chan! How are you this morning?"

"Good morning to you too Aoki-san…"

"Oh Sorata-kun, sorry, I didn't see you there"

"No it's okay, I understand, I was hiding behind my cup of coffee here, anyone could have missed me…"

"Sorata!"

"Sorry babe"

Yutu walks into the kitchen to share Sorata's hopeless gaze as they both take a glimpse of Seiichiro as if to say "That man…..what is he doing!"

Every morning since the saving food convoy arrived in town and Arashi climbed out of her pregnancy's danger zone, Seiichiro would be by her side whenever he could.

At morning time Seiichiro would be woken by the sounds of Arashi's sleepy feet, ankles swollen by her new weight's burden, and leap out of bed to greet her and ask her how her night was.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes Aoki-san, I slept well"

"Not too many trips to the bathroom I hope"

"……"

"I suppose that by now you've got used to only sleeping on your back or on the side so sleep past comfortably I hope"

"….Yes Aoki-san"

"I slept well too Aoki-san"

Seiichiro takes a swift glance at Sorata across his shoulder and nods quickly, making no comment about that. Instead he waits for Arashi to turn her back and gazes into her coffee cup in it's preparations by her husband.

"Don't fill that spoon too much Sorata-kun, caffeine isn't good for the baby's heart you know"

"How about the baby's mother's heart?" Yutu once bothered to say in the first few mornings of _it_'s happening. Then he didn't bother anymore, Seiichiro ignored him anyway.

Saying "Good morning" to the man he loves was slowly growing to be too much of an effort these days as well, Seiichiro ignored him anyway.

When she slept in her room and not in the Rescue Team's home (which was becoming rarer and rarer these days) Karen would shuffle into the kitchen, shove everyone violently away from her path to the coffee pot. Then, with her coffee secured in her hand (now that food was not so scarce she resumed her breakfast-less breakfasts) and turned around to see who was in the kitchen this morning.

She'd gaze at the abused soon-to-be parents and their newly attached Seiichiro growth and sighed. "Aoki-san…..you'll be late for work"

Only then would Seiichiro tare his gaze from Arashi's belly to look at Karen and blink frantically. Then he'd shoot back up to his room to prepare, brushing past Yutu.

As he brushed past his lover, these last few days, all he would have to say was "Come on Yutu-san, we'll be late"

Yutu sighed and drank his coffee with one shot "So, it's Yutu-_san _again is it?"

He'd turn his back to the kitchen dwellers before any words of empathy and pity would stab him in the back.

Yutu really began hating himself these days. He didn't like Arashi any more. Sorata, the man who knocked her up, was not someone he liked hanging around in either. Though he adored the both of them for their relentless love towards each other and their bravery at tackling what life in this world threw at them, they still posed as the threat to his relationship.

A vision would constantly flash before his eyes as he'd shuffle over to the backyard and the makeshift shower the home dwellers installed, where he would prepare himself for the new day.

The living room one lazy afternoon a few days after the food convoy arrived. Arashi and Sorata are on the big (new) sofa. Sorata's ear is glued to Arashi's round tummy. Arashi's smiling so softy Yutu's heart melts. Sorata's eyes are so big, so sparkly, so happy it lights up the room better then the slowly setting sun.

The baby began kicking, finally, after failing to show the first signs of life through the famine's punishing days of.

Suddenly Seiichiro walks into the vision's range.

"Is….is she kicking?" his voice trembles, choked with tears.

The young couple nods, tears in their eyes.

Seiichiro sits by Arashi, looking down at the belly almost frantically.

Reluctantly, Sorata removes himself from his wife and gestures for Seiichiro to feel a kick himself.

Instead of lying modest fingers on Arashi, instead of placing his whole palm while keeping a safe modest distance between himself and someone else's pregnant wife, Seiichiro dips himself in and places the side of his face on Arashi's tummy at the same position Sorata manned a moment ago.

Slightly awkward, but still too mannered to do anything about it, Arashi shoots a glance at Sorata who smiles empathically. What can they say to the man who lost his wife and little daughter forever?

Seiichiro lingers on for what seems like forever in Yutu's memory, refusing to budge despite Arashi moving uncomfortably and Sorata's polite coughs.

Seiichiro does not budge because he is waiting for the baby to kick.

The baby remains unanimated, as if refusing this strange foster father.

"He kicked a moment ago….he really did…" Sorata rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, eyeing Seiichiro uncomfortably "He gave me a good right hook"

"The baby's taking up for their mother perhaps" Karen's voice comes in from behind Yutu's vision.

Sorata giggles nervously, remembering times when Arashi's love to him was measured according to how much she hurt him by kicking and scratching away his loving attempts of physical contact.

Arashi smiles in Karen's direction and blushes.

"Ah but she's a strong baby, I can feel it" Seiichiro sighs, still attached to Arashi's belly "and finally starting to kick means that she's healthy and fine"

"Really?" Arashi forgets all about her awkwardness and burns holes in Seiichiro's cranium with her hungry for encouragements eyes.

Seiichiro rotates his head so he'll be able to look up at Arashi without removing his ear from her belly. His hair is ruffled by it and his glasses refuse to move from where his head's previous position placed them, which doesn't add to his proper appearance.

"Oh yes, if they kick they're healthy….well….not weakened by starvation that is"

Arashi bursts into silent sobs and cracks out a brilliant smile. Sorata wraps his arms around his wife.

Seiichiro is still attached to Arashi.

"Ne, Aoki-san, let the proud father have a listen won't you"

Seiichiro quivers and shoots a pleading look at Sorata. Immediately he gives up and removes himself from Arashi. He lingers on the couch, looking down on Sorata clinging to his wife with glittering young eyes.

"Ooooh! He kicked! He kicked!" Sorata yelps and removes his palms from Arashi enough to clap wildly.

Yutu closes his eyes and reaches up to the punctured tin pot used as a showerhead. He lets the water poured on him to mingle with his tears.

Every morning, every friggin morning, it's like this. He chokes a sob and reaches for the soap.

Lathering himself, Yutu runs his soaped palm across his torso and shivers. The warm touch, even if it's his own, awakens his loneliness.

It's been so long since Seiichiro touched him. So long since he was touched lovingly.

Their nights grew cold and bitter as soon as the famine made its imprint clearer and clearer in their domain. The more Arashi's pregnancy was in danger was the more Seiichiro spoke of it. The more Seiichiro spoke of it was the more he didn't kiss Yutu; his mouth was too busy.

The more Arashi's pregnancy was in danger was the more Seiichiro tidied up their room, brushing away the jumble of his troublesome thoughts as his hands begged to do something to occupy his mind.

That's when the first signs of just how much Seiichiro changed by Arashi's condition became clear to Yutu.

"When will you learn to _pick your stuff off the floor after you're done with it_ Yutu!"

Yutu gazed up from the book he was reading and blinked innocently at Seiichiro "Eh?"

Seiichiro thrust a guilty bunched up mess of pink and lavender clothes before Yutu's eyes, glaring at the man before him.

"You wear something and wherever you let it fall, that's where you'll let it stay"

"Ah well now, Seii-Seii, you're responsible for at least half of my cast off clothes" he winked, smiling cunningly.

Seiichiro blinked away the mentioning and frowned rebuking at his lover, bending down to pick up Yutu's striped yellow and lily blue tie, casting another scorching glare at Yutu across his shoulder as he rises to place the tie with the rest of the mess.

Yutu waits for Seiichiro to move around close enough and, as soon as the windmaster's bent down again, he reaches out and gives Seiichiro a nice juicy pinch to his rear.

Seiichiro shoots his back straight again and roars something that sound like "_Yutu_!", "_why you_" and "_Don't_!" all jumbled up together.

He then takes the mess and drops it in Yutu's lap with a thud "Deal with this, _properly that is_, I'm sick and tired of cleaning up after you. Honestly, it's like living with a full blown teenager"

Yutu stayed behind to pout and frown and worry, gazing longingly after Seiichiro who walked out of the room looking for the house broom.

Soon everything Yutu left behind where it shouldn't have been, even if it was outside their room, was picked up by Seiichiro and was carried (accompanied by parental rebukes from the windmaster) to where it should have been.

Yutu and Seiichiro had their first lovers' quarrel when Seiichiro disposed of Yutu's favourite tie via the house trash bin to teach the watermaster a lesson in tidying up.

"You did _what_!"

"I'm sorry but barely hanging on the chair's back is not the place for ties in this room, Yutu, and you might as well bother to finally learn it!"

Yutu blinked red blazing rage from sight. He took a deep breath and stroke an elegant annoyed pose "I came into this world with that tie, it's one of the only things I have from home in this retched place"

Seiichiro's lower lip quivered for a moment (a telltale sign that he's thinking of what he lost in their home world) and frowns "Then I guess you'll learn to put things in their proper place now, won't you"

"I'm a grown man Seiichiro, I do not need to be treated like some insolent brat"

"Insolent brats are what insolent brats do" Seiichiro folded his arms on his chest and walked out of the room to help fix the table for dinner.

Yutu walked to the garbage bin and cracked his whip at it to drop it on its side. He kneeled in the garbage juices soaked earth and rummaged through the rubbish. He pulled the tie out of the foul pile and embraces it to his chest.

This tie was a birthday present from Satsuki, an order she made from some American website she used Beast to fool into thinking she paid for the gift with a non-existing credit card.

A memory of the touch of the foreign wrapping paper burnt at Yutu's fingertips as they felt the tie's damp fabric he held to his chest.

Kanoe added her own gift to Satsuki's with a pair of shiny fancy shoes from a very expensive, very stylish shop uptown.

The image of Kanoe vanished from Yutu's memory like a faded shade. All he could see when he thought of her was the image of a cast off blanket she shed on her way from their steaming bed to the shower, the fabric pouring lazily from the chair where it was perched, down to the smooth black marble floor, reflecting the soft light above with it's expensive satin quality.

Tears scorch at the rims of his eyes. Blinking, he makes the roll out and flow down his cheeks.

The smell of the garbage all around him is beaten away by a sweet odour of lavender and daisies. Yutu looks up to see Blue Fairy in her canoe, waiting for him in the silent heavy night. The moon above shines down on her, making the bright blue of her outfit beam and her transparent wings to glitter like a billion stars.

Climbing to his feet, Yutu wobbles over and steppes onto her vessel, collapsing on its floor.

With his arm dangling above the ground she hovers over, his head laid sideways on the edge of the canoe, Yutu winces at the sight of a small scrawny shadow crawling over to the pile of poured trash, sending a child's skeleton palms to rummage it in search of food.

"Don't look Love" sweet silver bells sing to him "you've had your share of despair and pain for one night"

Yutu's sobs echo in the gently blowing wind as the canoe speeds on towards Venuses' field.

Venus lies in a heap of daisies, rising up to welcome her Love.

Leaning on his home's doorframe, Jacob keeps an eye on his wife and the approaching watermaster.

As soon as Venus's arms encircle him Yutu sinks into overwhelming warmth and softness. He closed his eyes and rests. Then he burst into tears and embraces Venus back.

Yutu washes away the last trails of soap from his body, stops the water's flow and grabs at his towel to dry off.

Walking back to the home he rubs at his eyes to feel how scorching they are. He can always say they're red because he got soap in his eyes; that's the biggest plus of taking a morning showers these days. No one will suspect he was crying again and no one will pester him with mercy which will only serve to remind him of just how miserable he is.

* * *

Yutu made it a habit to take the new undertakers' lunches to them personally. Walking up to them with a trey of cool drinks and sandwiches gave him a good excuse to both check up on Fuma and catch a breath of fresh air after being in the office choking on Seiichiro's co-workers-and-nothing-else attitude towards him.

"Lunch's here!"

"Ah, and what is it today office man?" Jacob trots over merrily. His earth covered hands reach out to two sandwiches; one immediately stuffing his mouth with the food and the other hiding the second sandwich in his pant's pocket.

"Well there's tuna salad, egg salad and salami" Yutu beams merrily, trying his best to not jot his eyes to the number on Jacob's sandwich hiding hand.

Jacob's face turn grey, his eyes scrutinize Yutu's face suspiciously "What's this white stuff in the salami sandwiches?"

"Cream white cheese"

Jacob slaps the salami sandwich in his hand ungracefully back on the trey, shooting a glare at Yutu.

"I'll eat those" Fuma reaches out to the banished sandwich and bows shortly at Yutu "idatakimasu"

Yutu beams at Fuma while trying to ignore Jacob's rants in the background as the chief undertaker keeps glaring at Yutu while munching on his lunch.

When he was still in the city, Yutu asked Alex what Jacob meant in a particular speech he memorized the last time he spent some time with Venus.

Alex looked a little surprised, a cunning smile sneaking up the edge of his lips.

"What? What's he saying about me?"

Reluctantly, Alex answered him "He calls you a dumb blond and…well….a gentile"

"Just a gentile, nothing else?"

Alex looked away and tried very hard to stop himself from smiling.

"Alex, what's he saying about me?"

"I will not translate what he says regarding you being a gentile; I will only say that it refers to your mother's occupation and a certain, rather unhealthy dog involved in the process of making you….."

Yutu blinked and gaped.

Yutu blinked and looked at Fuma squatting by the half covered third mass grave, a sandwich in one hand and a glass of cool lemonade in another.

"How are you doing Fuma-san?"

Fuma frowns as he looks up at Yutu and a drop of sweat leaks down the side of his face "You're referring to me as 'san' now? How come?"

"Well, you've seemed to have matured much this past few months"

Fuma's eyes darken.

"I mean, you've always been far too mature for your age, ever since I can remember you but since you became Justice you've…well, became a man really"

"You don't remember _me_ Yutu-san, you remember the Dragon"

"Ah, not quite so Fuma-san, if you'll recall the first time you walked into a kekkai and glared hell's fire onto me and poor defenceless Sorata"

A smile begged Fuma's lips to comply, failing to do so after a short spasm of small twitches "Yeah I remember that. I thought 'what on earth's going on! Who did all this mess!'"

"A ha ha ha! Oh, the death glare you gave us, it gave me the chills even now"

Jacob walked over to Yutu and refilled his empty cup from the jug with which's content Yutu played using his powers. "Next time, bring something kosher for god's sake!"

"It was mayonnaise Jacob-san" Fuma sighed, sending an offhanded rebuking look at Yutu.

Jacob shot raging glares from one man to another before snatching the last (salami) sandwich off the trey and sniffing out it's content "It is mayonnaise!" he cried.

"I'm sorry…..it was a joke"

Poking the sandwich in the air towards Yutu's nose, Jacob snarled "Trying to prevent a man from his food is never a joke, you hear me?"

"Yes sir, I'm really very sorry sir"

Jacob huffed and walked away from Yutu, feeling out his pocket to make sure the three sandwiches he placed there are safe and sound.

"He eats into my share you know" Fuma exclaimed, following the chief undertaker with his weary eyes "and you know what that means?"

"No, what?"

"It means he wishes to eat me into starvation"

"I think it's more of a habit then some kind of understated threat"

Fuma got up to refill his glass "Habit? What kind of a habit is that! Why keep it even now when there's food in abundance?"

"….Fuma-san….you should try to understand these people"

Fuma emptied his glass with one long swig, his Adam's apple dancing up and down his sweaty dirty neck, and slammed the glass back onto the trey "I don't _want_ to understand these people" he stormed away from Yutu, violently tearing his shovel out of the pile of earth it was stuck in as he walked towards Jacob.

"It not Jacob you're talking about, is it Fuma-kun?" Yutu sighed "Do as you wish, you're only making matters worse like this but why listen to me? Who am I anyway?"

He walked into his office and plopped down into his chair, casting miserable glances at Seiichiro whose head was buried amidst piles of papers "Who indeed?"

* * *

The day was hot and humid and the sun beating down on the house made the rooms within it into small ovens.

Yutu walked into his room after lunch and tore the windows open. It didn't help.

Clawing at his tie (the old one he rescued from the garbage, now clean and ironed) Yutu huffed and undressed until he was wearing nothing but his boxers.

He cast himself on the bed and kicked away anything that might radiant heat back into him, the pillow and the blanket along with the duvet.

Seiichiro walked into the room and worked his powers to fill the room with refreshing breeze.

Seizing this golden opportunity, Yutu twisted himself seductively on the bed, rubbing a lazy finger down his sweaty torso "Mmm, so refreshing. Thank you S-e-ii-chan"

Loosening his tie, Seiichiro cast a glance at the man on the bed and immediately averted his eyes.

Yutu learned that this was not something against him but simply an old habit Seiichiro probably brought into this world since he was old enough to spot innuendo when he saw it.

Seiichiro walked over to the window and removed his jacket (folding it neatly and placing it in its place on the clothes rake where the clothes in need of washing wait for their laundry turn).

Yutu got off the bed and walked up to Seiichiro, wrapping his arms around his lover while unbuttoning his shirt. He brought his lips to the windmaster's ear and purred "Make love to me"

Seiichiro turned around, his hands instinctively landing on Yutu's waist. Behind the dusty lenses of his glasses Seiichiro eyes cloud with need as they travel from Yutu's bright green orbs to his lips.

Oh yes, let there be light and fire and passion, be my Seii-Seii again.

They kissed, wrapping their arms tightly around each other despite the heat it produced in the nagging warm air around them.

Taking tumbling steps backwards while tilting his head back to allow Seiichiro better access to his neck, Yutu dragged the both of them back onto the bed.

They landed on the mattress with a thud and began undressing each other frantically.

It's been so long since they last made love, the need of both was aching to give itself release.

Downstairs Arashi and Sorata walked into the house after a check-up visit at the infirmary (Charlie chirped happy news of the baby's good progress and gave them both a hugs while they cried happily).

The sound of the shutting door tore Seiichiro's head from Yutu's chest.

"Seii-Seii?"

The watermaster leaped off the bed, scooping his neglected clothes from the floor and throwing them back on quickly.

"What's wrong? Where are you going? What did you hear?" Yutu flipped to lie on his belly, reaching out as if to grab his escaping lover as he dashed out of the room.

Through the open doors, the sounds of conversation leaked into Yutu's ears.

"Arashi-chan! How was the trip to the doctor's? What did he tell you? Is everything alright?"

Yutu couldn't hear Sorata chirping his merry answer; depression stifled his senses.

He pulled himself off the bed and waddled over to the door, which he slammed so powerfully the ceiling showered him with plaster powder and bits of torn paint.

After thinking about it for a few minutes, Yutu threw his undershirt on and stormed out of his room in boxers, startling Kazuki in his skimpy outfit as he brushed past her on the way to the house's main door.

Vash caught up with him halfway to the daisy field.

"Listen man, I know its hot today but….dude, your package's visibly swingin' around in those boxers"

"So! Let the world see my package! Maybe this way I'll attract someone to fool around with, someone who's not deranged by parental hormones!" he kicked at a patch of daisies, ripping a few little white and yellow heads and casting them into the air.

He collapsed on the ground, kneeling, and banged his head into the ground several times before Vash's gloved hands grabbed his shoulders to stop him from doing it more.

With the soft warm light falling into them, Vash's eyes became two clear bright turquoise pools as they stared softly at Yutu.

Love let a sly smile sneak up his lips. His hands, which clawed at Vash's red covered padded shoulders miserably, now trailed the broad shoulders, down the arms and up the wide chest.

"You're such a handsome man really, Vash, I always wondered why no one finds their way into your arms"

Vash frowned worriedly, shaking his head gently "Y-Yu….don't…."

Yutu shot angry golden brows up his sweaty forehead "Oh? Why not? Am I that appalling?" he shot to his feet, walking backwards angrily "Are you like that little tight ass wind breaking asshole?"

"Hah, wind-breaking, that's a good one….I mean no, I'm not it's just that….well….you're desperate and heartbroken and that's…..just something you'll have to get over, but not in _this_ way…."

Yutu stopped, bending his back a little, letting his arms dangle down limply "Heartbroken! _Heartbroken_! I'm Love, you'd think I'd know when I'm heartbroken and I'm definitely not _that_!"

Vash shrugged and climbed to his feet.

"Bitter much, but not heartbroken. Being heartbroken is caused by a relationship ending you know"

"And yours didn't?"

Storming forward, Yutu charged at Vash, pushing him violently backwards.

Vash did not fight back, nor did he grab Yutu's hands to stop him from pushing him again and again and again until Love collapsed to the ground with squeaking sobs.

"I'm really, very sorry Yu…."

Yutu wiped his tears and looked up at his bodyguard, smiling softly "That's okay, you really shouldn't. It's not your fault or anything….I know a relationship when it's dying….I just need to stop living in denial…"

Soft pads behind them told them of Venus walking up to them. She knelt by her Love and wrapped a delicate arm around his sweaty shoulders.

"You can stay at my home tonight if you want to…."

Yutu embraced her back and patted her head softly "That's okay Venus, but I'm afraid your husband might burn me alive if I so much as lay one foot in your house"

"I can talk to him, he'll understand"

"Oh but I can't…."

"Love" Blue Fairy sat down on Yutu's other side, placing a soft gloved palm on his knee "it will help you to be amongst us; it strengthens you and will help you feel better"

Yutu looked from her, to Vash, to Venus and finally at the flowers under him, musing.

"Okay. But I won't be sleeping in your place Venus, I'm still a bit weary of your husband….can I stay with you tonight Vash-san?"

Vash opened his mouth and immediately closed it.

Blue Fairy gave the gunman an educating look, cocking her head a bit.

"But I'm staying in Alex's room….and there's only one bed there…."

"You can make another bed Vash, you're made like that" Venus beamed at him.

"What? No, I mean….it's a bed man, it's not like I can just _make_ it out of thin air"

"Yes, you can Vash"

"No I can't!"

"I'll be a good boy Vash, I promise" Yutu smiled pleadingly.

"Okay. But bring something nice from your house, Yuzuriha makes such fine cookies and only on the evenings when Karen's home to glare at me"

"I'm sure she won't glare at you if you won't ogle at her…."

Vash burst into wild high pitched giggles "It's not me man, it's those things she wears"

Yutu sighed and got up, walking back to his house while giving Vash a manly pat to the back as thanks.

Love's creatures stared after him worriedly.

"H-he….he seems to be falling apart a bit these days…" Venus mumbled as she followed her Love with her eyes.

"Don't worry, it's just a heartache, it'll pass as quickly as it came if his last relationship's end is any example" Fairy encouraged her.

"Yeah but….I don't know, this one seems to run deeper then the Ferret affair"

"As long as we're here for him he'll be alright" Vash joined the girls, smiling down at the encouragingly.

"By the way" Fairy straightened a soul searching gaze at Vash "what was he talking about before?"

"Nothing!"

"Vash"

"Yes Venus?"

"You need to realize what you are and what you can do with it"

"……nnnn"

"The faster you'll do that the better you'll be in serving Love"

"……."

* * *

Karen and Seiichiro sat in the living room when Yutu walked into the house. He stopped to observe them.

Scattered pieces of fabrics lay all around them on the sofa and the coffee table. All were in bright cheerful pastel colours and all were brand new from the rolls which with the food convoy.

Karen was busy cutting duckling shapes in a bright yellow fabric while Seiichiro struggled to thread a string through a needle's hole.

Judging by the intense look in Seiichiro's eyes and the obviously childish theme of the fabrics the two dealt with, Yutu guessed the task they were occupied by.

By the way Karen frowned a little and shot short glances at the man by her side, Yutu predicted a fight was about to break and saw this as an opportunity to shoot his thrashing, dying relationship it's merciful deadly bullet.

Noting Karen picked a green fabric to sow the ducklings onto Seiichiro reached out to snatch it out of her grasp "Don't do the curtains in green, they should be in pink, everything should be pink"

Karen stared at Seiichiro, distancing the fabric from his reach in the meantime "Why? The baby's age is unknown until its birth"

"Well it should be pink"

"Why? Do you think it's going to be a girl? There are fifty percent chances it might be a boy"

"Don't refer to the baby is an _it_ and choose a pink fabric Karen-san"

"Green is unisex Seiichiro. It's also the colour of a kekkai and Sorata said it'd make Arashi more confident with this colour"

"Here" Seiichiro picked up a lovely soft pink fabric from the table and tried to replace the cloth in Karen's hand with it "this is a lovely piece isn't it? It's a shame to waste it"

"Aoki Seiichiro! Would you listen to yourself? The _father of the baby_ asked me to choose a green fabric. Jesus Christ, would you stop that!"

"Don't bother Karen" Yutu stepped into the scene "his ears are plugged with obsession, his eyes are blind with derangement"

Seiichiro's eyes blazed hell as he glared at Yutu "_What_!"

Shrugging, Yutu climbed up the stairs to his room "I've said what I've said and I'm not taking it back"

Seiichiro shot to his feet and dashed after the watermaster.

He tore the door of his room open, stormed in, and slammed it shut behind him "What on earth are you talking about Kigai!"

Yutu spun on his heels powerfully, eyes already streaming with tears "I say it as I see it; you're obsessed with…."

"That is _not_ true…."

"Arashi and Sorata's baby, oh no wait, you only register Arashi…."

"Now hang on there mister…."

"Or, more like a certain part of Arashi, you're not even referring to her as a person anymore do you…."

"Kigai…."

"Don't you understand Seiichiro! You're maddened by your grief! You're…."

Seiichiro raised a threatening finger at Yutu "Do not talk of what you don't know…."

"You think stalking those poor kids…."

"You never had a child, never stopped screwing around to settle down and behave like a decent human being, you never loved like I…."

"_I loved plenty of people, with all of my heart_!"

"No Kigai, you were a playboy and nothing more while I….."

"At least I wasn't a boring office jerk…."

"I worked hard to put bread on my family's table, ever had that kind of goal in your life! I don't think so, not while you slept around with women twice your age and girl half of it…."

"I _did not_ sleep with Satsuki, our relationship was far deeper then that and _do not talk about what you don't know_! Fuck this; I shouldn't have told you about it, you didn't really hear half of it…"

"Your life was empty Kigai, while mine were filled with meaning and love…."

"You're a real asshole Seiichiro you know?"

"You're in no position to tell me anything about anything, you miserable little old playboy"

"Old! At least I don't behave it, you starch-brained geek"

"Well maybe you should, maybe you'll discover a few brain cells you didn't know you had before while you're at it"

By now Yutu was trembling with rage, frustration and despair. His last hope of somehow patching things up with Seiichiro by this wake up talk crashed violently before his eyes and turned into a sour, twisted acid of disappointment.

"Look at me Seiichiro…_look at me_! I'm crying, because of you…"

Seiichiro inspected the man him shortly before walking past him and sitting on the chair facing their room's window.

After a moment of silence broken only by Yutu's miserable sobs, Seiichiro spoke.

"I made a mistake with you Yutu-san….a mistake I'm very sorry about, but a mistake nonetheless"

Yutu stifled a squealing sob, clenching his fists powerfully.

"I-I shouldn't have given in to you so quickly, shouldn't have tried to forget while using you to distract myself….I'm really, very sorry"

Yutu remained sobbing and whimpering for a few minutes. When he calmed his breath enough to speak he turned to Seiichiro "D-did you (hick) did you ever l-lo-(hick) did you ever lo-love me?"

Seiichiro inclined his head to the side so he could see Yutu at the edge of his sight "…..Yes, I did….very dearly….but apparently I did not bother to get over my past before creating any kind of future"

Huffing a strange kind of sobbing laughter, Yutu smiled "Then you loved me…..you did love me at some point…..didn't you?" his vision was constantly blurred by tears which did not stop. Locating Seiichiro's general direction was made by a mere guess.

Seiichiro bent his head and turned it back to the window, choosing to remain silent.

Moving slowly, still sobbing and hiccupping, Yutu began collecting his belongings from the floor, the bed, the table and the closet of their newly broken nest.

He made sure no one was in the corridor and in the living room before he stepped out of the house and took a ride with Blue Fairy to the Rescue Team house.

* * *

Karen, who fled to the Rescue Team's living room as soon as she heard shouts from Yutu and Seiichrio's room, opened the door to a weeping, quivering Yutu.

She snatched him into her arms and dragged him to a sofa without uttering a word besides soothing coos. She sat him down and ran her hand from his head to his back with long soft caresses, planting an odd chaste kiss on the top of his head before laying her head on his. She rocked him back and forth softly, making small soothing noises into his whimpers and sobs.

The door to the house opened and a man Yutu clearly remembered seeing taken out to the graveyard after a failing treatment in the infiramry, stepped into the living room. His eyes burnt in turquoise and his aura, as he walked towards them and sat besides Yutu, was Death's.

The zombie wrapped his arms around Love and remained silent. His body showed no signs of decay, regenerating into a state as if he was alive again, radiating soothing human warmth onto the weeping Love in his arms.

Between the two pressing bodies, Yutu gave into the despair and misery he fought to hide and repress all this time.

"I want my daddy…" he whimpered between one sob and another some two hours later, as he lay on the sofa within comforting arms, in a complete trance of emotional outlet "I (hick) daddy….my daddy…"

Yutu collapsed into a comatose sleep, giving in to exhaustion.

The zombie carried Love in his arms to Vash's room and, together with Karen, neatly tucked the sleeping man. They puffed up the pillow before placing Yutu's heavy head on it and wrapped the blanket tightly around his weary body.

Vash stepped in, his eyes glowing pink as he walked up to the bed to sat by Love's sleeping figure. He placed a hand on the man's shoulder and rubbed it gently. He turned to two in the room "It's alright; I'll look after him from now. Thank you for being there for him, now it's time for us Love things to care him"

The Zombie nodded and exited the room. Karen lingered on, hanging worried eyes at the man on the bed.

"Don't worry honey bunch, he's safe now"

Karen resisted the urge to kick Vash's head in for referring to her like that, and instead walked out of the room to cool off a bit.

She can always do it in another time and pretend it's because he stared at her chest again…

* * *

Arashi and Sorata were hanging the laundry in the backyard. Seiichiro followed them with his eyes, tears obscuring his vision from time to time before rolling down his cheeks.

Yutu is right; he is becoming an obsessed, horrible stalker, driven by his uncontrolled grief and sorrow.

He is a burden to this house a shameful excuse of a man. He is not behaving like a respectable human being. He should stop it.

Playing with a whisk of a wild idea, Seiichiro leaned out of the window to size up the distance from the windowsill and the ground below.

Ridiculous. It will only add more shame to his name.

No, he will spare this house of his existence, but not like this. He will leave and go out to travel this world, in search of inner peace if not to keep himself from harming people around him anymore.

He packed up a small bag of clothes, a blanket and a pillow, and walked down to the kitchen to grab as much food and cooking utilities as he could carry with him.

Yuzuriha spotted him in the kitchen as she stood there, contemplating what to make for dinner.

She followed his moves around the kitchen silently.

Noticing her, Seiichiro stopped to beam a weary apologetic smile at her.

"You're leaving, aren't you?"

"….Yes….I'm sorry if I'm troubling you"

"You do trouble me, saying goodbye to yet another relic of my old life is a sad thing for me to do"

Seiichiro bowed deeply, taking a deep breath to keep himself from crying in front the youth.

"But you need to go, don't you?"

Seiichiro nodded.

"Then good luck" she walked towards the watermaster and hugged him tightly "I hope you'll find what you're looking for"

"Thank you. I love you Yuzuriha-chan, I love all of you. And I'm so very sorry"

Removing herself from the man's arms, Yuzuriha wiped the tears she shed and beamed a brave smile up to Seiichiro, nodding.

Seiichiro shouldered his bag and walked out through the front door, heading towards the forest and beyond.

(tbc)


	33. Beauty

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **To my beloved Teko whom I love and cherish and wait for her return from the land of No Computer –sob-, to Kizune (why wouldn't you like Yuuto, what wrong did he ever do to you? Death finding happiness….well…errr….you see….eh…..), to Iwannasleep (yes, Will is indeed a kamui with ears and a tail and…oh yeah, a swastika…so, no, not all that cute to me anyway ), and to LadyofTheBlackWings (a resemblance that leads to another group of characters? Who? Yay! She waits for every chapter!).

Also many great thanks to Feath-chan for stepping up to the 30 Chapter Thingie! If you wish to read her stuff it's on my LJ

**Author's Note: **I'm so sorry it took me so long to update this fic but I had a gazillion things to do what with the new job and a small fiction crisis and….many other things. Anyways these days me and the lovely, amazing beta Cait-hime-sama-dono, to make A New World a better edited, much less Gary Stue fic then it currently is let's all cheer on her and a better A New World!

* * *

**Chapter 33 – Beauty.**

From the large planes filled with scattered agricultural fields and small peaceful villages, the Light Side became a crowded forest. This forest, unlike its Dark Side twins so looming and dark, was bright and charming, even magical.

The trees were tall and lush, covered by creepers hanging lazily from one tree to the next like wedding altar decorations, their roots creating beautiful little niches filled with mushrooms and flowers. Here the forest floor was covered by a carpet of moss and clovers which left behind the footprints of the riders as they stomped on them.

Creeks flowed gently between the trees, on the banks of which amphibian mammals of strange appearances fished or basked. Shallow pools of cool water were edged by flower beds and an amazing collection of herbs David used for seasoning the riders' meals.

Early morning's sunshine piercing through the thick canopy shone down on the riders as they began preparing themselves for another day's ride.

Kamui and Subaru sat on moss covered boulders and brushed each other's hair. Their hair, they've noticed, grew to quite a length since they've last been in a place were decent barbers lived. Kamui's hair reached his shoulders now and had to be tied at the back of his neck to keep him from getting too hot. Subaru's hair was just about the same length.

Subaru asked Alex for a pair of scissors to fix Seishiro's hair (which didn't grow that long as much as it began growing grey) and decided that while he was at it he might do Kamui's air as well.

Feeling his newly exposed neck, Kamui turned to Subaru, "Do you want me to cut your hair Subaru?"

Subaru contemplated on that. He no longer needed the old haircut that resembled Seishiro's style, so how will he cut his?

"Yes but…don't cut too much on the front and at the back. Oh, and leave some here," he grabbed two locks at his cheeks, "leave these long."

Kamui nodded and waited for Subaru to readjust his sitting position so his back will be to him.

As he trimmed Subaru's hairs Kamui turned to the werewolf by his side, "Do you want your hair cut too Will? It's starting to grow quite wild now."

Will felt around his ear where Alex' blow left him bald. The hair there began growing now but it was still a bit short and out of shape. The rest of his hair was starting to stick out at odd angles; it didn't grow downwards like Kamui's, it grew sideways. His hair was also a little rougher then Kamui's silken locks; another proof of his canine-mixed genes.

"Okay, but only on ze sidez so it von't grow so funny like"

Kamui shot a smile at his pup and resumed his cutting.

On the corner of his eye Kamui could pick up the light beams dancing on the ground as thin tree branches swung gently with the wind. The pure white flash moving softly on the edge of the tiny clearing they camped at caught Kamui's attention; this was no light beam! Something was watching them, its body reflecting the sunshine.

Alex noted it too, Kamui realized, as he turned around to check on Death.

Alex, who was busy drying out the ink on the latest piece of map he worked on, stood above the slowly dying fire where David prepared everyone's breakfast, and pretended to do what he was doing so far.

Kamui could tell Alex was pretending because he noted Death's moves were a lot stiffer and his eyes darted from the map to the forest where the flash appeared over and over again.

Alex folded the map slowly, keeping his movements slow and soft, returned to his tent to place the map amongst the rest of its kind, and walked out again. He walked into the onmyoujis' tent and brought Seishiro out with him.

The two men stood at the entrance to the tent and pretended to have a conversation while constantly eyeing the edge of the forest from which they were being watched.

By then, Kamui noted with disappointment, the flash had disappeared.

Finished with his barbering duties, Kamui dusted the hairs from Subaru's back and tapped the onmyouji on his shoulder to tell him he's done.

"May I have a mirror for a minute Alex?" Subaru climbed to his feet while feeling his new hairline.

Alex placed a finger on his lips and raised his palm in the air, signaling the two to stay still and be quiet.

Seishiro eyed the forest openly now with suspicious eyes.

"Come on" Kamui pulled Subaru's sleeve, "I've got a mirror in my tent. Leave them alone, they're busy hunting or whatever."

Shrugging, Subaru followed Kamui.

"Come on," Alex patted Seishiro's back "we're going to sniff out what that thing was."

"Shall I bring my bow and quiver?"

Alex mused at that, "No don't; if there is something in these woods I don't think it'll need any weapons against it. This whole side is far too goody-goody for our instincts. Whatever it is, if we'll need to fight it, surely won't be bad enough to deserve our weapons."

Will trotted over to Seishiro's side, hanging on the man's sleeve, "I vant to come along please."

Alex growled.

Seishiro gave Death and pleading stare, "An extra sniffing nose won't hurt us."

Alex glared at him.

Will cowered.

Seishiro tilted his head sideways a bit.

Alex turned his piercing glare at the werewolf, "Keep yourself at a safe distance from me, mutt."

Will whimpered miserably but his tail was wildly swinging in the air.

* * *

The flash of light gave its chasers quite a hard time.

It moved extremely fast, leaping on tree tops from time to time and often staying on the limbs to make Death's men think it had disappeared.

Eventually, as it realized it was not going to be left alone, it began leading them in circles to try and exhaust them.

Indeed, Seishiro began slacking behind, whizzing a bit, but in no way was he ready to give up.

Finally it began leading its chasers back to their own camp, where it stopped.

The flash of light walked into the tiny clearing slowly, gracefully, and stopped in the middle of the camp near the already extinguished fire.

Death's riders blinked at the strange being before them. It was a young fair man dressed in a flowing robe of silken grey. His bright hair grew to the middle of his back, braided around the man's ears and at the back of his neck in a charming arch, decorated with pears and thin ribbons of silver.

Silver were the man's eyes, the gracefully designed collar of his shirt and the beautifully designed rings and bracelets to his long slender fingers and his delicate arms.

The young man's face were a masterpiece of beauty, with high set cheekbones, a small sweet nose and lush rosy lips. His eyes were large, his eyebrows thin and delicate, his skin pale but not unhealthy. He had pointy ears.

"An elf!" Alex blurted out without thinking.

The young man nodded with a charming smile. Something about him reminded everyone of Lestate.

"There are elves here!" Alex went on mumbling "Great, just brilliant."

"You have resentment against us man?" the elf asked, his voice like the sweet burble of the nearest stream's waters.

"Not in particular, no. It's just when we begin to think this place is too good to be true we find _elves_ here…"

"Is there a wrong in our presence?" the magical creature asked.

"No," Alex started moving uneasily, "…it's just too good to be true, that's all."

The elf turned away from Death and scanned the men gathered around him. "You are the group of bandits who rode here from the Dark Side are you not?"

"We are," Alex answered him, "and we are not bandits."

"No, you are adventurers." The elf said slowly, in thought.

"We're not that either."

The elf smiled to himself, "We see it differently. The likes of you we haven't seen walk through these woods since the Prince himself."

Kamui shuddered. Something cold shot through his spine like an electric bolt. He turned around to seek what might have caused it and saw nothing.

Alex felt a sudden strange heat in his chest and frowned. A flash of extreme anger rushed in his mind and he did not know why. He wished to make the elf get to the point of his peeping at them. "So, why were you spying on us, elf?"

The elf seemed taken aback by the harshness of Alex's words. "I came to see what you might need of us so we may prepare for you. Tell me, have you any amongst you who are badly wounded?"

Death's riders looked at themselves, then at the others around them and shrugged, mumbling in confusion.

"We're all perfectly fit, why would you ask about wounded men?"

"That is what the Pr…ah, never mind, you are all fit and well. Then I will bid you farewell." He took a few steps back towards the forest where Alex stopped him.

"I assume you have a city where you live, elf?"

The creature nodded.

"Good, then we'll use your accommodation services for tonight if you don't mind." Alex motioned for his riders to start packing themselves up.

"We give our accommodation services only to those who are wounded sir." The elf insisted, his voice suddenly not as gentle as before.

Alex beamed at him cynically, "Doesn't matter, we're coming anyway. I assure you we won't be of any bother and we will not cause any of you harm."

The elf frowned and shook his head a bit, "I'm afraid I cannot lead you to our city."

"Please don't make me threaten you; I'm tired of snarling at people."

"But you are impure." The elf cried, pointing at Seishiro and to David who was piling his pots and pans.

"You know what I think you should do with that finger, pointy-ears?" David spat angrily.

Alex motioned him to stop.

Seishiro smirked happily and carried on loading his horse with the tent Subaru folded up by then.

Alex placed a soft hand on the elf's fragile shoulder, "Please don't test our abilities, young master elf; all we wish is to see the beauty of your city and rest in it for a while. We have been riding non-stop for the past few months and are exhausted. Surely you could call this a need of healing?"

The elf shot his glittering eyes from the two offenders he pointed at, back to Alex (at whom he frowned even more) and finally at Subaru and Kamui.

He sighed "I will bring you to my city but if my lady refuses your stay I'm afraid even your greatest efforts will not bring you in."

"Thank you."

* * *

"You're joking right?" Kamui cried, shattering the serene scene into which they were invited.

The young elf brought Death's riders into a magnificent city of gray stones and golden leaved trees. Staircases spiraled around trees, canopied beautifully by perfectly carved stone arches, leading all the way up to enchanting buildings leaning on tree limbs and embedded within the plants themselves.

The forest floor under the trees were well trimmed gardens of vast lawns and shrubs planted in circles or batches according to the colors of leaves and flowers on the plants.

Elves roamed the ground and the building around them, staring at the riders and immediately glancing away gracefully.

But before they will walk into the city itself they were stopped by a band of heavily armed elves who inspected them from the content of their pockets to the contents of their bags.

The elf who led them to his city fled from the gate and hurried to one of the larger building, located between the branches of a tree bent above a beautiful stream and a fancy bridge carved above it.

Death's riders then waited for whoever was supposed to welcome them to come and do so. They sat on the rocks around the gate and eyed the guards suspiciously.

"Why don't we just barge in like we did in the women's palace?" David grunted, poking at the ground angrily with a stick.

"Because these are elves; they may look all gentle and fragile but they're actually quite a race of warriors. They can wield magic as well so if we piss them off they'll give us a hard time and then run away with everything we might need from them."

"They look awfully feminine," Seishiro said, "tell me, the one who led us here, was that a he or a she?"

Alex sniggered, "A he."

"How do you know?"

"A wild guess, I'm not quite sure myself though he was a bit too 'flat' to be a she."

"And what do you think I am?" a deep woman's voice rang around the gate.

The speaker was a tall elf who was definitely a female (she wasn't 'flat'), dressed even more lavishly then the elf who brought them here, decorated by far more artifacts of enchanting silver a part of which was a crown. She had large piercing blue eyes which leaped from one Death' man to another as if reading their very souls and long curling blond hair.

"You are a lady." Alex bowed his head a little and motioned for his men to get up and pay their respects to this elf.

"I am Galadriel…"

This is when Kamui burst in with his "You're joking right?". He walked all the way up to the queen and glared at her, doubtfully "Galadriel from Lord of the Rings! You've got to be kidding"

"I assure you that I am Galadriel though I have never heard of this 'Lord of the Ring' you speak of."

"But there was a ring in your original world, was there not?" Alex asked her.

"There was a ring and it was destroyed…"

"Let me guess," Kamui sneered, "two hobbits walked all the way to Mordor and hurled the ring into a volcano?"

The elf ruler blinked at Kamui and smiled, "You've heard of our time's great tale, how so?"

"It was a book in our world." Subaru smiled softly at the woman, "A very good one too."

"And no, it wasn't written by a Bilbo Baggins or by a Frodo Baggins or by a…what was the other one's name? Sam something." Kamui sighed.

"Samwise Gamgee. Kamui, remember our story was a comic book in some of the worlds Alex traveled through."

Kamui shrugged, giggling and shaking his head.

"Er, lady Galadriel," Alex took over the conversation again, "the elf who led us here mentioned something about not letting us in because we're impure."

The elf opened her mouth to say something, Alex didn't let her.

"Let me assure you that we will be staying in your city only to rest and regain our strengths after a very long and adventurous ride and that if any of us will come to harm any of you the perpetrator will be given over to you for whatever punishment you see fit to his crimes."

Galadriel scanned the men before her, lingering on each and every one of them until they began moving awkwardly under her gaze.

She eyed the wagon in which Victoria and Lestate's coffins rested, "You will send to me the two sleeping in there so I may speak to them. Do this as soon as they arise." She ordered Alex.

Alex nodded.

"Very well. You may stay with us and gather your strengths back for as long as you'd like. Do not hesitate to ask us for anything, we are here to aid adventurers like yourselves." And with this she moved into her city and gestured for her men to back off and let the riders in.

* * *

"So what is this place anyway?" David asked, leaning on the large white wall by the window on which's ledge Victoria leaned and pretended she wasn't in the same room as Alex.

Death called his men for a meeting to try and figure out the mystery of the Light Side's strange inhabitants. He even called Kamui and Will over.

"It's a place for people to come and heal, as we've been told it is" Alex answered him, eyeing the reluctant Victoria who made it as obvious as possible that his presence was not welcomed to her.

"But we haven't seen anyone else here have we?" Seishiro said, lighting a cigarette despite Kamui's glaring and Subaru's gentle hinting tugs at his sleeve.

"That elf clearly said this place is for healing of travelers, no, adventurers." Lestate said, leaning towards Alex, "He even mentioned something about a time when a prince used to come here.."

The icy shudder hit Kamui again. The raging anger took over Alex, just like in the forest.

Through the strange alien dread, Kamui managed to notice the close distance between Lestate and Alex and thought up a plan.

"What I'd like to know," David asked, "is this: if what we've seen is that who lands in the Dark Side has someone from their world landing in the Light Side, what from this Lord of the Ring landed in our side?"

"when the City was very young one of it's greatest dangers were creatures that, now when I look back on it, seem to very much suit how Lord the Rings described the Uruk-Hai" Lestate answered the undertaker.

"So this side gets all the good stuff and our side gets all the horrors?" Subaru joined, upset.

"No…well, maybe." Alex frowned, trying to work out the mystery. "Let's say that we are a band of 'adventurers' out on a danger-filled ride in the Dark Side where we meet and fight monsters and such. "When we'll feel like resting we'll come to the Light Side. Here we'll find food in abundance in the women's city, we'll re-equip ourselves in the men's city and come to heal our wounds here at the elves'. Makes sense."

"Sounds like this dimension is too well planned," Seishiro spoke, "like it was custom-made…doesn't make sense."

"Well I did travel through a dimension where planets were custom-made….but that was planets and this is a whole _dimension_…" Alex answered.

"So it's impossible to order custom-made dimensions?" Kamui turned to Alex.

"No, not at all. In my home dimension there was a race of aliens who built various machines of time and dimension traveling, the Doctor was one of them. But I've never heard of them actually _making_ a dimension."

"But it's possible, yes?" Lestate got up, "Then that's it; this dimension was a custom job and we're unlucky enough to have been sucked into it."

The riders began leaving the room to their various private rooms or to walk around the magnificent city.

David and Victoria exited the room first to take a walk around the area.

Kamui slipped out of the room to act out his plan.

Lestate walked out while brandishing his flute merrily; an elf asked him about his playing abilities and he had a bit of showing off to do.

Seishiro turned to Alex before he exited, "If they have medical equipment I'm sure it's something the City might need. I've seen their 'healing rooms' as they call it. I'll be collecting things for my veterinary bag, should I take a look at what other things they have?"

Alex nodded and thanked Seishiro with a smile.

He turned to put the elfish city into his maps as much as his poor drawing skills allowed him.

* * *

Kamui walked through the halls and bridges of the town, frantically looking for the specific workshops he had in mind.

"Vat are you looking for Kamui?"

"Will! Tell me if you can smell something with clothes here"

"Clothes?"

"Yeah…um…if you can smell fabrics or fabric dyes or something….anything with fabrics"

"Vhy?"

"I'll tell you later"

Will sniffed his way through several corridors, down and up some trees until he led them to a hall where five elves sat and wove a strange looking shiny cotton-like mass into long thin strings.

"Bingo! Thank you, go run along now." Kamui walked into the hall, leaving Will behind.

"Vat are you planning Kamui?"

The youth turned to his double, slightly insulted, "Nothing offensive, I promise you."

An elf approached Kamui, "may I help you?"

Kamui eyed a neatly folded pile of fabrics which extremely resembled velvet, "Yes sir," he bowed politely, "I was just wondering about the fabrics you make here. You see, I have a friend here who is really keen on beautiful clothes and…well…I'm trying to find him a birthday present…"

The elf smiled charmingly and smoothly gestured for Kamui to follow him.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Lestate put his flute down and smiled at the group of elves sitting before him. They clapped him and praised his brilliant playing.

"Your playing is indeed impressive master vampire." Said the elf who lead them to his city earlier that day, "I apologize for thinking you unnatural and impure."

"You didn't tell _me_ I was impure," Lestate smirked, "but thank you for informing me of it now." He winked playfully at the elf as he noticed his alarm. "Relax, your praises soothed my resentment, I forgive you."

He stood up and returned his flute to its box. "Anyway, I simply cannot hold a grudge against something as beautiful as you and your people." He cupped the chin of the slightly frightened elf and pouted when the creature and its brothers took their hasty exit soon afterwards.

Lestate's mind was taken from it very quickly. His face graved and his eyes sharpened in anger, "Go away traitor, I do not wish for your presence. Not now, not ever!"

Kamui did not leave.

He placed the huge bundle of clothes on a table nearby, "I didn't come here to fight Lestate-san, I merely came here to give you this."

"I'm not stupid; you will not bribe me and you cannot manipulate me with sweet talks."

He turned to Kamui, fire in his eyes, "When will you realize that whenever you plot for something you always end up with it backfiring on you?"

Kamui shut his mouth tight stormed off, shooting a last angry glance at the vampire.

Lestate stayed there and seethed for a while before his curiosity got the better of him and he walked to inspect what Kamui left on the table.

As soon as he unfolded the garments and fabrics he gasped.

He embraced the bundle and hurried to his room.

* * *

Alex flung the painting brush through the window furiously. He heard the rustle of branches and leaves and a surprised yelp from beneath him.

He hoped he didn't hit an elf with the paintbrush or he'll have a diplomatic problem on his hands, which is the last thing he wants.

The more tribes and nations they encounter in this journey was the more Alex came to realize that he hated talking to people who didn't immediately understand him. He couldn't stand talk over actions.

Why can't he solve things his way; fight through things?

And why _on earth _was he becoming more and more warmongering! What's changed in him that made him so impatient and violent?

Ah, perhaps he's been on the move too much and needed to stay in one place for a while to relax and kick back a bit.

Alex got up from the desk where he tried to describe the magnificent city (and failed miserably) and walked to the large window, framed by glittering curtains and engraved white wood.

Perhaps they'll stay here until Kamui would cave in and pardon Seishiro?

Everyone else seem to be enjoying their stay here and appreciating the peace and beauty of the place, why not stay here?

The elves didn't say anything about how long they're going to stay here and Kamui seems to be getting less and less resilient as the days go by.

Lately Kamui seemed to be musing a lot. He spends more time alone; thinking quietly and hardly roams around wherever they're stopping for a rest.

He also seems heavier; as if his thoughts burden him and make him sadder.

It hurt Alex to see Kamui sad and miserable but if there's one thing this journey is supposed to do is to make Kamui realize his mistakes and pardon Seishiro and that obviously includes getting Kamui upset enough to change his mind, if only to be free again and see his Fuma.

A knock on the door interrupted Death's thoughts.

He collapsed on a nearby sofa and asked the man on the other side to enter.

With long, slow paces, his hands reaching out sideways a bit, Lestate walked in with a wonderful smile.

He was dressed like the elves and it suited him _perfectly_. The dark blue of his velvet gown emphasized his large opal eyes until they seemed like gems set in his vampiric skin.

The golden tiara and the leave-like designed belt to his waist matched his wild mane of fair locks. He wore a shawl of such beaming white it seems to be woven of moonbeams. His hair was braided like the elves to create a crown above his forehead and around his head to push his curls to a flattering frame around his beautiful face.

Alex climbed to his feet and reached out to embrace this angel of the dark. "You…look…wow…words fail me Lestate…damn….you look _good_!"

Beaming with happiness, Lestate answered his master's embrace with ample delight. He leaned on the bigger man and snuggled in like a kitten.

From his room exactly across Alex', Kamui spied on the two with a binocular he borrowed from one of the rooms. "They're getting close, just as I planned."

Will took a peek himself. He scrutinized his master and shrugged.

"You know," Alex ran his hand along Lestate' arms and back, enjoying the soft velvety fabric covering them, "the first thing I thought when I saw the elf today was 'oh, Lestate is going to _love _this place'. I was right!"

"Of course you were." Lestate sweetened his tone, leaning on Alex a little more until they clashed with the sofa and fell into it.

"You love this sort of things, don't you?" Alex cupped the vampire's chin with two fingers while scanning the man's face, "All this lush and richness, being surrounded by beautiful things, putting them on and taking them off all day long."

Lestate giggled childishly, "You know me too well." he nestled on Death's wide, powerful shoulder, nuzzling the man's neck a bit.

Alex wrapped his arms around the vampire, "Are you hungry, my little Brat Prince?"

Lestate nodded, planting tiny soft kisses on his master's marble skin.

He brought himself so close to

Alex that he was sitting in his lap, one hand wrapped around the strong back while the other ran across the board muscular chest.

He sunk his teeth gently into the skin and began drinking from his Death.

Lestate looked deep into his Death's soul and projected a picture before Death's soul: a room in this small magnificent city, beautifully furnished by large lush sofas and carved tables of silver, wood and glass, with a large soft bed at the center. The walls were soft grey, matching the deep blue and silky cream of the furnishing and curtains to the large window.

Someone was lying on the bed, naked, half covered by a blanket. He was lying as if in sleep and quite seductively so. His skin was pale like a vampire's but beaming and hot like he had just fed.

Who was it on the bed? Lestate pushed the vision onwards.

It was Kamui.

The furnishing was not blue, it was mauve. Mauve were the curtains around the window, billowing gently in the wind. Dark purple was the mattress on the bed, lilac was the blanket, mauve was the sofa by the table.

This was not Lestate's vision anymore; it was Alex's and he basket in it longingly.

Kamui opened his vampiric eyes and looked directly at Lestate.

His eyes did not just look at him; they _glared_; powerfully, defiantly, challenging him.

Lestate tore himself away from Alex's neck without even licking the few droplets left behind in the punctures he created.

They were being watched!

He leaped off the sofa, unheeding to Alex' surprised calls asking him what happened that made him stop drinking.

Lestate stopped at the window and gazed over to the room with the binocular. He managed to see Kamui as the boy fled from there.

Cursing under his breath, Lestate stormed out of the room, again ignoring Alex questions and pleads.

He met Kamui halfway through his way to the boy's room.

Will leaped before his master and begged Lestate not to cause Kamui any harm.

But Lestate was beyond that, he was too outraged to immediately resort to violence. He did not share Alex' "shoot first, think later" approach. He wanted to know what it was exactly that made Kamui push him into that particular trap.

"What were you thinking, snake?"

Kamui took a deep breath and a frightened step back, "I noticed something and…well…I tried to help you."

"_Help me_!" Lestate boomed, throwing his arms in the air, "You think I need _help_! From _you_!"

"I think he needs someone who will love him….who does love him…and with whom he could be…isn't that you?"

Lestate was taken aback and took a while to answer Kamui. "That he might. But in no way does it mean that you'll have anything to do with it. I will make my move when I want to make it and how I want to make it. Didn't I tell you to not try to plot about, snake?"

"It worked didn't it?"

"_Worked_!" Lestate stopped there. If there was one person he did **_not_** want to talk about his rejection, it was Kamui. "Mind your own business, boy, and leave the matchmaking to Love." With this Lestate turned around and left to the other direction, huffing angrily as he walked.

Will and Kamui were left behind, staring at the air where Lestate stood a moment ago.

Kamui turned to his twin, "Was I wrong to do that Will?"

The werewolf shrugged and looked away, "I don't know…maybe it vould have vorked out…maybe not so soon, yes?"

Kamui sighed and wrapped his arm around Will's back, turning the both of them around. "Come on, let's go to sleep, it's really late and I'm tired."

* * *

The graveyard was slowly turning into a vacation for Fuma. He'd walk all the way to the infirmary every morning to find out no one died that night and he was not needed.

Jacob never let Fuma go without permission, even if there was obviously nothing to do. He'd shout at Fuma if the youth would dare to turn around and start heading home. Then after frowning enough and mumbling how annoying Fuma is, Jacob would finally dismiss Fuma and tell him he'll call him if he's needed.

Fuma now had a lot of time on his hands, time he had absolutely no idea what to do with.

At first he'd try to do things around his home, trying to lend a hand for all the days he was in the cemetery and couldn't do a thing to help.

He discovered that he wasn't very good at cleaning.

Kotori was the one with the cleaning duties, the one who grew to replace his mother. All Fuma did was to learn a few basic cooking skills and to organize his room so he won't stumble around it too much. This had nothing to do with how clean his room is or not; there were days when his room was loaded with piles of reeking sweaty shirts, socks and underpants but the piles themselves were kicked around so they won't make him stumble on him and fall.

And so, having given up trying to be useful in his own space, Fuma though he should try helping around the house in general.

Yuuto was in the office, Sorata was out on patrol, Yuzuriha was sleeping off last night's patrol, Karen was hanging out with Ace and Spike, Kazuki was working which left Fuma alone with Arashi in the house.

Lately Arashi was becoming more and more of a clean freak. She not only tended to the new baby's room with a zeal for aesthetics and hygiene but tended to the whole house so.

She'd spend hours on end dusting off the new rugs, scrubbing spots out of the new sofas, polish the new dinner table and living room coffee table. She'd gently nag Yuzuriha and Kazuki to put some order into their slightly chaotic room and loyally attended to the Onmyoujis' abandoned room so that nothing gathers dust and neglect.

The Ise priestess was gradually growing bigger and bigger these days; developing not only a bigger, rounder belly, but also gathering fat layers on her thighs, arms and face.

While she would frown at herself in the mirror, worried about how to shed all that access fat once the baby's born, Sorata would encourage her to eat more and that her new chubby form is more then lovely and gracious.

He'd often slip a gentle pat to her behinds or wrap his arm around her, nuzzling her neck and telling her how much he loves having more of his babe to hug and cuddle.

Arashi would either hiss at him or slap his hands away in return.

Arashi's mood swings were becoming the house's entertainment sources. She'd start crying from the tiniest of things or throw tantrums as easily as she'd calm down from them.

Of course she ran off whenever her eyes started leaking so that no one would see her in her tears and her tantrums were nothing but death glares and a slightly harsher tone of voice when speaking but, having her behaviour usually so calm and silent, such slight changes were easily picked up.

Fuma found no one in the living room and no one in the back yard and so he decided he'll try and see if there was anything to do in the kitchen.

There was a pile of dishes on the dryer rake, bathing in the sunshine coming from the second kitchen window opened to the back yard.

Fuma began wiping the dishes dry from whatever water still on them and putting them back in their respectable drawers or cabinets.

Along with the new living room sofas, dinner table, coffee table, garden chairs and various pieces of furnishing for the house's inhabitant's rooms, the kitchen was also newly equipped by things from the Light Side's caravan.

There was a brand new set of china chopsticks, a tea set and a set of twelve mugs. Charmingly polished wood plated, lacquered and decorated by a patters of a wild-other world forest was also added. There was a new milk jug and a new coffee pot. Three big metal pots were acquired and a new wok to replace the old half crumbling one they used so far.

Fuma was just putting the meat cutting knife into its small rake when Arashi stepped into the kitchen.

"Good morning Arashi-san." Fuma mumbled, averting his eyes from the woman's due to his ongoing habit to bashfully avoid eye contact with Seals.

Arashi nodded at him lightly, mouthing a silent "Good morning" before she walked up to the bigger window in the kitchen.

This window, a large rectangle casement facing the rest of the City around their house, held a large collection of chubby glass jars in which the house prepared its pickles.

Karen brought home a huge can of vinegar and began collecting all sorts of vegetables to pickle. Pickled things were one of the items the house's residents missed the most about Japanese cooking and so pickling plums, bamboo shoots, cucumbers and many other vegetable came as a blessing.

Arashi reached out to the jar of pickled cucumbers and found that her belly was keeping her from bending forwards and grabbing it.

Fuma aided her, plucking the jar off the window ledge and handing it to her.

Arashi flashed her eyes at Fuma and smiled faintly, "Thank you."

Fuma flushed and looked for something to do in the kitchen.

Arashi sat down to the kitchen table, opened the jar and began plucking pickle by pickle and stuffing it into her mouth, munching on them mechanically while staring forward contently.

"Is there something you need help with around the house today, Arashi-san?"

Fuma was not answered.

"A-Arashi-san?"

"Fuma-san could help me with the laundry if he'd like but we'll have to wait until the sun is higher in the sky for that."

"Ah, I see…and in the meanwhile, is there anything I could do?"

"Fuma-san's room, is it tidy?"

"Uh, I've cleaned the cobwebs from it…"

Arashi tilted her head a bit, eyeing Fuma at the corner of her eye, "Fuma-san's high enough to reach them I suppose. The girl's room is slightly infested by spiders but Kazuki-chan won't let me clean them….no, laundry would be enough of help, there are sheets and bedspreads to clean today."

"Hmm…" Fuma wondered to the living room and crushed on the sofa. The new furniture was covered by a smooth strange fabric which changed colour from deep purple to light green according to the way the light shone on it.

Fuma ran his hand on it, pressing his fingers into the cushions to try and see at which point the violet becomes jade. Violet reminded him of Kamui's eyes and he stopped.

He observed Arashi as she got up from her seat and rummaged through the cabinet above the dish washing sink (there were two sinks which, according to something Alex said, indicated the house inhabited orthodox Jews once) for the chocolate paste jar.

She dug a small hill of chocolate paste out of the jar and onto a dish and brought it back to the kitchen table. She now pulled the pickles out of their jar and dipped them in the paste before she'd stuff them into her mouth.

Fuma cringed, feeling his stomach turn. He got up and took a walk in the back yard.

A few weeks ago Sorata stumbled into a punctured basketball during his patrol and brought it back home, offering Fuma to fix the ball and have small basketball tournaments with him.

Fuma managed to get the ball fixed at a shoemaker's stand in the market and ordered two poles with basket nets from Dimitri (which were due a few days from now) and now a court was needed.

Building the court kept Fuma busy, when he remembered working on it. Usually he'd phase out in his room and pass his days just sitting and staring at things but when he awoke from his daydreams he'd attend to the court.

So far he managed to collect stones and place them in a large rectangle. Only there was a wild thorny shrub in the middle of the court and so many small and medium rocks stuck in the ground that playing on the court would prove as a medical hazard. Fuma already stumbled on one of the rocks while placing the bordering lines and sprained his ankle.

Fuma borrowed a hoe from a nearby farmer but forgot to use it for a few days. He now picked the tool up and began digging the shrub's roots out.

A large root he unearthed snaked up at him and whipped his forehead, opening a cruel diagonal gash in his brow.

While Fuma reeled backwards the shrub hissed and dug itself back into the ground.

Fuma was blinded by blood. He heard himself scream and flailed about, managing to hit himself with the hoe's sharp edge in mid shin.

He collapsed to his knees and wailed miserably before he felt someone pressing fabric onto his head wound with great strength. The fabric was a bit crude and the gush seared at the abusive texture on exposed nerves. Fuma stifled a scream and reached out to the hand pressing the fabric to do it himself.

"We need to go to the infirmary I'm afraid, and quickly, please get up and follow me as quickly as you can." Arashi's calm voice informed Fuma of the identity of his helper.

Nodding, Fuma climbed to his feet and came crushing down again due to the hoe in his shin.

He heard Arashi sigh before speaking again, "Please wait here Fuma-san, I will bring proper bandaging."

Fuma wiped the blood out of his eyes and glares at the shrub. How on earth was he supposed to know that this is what it's going to do! Since when do innocent shrubs lash out at you like that!

Recollecting the fragments of a second while the plant attacked him, Fuma remembered he instinctively pulled his head away a little as soon as he saw the root moving unnaturally. If he hadn't done that, he realised, the shrub would have gauged his eyes out. Perhaps that's what it was aiming for….what on earth will come upon them next!

Arashi returned with a long triangle of fabric and a blunt kitchen knife. She applied a vein stopped to Fuma's wounded leg before pulling the hoe out. Then she placed a small cushion of folded fabric to Fuma's forehead and tied it to his head with another piece of rolled triangle fabric.

She placed the long hoe in Fuma's hand as a walking stick to help him with his numbed leg and wrapped her arm under his torso to give him more support. Together they limped to the infirmary.

* * *

"An eye-gauging shrub?" the Japanese doctor arched his eyebrows slightly. He was a very stoic man with a deep voice and half a face covered in hair where he had a blind eye.

Fuma nodded slowly, wincing as the pink haired Japanese male nurse administered him with an anaesthesia shot to the shin.

Charlie was carefully monitoring this new nurse who was notorious for his grave tantrums and bursts of maniac happy energy which obviously hurt his ability to be a good nurse.

"There are still several of them here. There used to be quite a forest of them and we fought very hard to clear them away in order to make farming land.

"Once in a while a farmer gets hit by them but generally they're recognised before anyone tries pulling them out. You're lucky he didn't try to cut your head off because, when they're really mad, that's what they aim for."

Fuma gawked. "Are there any _other_ unnoticed dangers like that just popping out of the ground everywhere!"

Charlie barked with laughter shortly, "When I came here the city was far to the east, located on fire swamps. You didn't know when it was going to hit you; flames would just pop out of the ground and burn whomever was stepping near it. All you could do to avoid that is to listen carefully to the small crackling sounded before each burst.

"You're lucky you landed in _this _city young man because we used to live in far worse conditions."

Fuma sighed and tilted his head backwards a bit to allow the Japanese doctor better examination of the gash.

"I'm afraid I'll have to stitch it. Please try to treat these stitches better this time Monou-san."

Fuma nodded. He was becoming notorious around the infirmary for absentmindedly neglecting his wounds until they'd near gangrene state.

"I'll need a smaller dose of anaesthesia here Shindo-san."

The pink haired nurse nodded and ran off to bring a new needle. Charlie didn't follow him, he neared Fuma instead, his mood still cheerful.

"Now Fuma, you'll be experiencing several hallucinations during the next twenty four hours or so. Don't worry about fever or anything of the like; the hallucinations are caused by a certain poison the shrub produces. If you're still hallucinating in three days come to see me okay?"

Fuma nodded. He was fascinated by the new Technicolor clown hat Charlie was wearing. It had slug-like antennas popping out of the sides which flailed about strangely. The pattern on the hat kept changing from various coloured stripes to all sorts of bobbing circles and spirals.

Charlie scanned Fuma's face and sighed. He called Arashi, "Can you escort him back home? Keep a close eye on him until he stops looking like this," he pointed at Fuma's gawking face and his nearly popping eyes.

Arashi scanned Fuma for a moment and nodded.

"He must be kept indoors, away from stairs as much as he could and away from sharp objects. Also if you have any mirrors in the house I suggest you cover them, they cause the strangest illusions apparently."

Arashi nodded once more. She was growing a long ginger moustache which twirled and stretched all the way to her feet, curling around her belly in long tendrils. Fuma blinked at the moustache and reached out to touch one of its silky looking tentacles.

Arashi took his outstretched palm in hers and calmly put it back in his lap while keeping her eyes on Charlie and nodding to his lecture.

"I recommend giving him a lot of milk products, carrots also help. Put a compress soaked with this ointment (he gave Arashi a small green bottle which felt much heavier then it looked) three times a day until you see the blue spots disappear from around the wound."

Arashi turned the bottle in her hand a little, "Where can I get enough gauze for the compresses?"

Charlie pointed to the bandaging room in the infirmary and sent her off on her way. He checked on Fuma who was trying to follow the pattern of long yellow and green snakes curling all around the ceiling thus interrupted the Japanese doctor with his stitching.

Charlie chuckled and turned to sterilize and stitch the wound in Fuma's leg.

Four hours later, after having a small raving session about the pickles trying to climb out of their jars in the kitchen, walking into the screen door leading to the back yard and a quick struggle with Sorata over not wanting to have a fly infested compress placed on his forehead, Fuma laid on the living room sofa and tried to catch a nap.

He was fully aware of the fact that he was hallucinating and not in full control over his actions and found it extremely humiliating.

Sorata was watching over him while Arashi was sorting out the pickle jars he dislodged in an attempt to set the plums and pomegranates free.

It's true that they treated him very nicely and didn't at all laugh at what he was doing but it was still horribly humiliating.

He was terrified of the idea of accidentally raving about Kamui. He was terrified of contemplating Kamui in his state; what will his chemically distorted mind make of the boy?

Kamui. Standing in the living room before him, giggling like a child. He was wearing one of Kotori's favorite dresses and began spinning around to frill up the skirt. The he had a bouquet of flowers in his hands which he plucked and scattered all over the floor.

Next the boy preformed a few somersaults, stood on his hands, on one hand and finally hovered upside down above the floor.

Fuma blinked and Kamui was no longer there.

The dress fitted the boy perfectly though, he aught to ask Kamui to cross dress more often when he's back.

Then Jacob, dressed in a glittering black evening dress complete with high heels and makeup, walked into the room and began pulling long socks out of his clenched fist.

His palms were covered in green slime, which miraculously didn't smear on the socks he was pulling out. His hair was ochre dyed.

When he was finished Jacob picked the socks off the floor and handed them over the Fuma, "Fold these, we'll need them for the winter. **Don't eat them! They're not for you!**"

Fuma reached out to take the socks and became fascinated with how the green polka dots on the black fabric changed to blue, yellow, magenta and finally lilac. The lilac dots were grape flavored, so they told him, but he was not allowed to taste them. Fuma was hungry.

Jacob sat down on a white elephant's outstretched trunk, crossed his legs elegantly and pulled a sock out of his pocket.

Fuma's mouth watered as he watched the man munch on a green dotted sock (the green dots were mint flavored, so they told him). He fumbled with the socks in his hand until he noticed that they were no long socks but a ball shaped swarm of grasshoppers.

He tried informing Jacob of their winter stock's metamorphosis but Jacob was no longer there.

Fuma heard Sorata say something soothing to him but it was in slow motion and sounded like growls.

The dog Kamui found in the rain was growling at him. Where was that dog anyway? Under the sofa! Fuma could see it's spiky tail wagging, it was smearing something on the floor which he aught to tell Arashi about because she'll definitely want to clean it.

That's it! He's a raving, hallucinating maniac!

Fuma closed his eyes and Kamui was there again, in the black void of a dreamscape.

He was dressed in a long glittering cape. It was cream colored with spiral magnificent mauve lines shining all over the fabric. Under his cape he wore an ancient Japanese styled armor. He held a long katana, its handle and scabbard were the most vibrant green Fuma's ever seen. His hands were covered in gloves up to his elbows, made of brilliant gold.

Silver was the large crown to his head which poured from his cranium down to his neck in long chains half sunk in his soft raven locks. The crown was absolutely laden with drop shaped opals and pearls. Kamui's hair was longer, pouring down to the middle of his back and tied in a simple violet ribbon high at the back of his head. He was beaming with beauty.

Kamui turned his eyes to Fuma and smiled, curious. His expression read that he had never knew Fuma before and was turning to him as if to a complete stranger. There was a light in his eyes of wisdom and age that the Kamui Fuma knew the youth never possessed.

Kamui tilted his head a bit, the delicate chains on his helmet of a crown pouring sideways, and smiled softly.

"Tell me, priest," he said in silver bell voice, "do you believe there's room for believing the gods exists in this world full of modern technology?"

Fuma opened his mouth to speak and found that he had no answer. What was it that Kamui asked him? And why is this illusion so realistic?

A flame burst out behind Kamui and Fuma reached out to pull the boy away from the long flickering tongues but Kamui was far away and calm even though it was obvious that he was aware of the fire.

A creature came out of the flames, a man about Fuma's height. He was powerful in build and heavily armored, wearing a cape and a mask to the upper half of his face.

His armor was Roman styled, made of black metal shining in red. His cape was shredded at its edges like it was burnt, in the color of the same orange-red-black as his armor. The man's mask drew to the back of his head and curled up at the sides of his head like two ram like horns, two round horns poked out of the metal above each brow. Powerful green eyes flashed out of the mask's holes and made it clear for Fuma the identity of the man behind Kamui.

Death wrapped his arms around Kamui and flashed a snarling grin at Fuma, reaching out for Kamui's neck with his metal gloved armored hand.

Kamui remained calm, even reaching his palm up for the demon the grab and kiss it's back. He kept his sharp eyes on Fuma, "Well? Do you have an answer priest? Reply me and you'll free me from this fire demon's clutches…"

Kakyou drew a long black screen over the sight before turning to Fuma with worried eyes. "Wake up please."

Fuma awoke and sat up.

He slept for a whole day and a half, mumbling in his sleep some time and often trying to get up and sleepwalk.

Yuzuriha informed him from her couch where she sat and read a book while keeping an eye on him.

As he sat on the sofa now he could feel that his mind was completely clear of the hallucinogenic poison.

His leg still felt a bit stiff and his head heavy but he was out of the delusion's cloud.

"Charlie advised that you'll burnt the shrub if you want it out of the garden," Yuzuriha informed him while scratching Inuki's belly enthusiastically, "he says it's the only way to fight it."

Fuma nodded and immediately limped outside to set the shrub afire. Pulling it out of the ground afterwards proved to be as easy as picking up a piece of paper.

* * *

Kamui collapsed on his bed after a long day of roaming the elf city and the magical forest around it. He was astonished at how absolutely every tiny detail in what the elves made was immaculate, as if the creatures were unable to exist in a flawed place.

At first he was enchanted by it, just as anyone human was when it came to observing elven things. But soon the magic faded as he noted that there is no room for anything that wasn't elvish in the city. Sure, the elves treated them nicely and never once showed them the slightest frown or discontent, but it was obvious they also looked through them and beyond to the time when they'll leave and only the elves will be there again.

Kamui tried socializing with some of the elves and found their company very pleasant, at first. They'd listen to his every word and agree, or disagree (disagreement phrased so that no malice or aggression is picked up) and discuss whatever matter it was.

Soon the conversations would turn into such deep, near philosophic discussions that Kamui simply lost track of the topic and would encourage his companion to change the subject.

The more he did this the more he felt stupid and superficial; it seems that no matter what subject they're speaking about, the elf would always see more then Kamui would see and get into more details then Kamui did.

It made Kamui feel ridiculous for never thinking that way. He felt the elves were simply smarter then him or else they wouldn't' contemplate such matters in such length and depth.

Kamui was just reaching these conclusions earlier that afternoon when Alex stepped into the room. Kamui and the elves were discussing the Nazgul.

Kamui was fascinated by the Lord of the Rings and read it quite a few times when he was back in his world and so actually living around Tolkien creatures made him obsess over the idea of the actual creatures' opinion on the plot so he'd run around the city asking people questions all the time and thus getting himself into the type of trouble he was in at the moment.

The elf was talking about the training of the flying beasts used by the Dark Riders when Kamui decided that he never thought about it and does that mean that he never really cared about Lord of the Rings as much as he thought he did. Damn it, he thought, and he used to know whole scenes by heart, he _loved_ that book!

Alex stepped into the room, leaned against the wall by the door with arms folded on his chest for a while and finally sighed.

"You know, it doesn't really matter," he said when the elf began pondering what they fed the beasts, "what matters is that the beasts were fought with and were defeated."

Kamui blinked, as if shrugging off an unseen net the elf threw on him to bound him into the conversation.

That's right! Such subjects don't really matter and are of no importance to actually dealing with the beasts.

The elf straightened his back and turned smoothly to Alex, "I believe it does matter, for use in the future."

"What use in the future! Have you seen a Nazgul anywhere around here?"

The elf quickly looked away, contemplative, "No, we haven't seen such a thing but…."

"Then don't bother wasting your time and energy on such ridiculous matters."

"These matters are not ridiculous. Back in Middle Earth this information might come off handy…"

Alex leaned forward a bit, staring powerfully at the elf, "But-you-are-not-in-Middle-Earth-anymore-and-there's-no-way-you'll-ever-get-back-there so what's the use!"

The elf looked out through the window on the other side of the room and refused to speak anymore.

Kamui cringed. That was rather rude of Alex. He got up and walked out of the room, pulling Alex along with him.

"That was rude of you."

"You were starting to think about how stupid you are in comparison to them and I just couldn't stand you thinking so lowly of yourself."

Kamui walked a little faster.

"You don't understand the difference between the two of you, Kamui. They live practically forever so they have time to obsess over such stupid trivial things, you don't. That don't mean you're stupid, it means you're actually smarter for knowing what to obsess about and what not" Alex was shouting by the time he finished his sentence because Kamui far away down the corridor by then.

"Yeah, whatever…" Kamui disappeared into his room. He popped his head out the next moment, "I mean….thanks…or something." He stepped into his room and shut the door behind him.

Will was curled on the bed, deep in sleep.

The elves were treating the werewolf with near patronizing interest, examining his wolfish features which gravely depressed Will for some reason. He spent most of the stay amongst the elves inside the boys' room, sleeping or moping.

Kamui walked up to his bed, changed to pajamas quickly and slid under the covers beside Will. He snuggled up to the pup until Will leaned into him in sleep.

With their shared warmth spreading under the blanket and the meal Kamui had before the whole Nazgul conversation started making his body heavy and pleased. The youth's eyelids began drooping.

Kamui closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The next moment, as he opened them, he was lying in a field of sweet scented white flowers. The sky above was a gentle hue of pink, the long randomly scattered cypress trees were black. Gentle wind blew flower petals on it like an anime scene.

Kamui sat up and looked around him, puzzled. The flowers seemed to be spreading everywhere, like Venus' field of daisies. He turned around completely and saw a woman kneeling amidst the flowers.

She wore a simple Victorian white dress with black ribbons under her chest and black ribbons to the cufflinks of her puffy sleeves. Her white hat had a black ribbon which's access length blew charmingly on the wind.

Her dark red hair was neatly packed into a ball at the nape of her neck with a few loose curls dropping on her forehead and above her ears. She was not young, rather in her forties, her age showing in small smiling wrinkles on the edge of her lips and at the corner of her eyes.

She smiled softly at Kamui, blinking and drawing her head back as if surprised to see him notice her so quickly. A motherly aura beamed from her as she pressed her combined palms to her chest and shook her head gently.

"Ah, but you _are_ adorable, Justice One of the Dark Side." She hummed at him, her voice not too deep and not too high pitched. She sounded old but well kept.

Kamui changed his sitting position to face her completely, "Do I know you?"

The lady giggled shortly, "Oh I'm afraid we've never met. I've watched you as you were brought here and I spoke to my Oracle of your coming."

"You're the Lady of Light!"

She covered her mouth with her lace gloved palm and peeked at Kamui bashfully, giving off a tiny squealing giggle. "I'm always so embarrassed when they call me that. It's far too flattering a title for me. I am a Destiny just as my sister is a Destiny."

"Yes, but you're a far kinder Destiny then your sister, the Dark Side's Destiny I presume?"

The Lady nodded, her face becoming a bit graver.

"I'm afraid I did not fully warn my Oracle of the outcome of your visit." She looked away sadly, folding her palms in her lap.

Kamui stared at the flowers under him, uncomfortable.

"Ah, but it was inevitable, was it not? And a certain amount of her surprise was due to you misinforming her," she set her dark red ginger eyes on Kamui sharply, educating, "is it not so?"

Kamui kept his eyes down and shut his mouth tightly.

"You still have to learn to tell the truth and face the results of your wrong actions."

Kamui shot a glare at her, "You sound as if I must be punished!"

She straightened her back and raised her chin a bit, staring down at him, "But of course you must be punished Kamui.

"You are Justice, may I remind you, and Justice must be free of wrongdoings. You, dear Kamui, lied, manipulated, seduced and abused the power in your hand the first time you lived here in this dimension. You cannot be proper Justice without these crimes paid for.

"Why do you think you misjudged Seishiro the way you did? Your ability to see the true verdict of a defendant before you and deem him rightfully is not truly developed yet. It was not chance that lead you into that specific trial, into that specific, 'war' so to speak, with Death of all forces."

Kamui gawked at her. He became very angry at her for saying these things but only because he was realizing how true they were.

His captivity in the caravan is not something unfair done to him and is not something for him to complain about.

He looked away from her and thought about it for a long time. "So, I should redeem Seishiro, is that what you're saying?"

"The deeming of that man is meaningless Kamui, you must be true Justice before you look onto him with a judge's eyes again."

Kamui sighed. She was being softly harsh towards which left him completely incapable of feeling hurt by her words.

"But Kamui," she was beside him suddenly, placing a soft palm on his shoulder and looking into his face in parental worry, "I did not bring you here solely to tell you this. Actually I just told you what you should have realized on your own."

"I already realized I did something bad, only I never realized it had an effect on my duty as Justice…"

"You're troubled by another choice you must make, a choice of heart…" the lady's eyes bore into Kamui's soul.

Kamui mouthed in astonishment, "I-I do! I mean…I was absolutely certain that I….I mean I love Fuma, there's nothing in me that ponders whether I should change my choice…"

"Ah, but you did wonder if this 'war' could be ended by sacrificing yourself to Death…."

Kamui looked away, blushing a little for some reason. She was reading his mind again.

"And somewhere deep inside you you're still wondering what would have happened to you if you would have stayed with Death. Back in your Side, whenever things were tough you always thought that the easiest way out is to use this tool in your hand."

"You keep saying 'use the tool' when you're referring to Alex, why?"

The Lady wrapped her arm around Kamui's shoulder, pushing his head softly to rest on her shoulder while resting hers on him.

"Because you've enslaved his heart, Kamui, with your deeds and your words. With his desperation to love someone and be loved you've caught him. He held his chain out for someone to grab and you picked it up. You have him in your palm completely, he is yours like a pet or a tool, as horrid as it sounds."

"Will I ever be free?"

The Lady jerked away from him, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him a bit. "Did you just say 'will _I_ ever be free'? what of "will _he_ ever be free'?"

"But this 'owning' of him you talk about is a burden. I am the one who's owned, not him."

"You're mistaken."

Iif I'm loved by him and love him back then I have to be there for him whenever he falls into depressions or anger fits and…well…it's too big a job for me. He….even when we were together, I had the feeling like he was leaning on me and I was caving under the weight."

The Lady looked away and mused for a moment. "And you wish to shrug off this burden? Would you like him to shrug you off when you're hurt?"

"No, I'm saying that I'm not the psychologist he needs, I'm just a sixteen year old kid from Japan. What do I know?"

The Lady smiled and cocked her head for a minute. "If you'll tell him that he will not lean on you so much."

"He's very…uh…" Kamui felt his cheeks flaming powerfully, "He's very touchy-feely..."

"And that bothers you?"

"At the time it was very intensive and I'm sure that lust is half of his need for me."

"Perhaps, but is it so much of a problem?"

"I felt spent."

"Ah"

"I mean….I was never really….you know…tired…I mean….we just didn't talk enough you know."

"I'm sure he will learn to stop himself if you'll ask him to do it."

"But….we have nothing in common. He's so old, mentally, and from such a different world, we're so different that's all. I have no idea how we clicked the first time other then the fact that I was pretty and he looked like Fuma."

"I'm sure he knows you inside and outside by now and fully loves you for who you are. Then, if you'll ask him, he will change himself to your liking."

Kamui got up as if to run off. He sat down immediately, his back to the Lady. He drew his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees, curling into a small ball.

"I've changed him enough, it's not fair to keep demanding these things from him."

"He changed you as well, you know?"

"Bah, that was Destiny-forced, was it not?"

The Lady bowed her head a little, arching her brows in thought. "Perhaps."

"He….he will want me near him, always near him, like I'm a drug he needs to take."

"Oh how you've got it spot on; he is indeed addicted to you Kamui. But if you'll ask him he'll let you wonder free, as long as you'll give him even five minutes together."

"That's the thing. That's exactly the thing! I want to be free, completely free, without even the need for five minutes or five seconds or five nano seconds!" Kamui climbed to his feet, fists clenched at his sides.

"He will keep me in a golden cage as big as I'll tell him to make it, with a leash as long as I wish it to be, but the leash and the bars will still be there! I don't want to be dependant on people and I don't want other to depend on me. He needs me and so he will ground me to him.

"Sure he will give me everything I'll ask for and change himself inside out if I as much as snap my fingers but it doesn't matter because at the end of the day I will not really make my own choices; I will make the choices he will let me make.

"I know he can give me power and wealth, take away diseases and death, but if I have to be sick and poor and dying to be free I prefer that over captivity. We're not compatible, we never were, and we never will be."

Kamui was back in his bedroom. He blinked at the sudden sight of polished smooth grey walls instead of delicate pink sky, at the bed under him instead of endless white flowers, Will mumbling in his sleep instead of the Lady of Light.

Was that a kind of trick he pulled on him to make his decision clear? Did she manipulate their conversation until he'll make the decision?

What a clever, truly good woman. How nice it must be to live under her régime, as boring as it might get.

But no, he wouldn't enjoy living here, he realized as he mulled it over. He would feel bored and useless if everything will run smoothly; he will face no challenges in life.

Kamui grew up around troubles and difficulties to overcome and had won over them, kicking and scratching his way through them. If nothing's wrong around him he'll go mad.

Which is exactly why he can't be with Alex.

Fuma needs to learn how to be good in bed.

Fuma needs to learn a bit of tact.

Fuma needs to learn how to keep their room clean, or at least to share the load of house chores.

Fuma needs to polish his social skills.

Fuma needs to realize that basketball isn't everything in life and that ranting about how he misses the school tournaments is very close to driving Kamui into madness.

Fuma needs to learn proper table manner.

Fuma needs how to punch someone real good for grabbing his lover's ass and when to step up to someone who's trying to steal Kamui away.

Fuma needs to learn how to cook properly and how to dress properly.

Fuma needs to learn not to be overcome by his shame of the Dragon's doing.

So many things that Fuma needs to be working on. But that's exactly why Kamui loves Fuma; because he's full of flaws and challenges.

Fuma will never lean on him so heavily and would only pout a bit if Kamui would be away for a long while. He'll understand if Kamui wants to be alone, he won't make Kamui promise to come back. Fuma will let him be free. The least he'll do about Kamui's choices is to wonder over them and then agree that Kamui knows better and should be the one to make all the decisions for them both.

Kamui was so deep in thought that he did not notice it as the sky outside his large round window grew pale and the sun rose, casting perfect rays on his bedrooms' immaculate floor.

The sound of horses walked out to the small city's front court made Kamui jerk up in the bed, shaking Will off his chest.

Kamui leaped off the bed and rushed to the window, holding his robe to his chest.

Below him David was loading the vampires' coffins on a wagon while Alex made sure every horses' saddle was placed tightly enough around them.

They were making arrangements to leave? But Alex decided to stay here until he snaps didn't he?

Kamui withdrew into his room as a knock was heard at the door.

Subaru's soft, sleepy voice on the other side of the door informed him that he needs to wake up because there's breakfast and then they'll be leaving.

The youth chirped merrily back as approval and hurried to wake Will up and pack whatever they acquired here up.

Will rubbed his eyes and scratched behind his healthy ear before yawning, exposing a line of sharp molars and his pair of longish canines.

"Are ve leaving? I thought ve're going to stay…"

Kamui stood still, bending above the fancy round suitcase he found while rummaging through some of the things Kotori offered him to take. His hands froze in the middle of their action, the elven silk scarf slipping off through fingers like water.

"Perhaps…." He took a moment to process the sudden epiphany he had, "Perhaps she didn't invite only me into that dream?"

"Vat dream?"

"Perhaps….just perhaps, she showed him our conversation….what else can explain the fact that we're leaving so suddenly?"

Kamui straightened his back, blinking quickly. Yes, it's possibly!

He clapped merrily; maybe that means Alex will finally figure out they're not compatible and leave him alone! Maybe then he'll give this war up and return them all to the City, maybe this is what he's doing now!

"Come on Will, we don't want to hold everyone back because we were late for breakfast!"

"You're awfully cheerful today…"

(tbc)


	34. Adventures Abound

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: ** To Kakyou-chan (yes, a LoTR mentioning, there will be another one because, as you know, what's on the Light side comes to the Dark Side as well, yayz! And Kamui won't pardon Sei-Sei so quickly, sorry.), to LadyoftheBlackWings (I was not whacked by the shrub, honey, I was high on caffeine XD, Shuichi is indeed a health hazard XXXD oh my, and I'm sorry but ALEX AND KAMUI WON'T HAPPEN IN THE END due to Mary Sue-ness, sorry, go you and your fic! I want to see it already! I don't have AIM, I'm sorry, I do have MSN messenger though), and to iwannasleep (Alex didn't give up Kamui he just….got insulted 'tis all honey).

Also many thanks to Cait-hime-sama-dono, my beta, for working so hard on making A New World a better fic.

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN IT'S CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS! **

Many apologies if this chapter is crackish. I'm in a crackish mood. Mr. Mitts and crack yaoi do that to me. Deal with it.

* * *

**Chapter 34 – Adventures Abound**

The Light Side's blooming landscape became a dry desert. The change came as a shock to the Death convoy. They stopped their horses and stood still, gawking at the yellow view.

"t-that's impossible," Alex mumbled, "this place is supposed to be full of life, a desert is not the right thing for it to have."

"I've never seen a desert before…" Subaru mumbled, eyeing the large stretches of yellow and dark orange before them.

Seishiro hummed in agreement.

"Do you think the horses would do here?" David turned to Death.

"Eh? Oh…hmmm…they're not alive so they can't really suffer thirst. I do wonder about how well they'll cope with dunes but since I don't see any of those ahead, I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we'll find it."

"I was afraid you'd suggest the use of camels…"

"Why?"

"I never liked them…"

"Ah, camels are nice if they're females and they're pretty easy to ride too, once you got the hang of how to sit on them."

"Are we going to ride camels?" Kamui butted into the conversation, his eyes wide with excitement.

"If we'll need to, yes."

"Cool!"

"Oh no…" Subaru whimpered uncontrollably, "I haven't gotten used to riding horses and now we'll have to learn how to ride _camels_…."

"Aw, don't be a drama queen, Suby, you'll manage."

Subaru glared daggers at Death, "_Drama queen!_"

"Eh, let's start riding, see what's this desert's like, shall we?" Alex signaled his horse to ride on.

"He called me a drama queen!" Subaru turned to his lover with demanding eyes.

Seishiro moved on his saddle uncomfortably, "So it seems…"

"What do you mean 'so it seems'!"

"You want me to go defend your honor, dear Subaru-kun?"

"Well…"

"Shall I challenge him to a duel over your hurt dignity?"

"N-no….you'll only make me more of a drama queen!"

"Drama queens are what drama queens do." David sniggered before riding on after Alex.

Staring shocked after the undertaker, Subaru mouthed for a moment, unable to react.

"Shall I challenge _him_ to a duel, Subaru-kun?"

Subaru didn't answer; instead he motioned his horse to ride after David. He placed himself at the fire keeper's side, "Do you have a problem, David-san, that you wish to inform me of?"

David, taken aback by the sudden show of backbone-existence in the light onmyouji, stared at Subaru silently for a moment. "Uh….no, I was just joking."

"Well _don't_."

"Y-yes sir…."

Subaru slowed his horse's pace and returned to Seishiro's side.

"Go Subaru!" Kamui shook his fist at his friend, fighting his horse to slow down a bit. "You showed him!"

Noting his lover is about to say something nasty, Subaru placed his palm on Seishiro's mouth. He tore it off in horror a moment later when Seishiro licked it playfully.

They rode on.

* * *

"**IMPOSSIBLE!**"

"Oh, look how lovely, it's an oasis!"

"This side's absolutely impossible!"

"Oi…"

"Wow, fresh water!"

"Look at the palm trees, how nice, ne, Subaru-kun."

"Don't shove your feet in the water man; we're all going to drink from them in a moment!"

"Oi!"

"Aaaah, how refreshing."

"And while we're here, you need a bath Will."

"No one's _listening to me_…."

"Must I haf a bath already? I'f had one last veek…."

"_Last week_, Will, that means you hadn't had a bath in seven days!"

"Look, will you all _listen to me_?"

"But I don't vant to have a bath…besides; you hadn't bathed in seven days as vell!"

"Hey, pervert, we're parking here today."

"_What!_ But we've only rode for two hours!"

"It's an oasis, how often do you think we'll find the likes of it in this desert?"

"That's the whole point I'm trying to tell you!"

"I-don't-vant-to-have-a-bath! I don't like the vaser!"

"Aaaaah, that is relaxing!"

"_Don't put your feet in the water as well for fuck's sake!_"

"_DAVID!_ Will you listen to me already?"

"Fine, what is it?"

"Look, I'll have a bath with you, alright? Will you feel better about it then?"

"B-bath….to-to-together?" pop, "AAAAAH! What was that for!"

"There were bubbles coming out of your head again, pervert."

"Are we going to stay here for lunch Alex?"

"What a lovely idea, Subaru-kun, I'll go look for something to eat…."

"If you dare swing that shovel at me again David, I swear I'll…"

"Oh please don't hunt anything too fluffy…"

"I shall look for an ugly lizard then, Subaru-kun, will that satisfy you?"

"Come on Will, better go and bathe before someone gets too many ideas into his head…"

"NO _NO NO NO **NO**_ No one's going anywhere! You're all going to stay here and _listen to me_ for **once**, god damn it!"

All eyes turned to Alex who was standing between two palm trees at the entrance to the oasis area, huffing and puffing, red faced and extracting bubbles from the top of his head.

They stared at him for a while, awaiting him to calm down.

After a while Seishiro emitted a polite cough.

Alex shot menacing glares at him.

"Haven't you noticed that we've only rode through this desert for _two hours_ and already we find an oasis to rest and refresh our water supply in?" he finally spoke.

"Seeing how the water is already soiled by _feet_ juice and the way it's also going to be bathing water, I hardly think it'll be fit for drinking." David grumbled, folding his arms on his bare chest.

"Shut up, David."

"What's wrong with an oasis?"

"What's wrong, Subaru, is that….well….it's too good to be true. I mean, this is the desert right? The sun's not even shining hard enough to make it unbearably hot like a proper desert sun should! It's wrong in an overly-good way!"

"Everything in this side is, haven't we already discussed it?"

"Yes but….oh fuck it." Alex threw his bag of maps on the sandy floor and walked off to sulk.

Kamui eyed him suspiciously until he was sure the man located himself for a good while before grabbing Will by the arm and pulling him towards a part of the oasis's small lake hidden by shrubs, to bathe.

"Personally I don't find anything wrong with a desert so nicely equipped by refreshing oasis like this one." Subaru sighed, "What's his problem?"

"Dear Death-san is one of those twisted people who like it when they're uncomfortable."

Eyeing the bushes behind which Kamui and Will had a bath, Subaru mumbled, "Yes, it seems so."

They did not remain in the oasis for the rest of the day, only stayed there for lunch as Subaru suggested. As soon as lunch was over Alex ordered his men to pack up to another ride.

"Where will we sleep then?"

"In the next oasis, the one we'll probably come across in another two hours' ride." Death answered Seishiro grumblingly.

They didn't find an oasis two hours later, or three, or four hours later. The sun was setting and with it came a dreadful cold so powerful and merciless it gnawed into the riders' bones no matter how many layers of fabric they wrapped around themselves.

"It's freezing in here!" Kamui whimpered from the huge lump of coat he wrapped around himself. He could feel Will, who snuggled up into his coat's back, shivering violently and whimpering.

"Finally! This good-for-nothin' desert behaves like a proper desert should!"

"Shouldn't we try to camp out for the night, Alex dear?" Lestate yawned, dusting off his jacket. The desert sand was changing the color of his precious dark green velvet, which bothered him more then he dared to admit out loud.

Victoria sneered at him and turned her head away. She was riding on David's horse, behind the undertaker, and grabbing his body very tightly in the excuse that she needs to balance herself on the animal.

David didn't complain at all. He found it awfully awkward and the feel of the vampire's lush body pressed so hard against him made him uneasy but very glad. He lit a small ball of fire in his palm and held it up at a safe distance from her to help warm her up.

"There are lights ahead of us, we'll ride there and see what it is, ask for accommodations and all." Death answered without looking back at Kamui.

"Who do you think it is in the middle of no where?" Seishiro asked.

"I don't know. Probably expert desert dwellers, who else would want to pitch a tent in the middle of the wasteland?"

"Bedouins?" David proposed.

"Maybe."

"Great…"

"What? They're very good in hospitality you know."

"Humph."

"Don't be a bigot David, they were good neighbors."

"In _your_ world maybe."

"Who are the Bedouins?"

"A tribe of Arabian desert dwellers, Subaru. They wander all around the desert…"

"Robbing and stealing."

"No they don't, stop it David."

"Great, we're going to spend the night with pirates again."

"Don't worry, Victoria, I'll protect you."

The vampire emitted an adoring shrilling whimper and snuggled up to David some more, "You're so brave Da-vid."

"U…umm….y-yes….I mean no…"

"Put something in your lap, oven man, we don't need to see how brave you can be for her."

"_Goddamn pervert!_"

"Look! Where did they get electricity for those lights?"

What Kamui reffered to was the colorful little lamps decorating the huge stumpy tent the convoy was approaching.

It stuck out of the ground, its fabric walls covered by sand at the bottom, emitting a powerful soft light all around it. It was located in a semi circle of palm trees which marked its existence in another oasis.

Obscuring the light sources from within were the cast shadows of human figures, the light outlining their flailing limbs as they moved erratically from one side of the tent to the other. Music boomed out of the tent; the sounds of drums, flutes, violins and the occasional didgeridoo bellowing compiled an electrocuting, hypnotizing rhythm.

"If you're going to San Francisco, the extra hippy version." Seishiro pointed out after a moment of silent listening.

"Look! Someone's stepping outside!"

A thin figure, dressed in a long flowing white robe pushed away a layer of fabric at the entrance to the tent and wobbled it's way from the tent to a nearby bush where it turned it's back to the convoy and did what seemed like urinating.

"Charming…"

The figure turned around sharply, it's long shabby hair theatrically blowing behind it, "Who goes there?"

"Smooth, Seishiro."

The figure wobbled towards them, its hands stretched sideways lazily to help stabilize itself, its head wobbling worse then its steps.

A young man with long black locks stepped out of the circle of golden light from the tent and into the large full moon's light which allowed the riders to better observe his features.

"Wow man…" he said after looking at each rider individually. There were food crumbs and some dribble drops caught in his long beard. Besides that he seemed very thin and very sleepy.

Noting the rest are too awkward to address the man, Lestate spoke up, "Hello…err….dude, how are you?"

The man blinked, baffled, at the vampire, "Booyaka….say, you're glowing in the moonshine my man, that's awesome."

"Pretty neat huh?"

"Great, someone to sit and admire you is just the thing we needed now." David grumbled, earning another hug from the girl behind him.

"And youuuoah!" the man was thrashing himself towards Kamui and Will's horse when an unexpectedly high pile of sand stopped him. He fell flat on his face and remained there for a moment, still as a log.

The Death riders stared at him in silence, waiting for him to recover. They waited in vain; the man turned his head sideways in the sand and began snoring.

"He's having a kip!"

"So it seems."

"'Bet he's pissed."

"Stoned more like it."

Victoria gasped, "Stoned? You mean he took drugs? That's _illegal_!"

"Illegal where? There's no police force here to call it illegal." Seishiro answered her.

"_I_ am with the police…well….I was…"

"And if you'll arrest him, where will you take him?"

Victoria pouted and turned her face away from the assassin.

At that moment another long haired figure in a long flowing robe wobbled out of the tent, "Winterwhite? Winterwhite, where are you?" it was a woman and she sounded a bit more sober then the slumbering man sprawled on the sand.

"Oh, hello there." She straightened herself and bettered her robe at her chest as she noted the men outside her tent.

"Booyaka." Alex beamed at her.

"Ah…uh…thanks…I think. You rode here on these horses?"

"Yes madam, we did."

"Well then, come on in, it's freezing outside."

"Gladly."

Inside the tent it was warm and cozy, the air heated by several stoves placed at the rims of the large fabric-made hall. The floor was covered by rugs, scattered by pillows and shabby mattresses all across it. In the center was a circular table on which clay jugs sat, plates of nuts, figs, dates, salads and pastries the tent inhabitants helped themselves from whenever their wobbling dance brought them near the furniture.

The band responsible for the sensuous music sat on the floor, propped up by pillows and often fed by whatever dancer passed bear them with food in their hands.

In total, Alex estimated, there were about twenty men and women in the tent. They were dressed pretty much in the same fashion; long wavy dresses of loose pants and tunics, some wore turbans, some wrapped towels or scarves around their heads and necks, men and women alike.

The dazzling multiple colors of their outfits was perhaps what made each individual stand out in the bobbing crowd for all were pretty much the same; women with long flowing loose hair, men with un-brushed long hair and beards.

The riders stepping into the large tent did not seem to disturbed anyone; they kept dancing happily, waving their hands in the air or locking them around each other's shoulders and waists with disregard of gender and age.

Will sneezed as soon as he stepped inside the tent.

One man did seem to have noticed the strangers' existence in his tent because he got up to greet them. This man appeared very young, in his late teens not more, which would explain his shaven face and clouded large, innocent eyes.

Those large brown orbs lay warm on his guests as he extended his arms to his sides (thus accidentally disturbing a few dancers from their bizarre dance) as he walked smoothly towards them.

"Welcome, booyaka, my brothers," he noted Victoria, "brothers and sister."

"Booyaka to you too." Lestate chirped.

The young man giggled, gesturing towards a woman in advance stages of pregnancy who was currently very busy swinging her arms while turning round and round on her spot. "Oh it has, thank Shiva."

"What's Shiva got to do with it!" Subaru muttered under his breath.

Will sneezed.

"What does 'booyaka' mean anyway?" Alex had to ask.

"It means 'may your seed be fruitful in the belly of your womaaaaan'" the young man began swinging from side to side to the rhythm of the music. "Would you like to join us in our party, people? It's a blast."

"Age of Aquarius." Seishiro noted, pointing his finger heavenwards. "The song they're playing that is."

"Yes, how did you know?" the young man beamed happily, "you're groovy man, love the suit, 'bit sqyare but very hip nonetheless."

"Thank you…brother…man."

Will sneezed three times in a row, taking a deep breath when he was done.

Subaru shot an amazed stare at Seishiro who beamed back playfully.

"Oh you are groovy, come, join us, put your bags down, kick your shoes off and join us."

"Great, join the hippy party." David groaned, "They are hippies, for god's sake, what are they doing here?"

"My name is Neil," said the young man with a wide swing of his arm towards his lithe chest, obvious after having not heard David's grumble, "and this is Moshe Rabeinu (1)." He now swung his arm towards a man in white robes and white cloth to his head, "he helped us set up this tent."

"Moshe Rabeinu," David snarled, "nischt meir und nischt veiniger (2)…"

Will snickered silently. And then sneezed.

"Look, we're exhausted from our ride today," Victoria stepped up to Neil, "can we please go rest in a place a little more private then this?"

Neil stared at her for a moment before a smile broke on his young face, "Sure….although, we only have one more tent here so for all of you it won't be much private."

"That's no problem, thank you very much."

Will was caught by another fit of short sneezes.

The young man led them through a back exit to another tent, past this oasis' pond. This tent was less decorated but higher in build, its wall made of various colors (noted only by Victoria, Lestate and Alex, who were able to see in the poor lighting of the soft candles which lit the tent).

This tent, too, was heated nicely and contained the same furnishing of odd mattresses, pillows and a few closed ovens.

"Oh, thank god we stepped out of there; the smell of incense was very close to choking me." Subaru sighed as soon as he placed his bags down.

"You too? I thought my head is going to explode if I won't sneeze soon." Kamui chimed in.

"Well why didn't you sneeze?"

"I didn't want to embarrass them."

"I need a handkerchief…"

"You poor thing, you're not used to smells like those."

"My head hurts too…I need to sit down." The werewolf collapsed on a nearby pillow and dug his face in his hands.

Kamui sat besides him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Victoria surveyed the tent, "We really won't get much privacy here…" she sighed, "Oh well, better then that drug den the other tent was."

"I think the music's what really bothered me." David mumbled, taking his shoes off and placing them by the mattress he sat on.

"Put something on your shoes David, in fact, all of you; cover your shoes with something." Alex called out to his men.

"Why is that?" Seishiro enquired while covering his and Subaru's shoes with his jacket.

"Because it's cold outside and during the night all sorts of creepy-crawlies might try to find warmth inside your shoes and in the morning, as you put them on, they might sting your feet."

Kamui turned anxious eyes to Alex, "What do you mean by 'creepy-crawlies'?"

"Scorpions, snakes, spiders. It's mostly scorpions I'm worried about because we're in a desert."

Victoria stifled a shriek of panic.

"Are your kind sensitive to scorpions, Victoria?" David inquired, worried.

With her mouth still covered by her palm, Victoria shook her head vigorously, then shrugged.

David turned his eyes to Alex who shook his head solemnly.

"I just don't like creepy-crawlies, is all." The vampire girl whimpered.

The man Neil referred to as Moshe Rabeinu walked into their tent, accompanied by five women, their arms loaded by small straw baskets and clay plates.

"Welcome to our humble commune." He beamed at them with a deep, warm voice.

Alex and David exchanged a few words in Hebrew with him.

Will twitched and folded himself into a small ball. Kamui let go of the werewolf's shoulders.

Moshe emitted a long, bellowing laughter and waved his hand lazily at David. He examined the rest of the tent inhabitants who stared at the three curiously. "I was speaking to your leader here about how long you could stay here. I personally invite you to stay here as long as you want. We have meditations and prayers every few hours, which you are more then welcomed to join, we have singing nights, we have poetry reading sessions, anything you'd like.

"But for now you have to rest from your long journey. Please, help yourselves to these organic dishes my wonderful wives prepared. I hope you don't mind there's nothing made of meat here, for we're all vegetarians."

"I didn't imagine otherwise." David grumbled. He was elbowed into silence by Alex.

"Thank you very much for your kind hospitality, Moshe-san." Subaru bowed at the man.

"Yes, we won't be a burden to you for too long, we only wish to stay here for the night."

By now the women, moving gracefully as if they were still dancing to the music of the bigger tent (it's faint sounds managed to leak into the riders' tent), placed their plates evenly before the riders.

"Mmm, this is delicious." Alex pointed out to one of them women.

"Thank you," she hummed merrily, placing a gentle palm on the head of the baby strapped to her breast by a large plum-colored fabric. "I made this myself."

"You're an excellent cook then."

Just as the women began leaving, a group of men waltzed into the room in much the same manner, carrying jugs and some more clay plates which they delivered to their guests evenly.

Alex recognized one of these men, a sun scorched blond in his mid twenties who was smiling softly to himself as he moved around in his white and gold Arabian robes.

"Lawrence?" Death asked with much surprise and an undeniable amount of happiness in his eyes.

The man turned to him, unable to recognize who spoke to him. "Oh, I haven't been called that in a while. Please, call me Thomas. Do we know each other?"

"Maybe…"

The man smiled again and rose to leave.

"Who's he?" Kamui inquired as soon as the group left. The undertone of slight jealousy was somewhat obvious in his speech.

"Thomas Eduard Lawrence….Jesus, what a flashback…" Alex shook his head and resumed fingering the bowl of nuts before him.

"Well I'll be damned." Seishiro mumbled. He reached for one of the bowls the men left behind them, containing a small pile of what looked like homemade cigarettes.

To confirm his suspicions, Seishiro brought one of the cigarettes under his nose and sniffed it thoroughly.

"It's pot!"

"Eeeeh!" Victoria shot to her feet, fists clutched in anger.

"S-Seishiro-san!"

The reason for Subaru's alarmed cry was the fact that, casually, Seishiro had placed the special cigarette between his lips and lit it.

He took a deep draft; his eyes squinted a bit in an attempt to appreciate the content of his smoke, and exhaled a long column of smoke.

All eyes were on him, awaiting the drug's effect on the man.

Seishiro merely smiled, somewhat nostalgically, reached for a nearby bawl of dates, and picked one to consume.

"Since when do you smoke marijuana, Seishiro-san?" Subaru's voice came out complaining and petty.

"Since university, my dear Subaru-kun, and it's really not as bad as people try to describe it. It's actually quite refreshing."

"You _took drugs_ in university, Seishiro-san?"

The dark onmyouji took another draft from his joint and beamed at Subaru while exhaling the smoke through his nostrils, "Who didn't?"

Subaru turned his eyes desperately to his fellow Death men, as if seeking refuge…or assurance…or agreement with what Seishiro said.

Kamui was eyeing the non-food bowl before him. This one contained what were obviously drug-soaked stamps.

He wondered. He refused. He wondered again, becoming tempted this time. He chastised himself for even thinking about it. He reached out and grabbed one stamp.

Will observed his master carefully. Kamui looked back at him.

"What?"

"Uh….nothing…"

"You want one too?"

"Ummm….I don't know….ist this the place to take zese?"

Kamui scanned the others in the tent.

"I don't know but I don't think we'll run into this stuff anywhere else so…."

"And you vant to try it?"

"Yes. Lots of kids back in my world did this stuff. I never tried because mother was around and she'd know."

Will stared down at the bowel. He reached out and picked a stamp.

He and Kamui stared at each other and slowly put the stamps on their tongues, like mirror images of one another.

Lestate observed this with much fascination. He folded his legs neatly under him on the large soft cushion he chose to sit on and leaned on a nearby stumpy table, preparing himself for a night of watching his comrades in their new condition.

"Err….uh….psst, Alex." David edged himself towards Death. He was eyeing a bowl filled with stamps, the same as the one placed before Kamui.

Alex was eyeing the bowel the same way as the undertaker, "Yes, David?"

"Did you….uh…in your world…."

"…Yes?"

"Was there a guy….I mean, this author guy who, you know…"

"….Yes….?"

"Was like us…I mean…."

"Uh-huh….?"

"And he took one of these things and….well….freaked out(3)….?"

"Yeah, he was in my world too…"

"….He saw bits of the camp in Technicolor and bits of the bible above it….didn't he?"

"No, he saw bits of the camp and bits of the bible above it in Technicolor…."

"Ah…well….anyways….." David fidgeted with the rims of the mattress he sat on, "So you think….if we take it….that we'll freak out too?"

"….I don't know….kind of makes me not want to try it…do you want to try it…."

"No. I have my share of memories, the last thing I need is to see it in Technicolor or whatever…."

Victoria pulled the bowel from under their gazes and shuffled several of the pieces with his forefinger musingly.

"You're going to try it?" David gawked at his girlfriend.

"I don't know. I'm not sure this stuff can affect me anyway…" for a moment her red eyes flickered towards Alex before turning away as quickly as they turned to him.

"If I take one will you take one too?" David reached for the bowel and pulled two stamps, holding them safely away from his face.

They exchanged looks.

"Yeah, why not. I'm not police girl anymore." The vampire picked a stamp decorated by a blue and yellow dots. She placed it in her mouth and eyed David as if expecting the affects to happen to him and not her.

David eyed the stamp in between his fingers and shrugged, placing it on his tongue.

Alex edged away from David and, instinctively, turned his attention to Kamui.

After thorough examination of Seishiro smoking his joint, Subaru leaned closer to his lover. "Well?"

"Well what, Subaru-kun?"

"How do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" Seishiro giggled, caressing the side of his lover's face, "A bit lightheaded, the usual."

"And that's it? Besides the giggling that is…"

"What giggling?"

"You giggled, Seishiro-san."

"And how do you find it?"

A childish smile crept up the corner of Subaru's lips, "It's….strange, but not unpleasant."

The dark onmyouji handed his lover a joint.

Eyeing Seishiro, Subaru took the cylinder from his countering star's finger and slowly placed it between his lips. Seishiro offered his lighter.

"**Subaru!** You're taking drugs!" Kamui pointed at the light onmyouji. His finger was slightly shaking. Will's head was at his lap, his ears twitching back and forth from time to time as if listening to something.

"Shut up brat." Seishiro barked back. He turned to Subaru and found the joint was in Subaru's hand. "Now now, Subaru-kun, don't let peer pressure get the better of you. Ignore the brat, he's high as well."

"H-he is?" Subaru turned to Kamui who now stared up at the tent's top. "Kamui, are you high?"

Kamui took his time before answering, "I think I am."

"How do you f…."

Seishiro shut his lover's mouth by poking the cigarette between his lips, "Forget about that and just smoke the damn stuff. It's good for you, trust me, I'm a doctor."

Subaru flushed, examining his lover's somewhat misty eyes. He leaned forward, lighting his joint with Seishiro's offered lighter.

"Dear god, they're all getting high!" Alex heard himself mutter. He turned to David as if for assurance and found that both the fire wielder and Victoria were gone. "Great, that's just great."

Will got up and began exploring the tent, cocking his head sideways from time to time as if to tune into some noise hidden from the rest of the men. His wonderings met an end as he caught his toe on Lestate's pillow and came tumbling down into the vampire's lap.

"Hello, little wolf cub." Lestate beamed down at him.

Will, who was now folded in half in Lestate's lap, grabbed the end of his tail and began smoothing its fur with slightly shaking fingers. He became enchanted by the play of color in Lestate's hair and eyes.

"You haf pretty hair."

"Why thank you, little wolf cub. You're an exceptional beauty yourself." And with that Lestate began storking Will's hair, arms and legs with smooth long strokes.

Kamui crawled towards Alex on all fours, hanging determined eyes at Death.

Alex, on his behalf, did his best to crawl away from the boy. On a whim he was already beginning to regret, he took a small amount of the stamps he was sure will manage to work their chemical magic on his inhuman body.

The boy moving towards him, so far, did not seem to have altered his appearance, like the rest of the tent around him, but Alex didn't feel like taking chances.

"Alex!" Kamui sat up on his knees, pointing a blaming finger at Lestate, "Lestate's molesting Will," he exclaimed slightly louder then what is considered mannered, "do you mind telling him to stop it?"

Alex examined the accused vampire and the werewolf in his lap (who seemed to be enjoying the treatment). He had to squint a lot because, in the condition he was surely entering, he did not trust his sight very much.

"Well, er, Kamui, I don't see any of the sides involved complaining about it. The mutt looks like he's enjoying himself muchly. Let him have some fun, Kamui, we're treating him so badly, me and David, he aught to have someone treat him nicely from time to time, don't you think?"

Kamui slammed his fist into the nearby table, glaring at Alex full force, "Damn right you treat him badly, but molesting him is not exactly fare treatment!"

"Is that a word from Justice?"

"It is!" Kamui enhanced his words with another punch to the table.

"You'll break it if you keep doing that Kamui. And it doesn't make you look any manlier you know."

"I don't look manly?" Kamui punched the table a third time.

"No, you look very much like a girl."

Kamui shot to his feet, kicking the table to the other side of the tent, "I am not a girl! I'm a male baby boy."

"B-baby boy? We shouldn't have stopped here; you're all tripping badly…" Alex muttered. He grabbed a nearby blanket and spread himself out on David's abandoned mattress.

"I'm calling it a night, Kamui, go bother someone else if you want."

"But he's _molesting_ him!"

"Still stuck with that notion, huh?" Alex sighed; puffing a pillow he pulled from another spot in the tent and placed under his head. "Go join them if you care about it so much."

"You'd like to watch that, wouldn't you?"

Alex glanced at Lestate, who was now unbuttoning Will's shirt and giving the werewolf's chest the same treatment as the rest of him received.

Will seemed to be in a different planet, judging by the dreamy look on his face and the silly smile he was sporting.

"You know what? Yeah, I'd very much like to watch it, Kamui."

"You're sick." Kamui toed off his shoes and slipped under Alex's blanket, keeping a safe distance from Death.

"Perhaps. Would you like to watch it?"

"I'd be _in_ it, Alex, how would I watch it?"

Alex wrapped his arms around Kamui and pulled the boy closer to him, "I don't know. Do it in front of a mirror?"

"Don't get any ideas into your head, Alex, I'm here because it's cold in this tent."

"Cold. Right."

"You're bubbling again."

"Damn straight I am. David 'aint here so I can do whatever I damn want to, boy."

"You're staring to sound like a hillbilly."

"When was the last time you heard a hillbilly?"

"Right now, stupid, you're not listening to what I'm saying?"

"Why won't you join them, Kamui, it is a great idea after all."

Kamui twisted his head to look into Death's eyes. "You think so?"

"Hell yeah."

"But then you wouldn't be able to snuggle up to me."

"Ah. Problem. It is, indeed, a sever moral problem. Almost a philosophic question."

"You run your mouth when you're high, you know that?"

"Maybe."

"Alex?"

"Yes?"

"Do you see bits of the bible in Technicolor?"

"No, do you?...Hey, wait!"

Subaru and Seishiro secluded a half hidden corner of the tent and were, at the moment, very much occupied by themselves.

"You know what, Alex?"

"What?"

"I miss your waffles."

"Do you want some now?"

"Maybe when I'll get the munchies."

"You get the munchies from smoking pot, silly goose, not from taking LSD."

"Seishiro has a great ass, you know that?"

"…..Yeah….he does. Hey, Kamui, why won't you join _them_?"

"Hmm….I might…."

"No, you know what, on a second thought I think I prefer you joining Will and Lestate more then Seishiro and Subaru."

"Oh. Okay. Shall I join them then?"

"You want to?"

"Sure, why not? Hey, I'm thirsty."

A clay jug of water floated towards Kamui who sat up to hungrily gulp down half of it.

"Don't wake me up when you need to pee all that out, Kamui, I'll be sleeping."

"Sleeping? But I thought you'll stay up to watch me join them!"

"Oh. Right. Never mind then."

Kamui pushed the blanket off of him and wobbled towards the onmyoujis' corner.

"Kamui."

"What?"

Alex pointed towards Lestate whose face was buried at the juncture between Will's neck and shoulder.

"Oh. Right." Justice plopped beside Lestate and placed his head sleepily on the vampire's shoulder.

Alex closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

In his dream, Alex was standing above a bed in a dark room. The bed contained Fuma and Kamui, wrapped up in each other's arms.

In his dream, tears rolled down his eyes at the sight below him and he removed the mask on his face to let them roll. In his dream, the tears ignited and became small balls of fire.

Fuma and Kamui awoke as soon as they sensed the heat and jerked backwards, startled at the sight of Alex.

In his dream, his fiery tears set the bed afire.

* * *

The sun rising on the following morning awoke with its soft light a jumbled tent. One of the local girls, walking into the tent to ask its inhabitants if they would like something for breakfast, or perhaps to join the pre-breakfast yoga session outside under the big palm tree, discovered a heap of people, entangled, and fast asleep.

She giggled and stepped out of the tent, the sound of her laughter waking Death's man up.

David was the first to wake up. He was curled around Victoria completely, bodily separating her from the rest of the group. His left wing covered the vampire completely, thus shielding her from whatever sunshine managed to penetrated the tent's thick white fabric walls.

He twisted his head round and observed the people behind him.

"Yishtenem drago (4)" he sighed, "**WAKE UP, PERVERTS!**"

The heap stirred, emitting sleepy moans of several voices.

Seishiro opened his eyes to find that Subaru was sprawled on him in his boxers alone, clutching at his tie as if to life itself. He smirked and reached for the nearest blanket; when his little Subaru-kun fully wakes he's going to be more then awkward about everyone else seeing him in his state.

Lestate was nowhere to be found. Since he was the only one in the tent that was not influenced by any chemical, he had the sense in him to walk away from the pile at the break of dawn and crawl into his coffin for a safe slumber.

It's a fortunate thing that Kamui woke up before Alex did. He gently shook Will awake and together they gently pried Alex's fingers and arms from around them and walked away to pretend they've slept at a safe distance from Death.

"Kamui."

"Yes, Will?"

"I don't like Lestate."

"What? You seemed awfully friendly with him last night. Well….you were high, but still…"

"I vas high and he touched me. I….I don't like him."

"I thought you enjoyed it."

"I did…I don't know why I don't like him now." Tears rolled out of the werewolf's eyes, making his master worry for him.

"Hmn….goodness….what did we do last night?" Alex sat up, gazing around him. To his left, Seishiro was softly waking Subaru up, to his right David sent death glares at him. "What?"

"Remind me to hit you with my shovel, hard."

"Why? What'd I do?"

David mused for a moment. "Nothing. Help me get Victoria to her coffin."

"Oh ho ho, what did the two of you do last night?"

David blushed.

No one had the guts to make a remark about that.

* * *

Someone knocked on Fuma's room's door that afternoon. Fuma, who was busy clipping his toenails, turned to the door as if it will become transparent and reveal to him who's the visitor.

"Yes, who is it?" he asked casually, sure it must be one of the house residences.

The door opened and a noter poked his head in, looking around the large empty-ish room sheepishly. The noter was from the prison team, as Fuma best remembered him, and like the others of his kind, always looked tired or unhappy about something.

Fuma leaped to his feet and came crushing to the floor after laying his weight on his injured leg.

The noter rushed towards him and tried to help him to his feet when he noted the angry look in Fuma's eyes.

Justice clawed at his bed and pulled himself to his feet again, leaning on the bed.

"I'm sorry, I thought you needed help." The noter backed away, clutching at the cardboard box he was carrying.

"That's why you came here!" Fuma straightened his back, thus towering over the slightly stumpy noter.

"Err, no, actually. I came here because I thought you might like to see these." He pushed the box towards Fuma.

Still slightly suspicious and angry at the other youth, Fuma pulled the box from the other's fingers and opened it.

The box contained a hefty pile of American comic books. Fuma's brows climbed up his forehead. He lowered himself to the bed carefully and began pulling out the pamphlets one by the other.

Most of the comics were X Men but the others were a mixture of Batman, Superman, Spiderman and Daredevil.

Fuma turned surprised eyes to the noter who no longer kept a frightened safe distance from him.

"I thought you might like comic books. I mean, I know Japanese people love comics and stuff….I don't think you might have read these, they're American, but it's comic books and that's what I have."

"Where did you get these?"

"I was carrying them to my base when the dimension took me so they came with me. It's not my whole collection but it's something. Whenever I miss home I just flip through them, it helps."

Fuma stopped flipping through a Batman magazine and turned his eyes to the noter again, "Are you sure you want me to have them? They're the only thing you have left from home…"

"You can borrow them and give them back when you're finished." The noter began looking worried, eyeing his precious magazines with fatherly eyes.

"I'll take good care of them. Thank you very much for thinking about me." Fuma bowed deeply, making the noter awkward.

"Uh….okay…I mean…I felt I had to….or something." He began walking towards the door, "Maybe we can sit and talk about some of the plotlines, there are some magazines missing with really important plot twists. Like in X Men, when Storm's claustrophobia….never mind, I won't spoil it for you."

"Thank you again."

The noter left, leaving behind a rather baffled Fuma.

On one hand he was very much keen on reading these comic books. Back in his home he was very much addicted to several shounen series. Sadly, the shounen series were in Japanese and these are in English. He was very bad at English at school (like most of the subjects really) and reading in English was even worse. It seems like the only good thing he can do good in English is pronounce it, something he always took great pride in whenever Kamui's brag his perfect English which's only hindrance was his Japanese accent.

Well, guess he'll just have to do his best to read these. It's not like he has anything better to do now as the graveyard became completely empty of any new arrivals.

Fuma pushed away the nail clipper and stretched out on the bed, arranging the comics in piles according to title, and prepared for a long day of reading.

Then something accrued to him; the noter said he felt obliged to bring him something that'll cheer him up. Does that mean that the noter sensed his depression and boredom and acted under something that wasn't his own personal logic?

Could it be that the noter did what he did because he needed to help his Justice?

Fuma sighed. He didn't like the somewhat supernatural side of his new title, he didn't like anything supernatural, in fact; it reminded him of the Dragon and that horrid year.

He rubbed at his eyes and reached for the first issue of Batman to his left.

* * *

"Beware, _holes_! What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Alex turned to his men, on their horses behind him.

They have been traveling the desert for a few days now and had so far encountered nothing but the random oasis. Suddenly they came across this road sign, poking out of the no man's land, reading "Beware, holes".

"Maybe it's trying to warn us about holes in the vicinity." Kamui remarked, wiping the sweat from his brow. The desert sun was threatening his perfect alabaster skin's color and he didn't like it one bit, which made him especially cranky and snappy.

"I don't remember your original hair color was blond, Kamui, so stop acting like it is." Death snapped back.

"I wonder if this place has other amusing landmarks." Seishiro mused loudly.

"What do you mean 'amusing', Seishiro-san?"

"I mean…well, back in our world there was this manga about a boy and his father who fell into cursed lakes in china, maybe you've heard of it? Don't know why I remember it now but I just thought it'd be amusing if it'd be here as well."

Subaru looked away sheepishly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Alex growled, glaring Kamui into silence as he noted the boy was about to say something.

"….That's a strange reaction, Alex." The Sakurazukamori smirked at Alex.

"I didn't do anything." Subaru hurrying to add before Alex does anything.

"What are you talking about, Subaru-kun?"

"Let's ride on, shall we?" Kamui sniggered, "What!" he snapped at Alex who glared at him again, "I said 'let's ride on, shall we', nothing else!"

"You're all hiding something from me." Seishiro whispered.

"Maybe you're really blond, brat," David sighed, gaining a canceling glare from Kamui, "the sign says '_beware, _holes', that means we shouldn't ride on so quickly."

"We can avoid the holes if we look at where we're riding from time to time, you know." Justice snapped at the undertaker.

"Right, the two of you; shut up, now. We're going to stop here for lunch; we've rode enough for the day. And while we're at it I'll take a look around and see where these 'holes' are."

"Shouldn't we wait for an oasis?" Subaru suggested, as kindly as he could so as not to sound condescending or complaining.

"We passed one two hours ago, that means we'll have to ride two more hours to the next one, and your tummy's already rumbling."

"I can wait two hours."

"No."

Subaru blinked at Death and mouthed a bit before realizing that it's the wrong man to argue about food with.

They rode their horses a little beyond the warning sign and, looking around to make sure no holes are around them, descended from their horses.

That's when the holes opened and swallowed them all, throwing them into pitch dark tunnels with whatever little sand their fall brought with them.

* * *

"What the hell was that!"

"Ouch, my back."

"Victoria!"

"David, hey…..ummm…." Victoria was a little bit awkward at her and her boyfriend's current condition.

The fall had dropped the both of them so that she landed on the floor, on her back, while David fell on top of her and was now crouched above her.

"Uh….um…well….I….uh….I mean….I-it's awfully dark in here, don't you think?" and with that, to distract him from his awkwardness, David set fire to his fist, holding it up above his head to illuminate their surrounding.

The fire lit a long narrow tunnel to their right and a high wall to their left.

"We seemed to have landed into a tunnel. I wonder where the tunnel leads to…" David spoke to distract himself from the vampire still sprawled under him.

Victoria eyed her boyfriend calmly. She always found his slightly childish awkwardness endearing but her need for something more in their relationship, on the other hand, began to have enough of it.

"David…"

The undertaker jerked in dread for a moment, shooting his eyes from his burning fist and the woman beneath him.

"Oh, shit, fire, vampire, I'm sorry, you're sensitive to it." He put the flames off and the tunnel became dark again.

"But now we can't see anything…damn…uh…"

"David, I can see in the dark, I'm fine."

"Oh? Lucky you…how do you think we'll get out of here?"

"David…"

"Y…y-yes?"

Victoria wrapped her arms around her man and brought their lips together.

* * *

"Uh…"

"Oops, sorry, Suby, it's me." Alex, who landed on top of Subaru much the same fashion as David did on Victoria, leaped to his feet.

"Alex! Where are we?"

"We seem to be in a tunnel into which we fell from the hole we were warned about."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Huh?"

"We were swallowed into these holes individually, so why on earth are we here, together? We aught to be in different tunnels."

"You've got a point. Hey, where is everybody else?"

"Where is Seishiro-san?"

Alex sharpened his senses and reached out to his other men. "He's three tunnels town to our right, he's safe and sound."

Subaru climbed to his feet, "Good. How do we get out of here, I can't see a thing."

"I can see in the dark. Here, put your hands on my shoulders and I'll lead you towards the exit."

"Is it a long walk?"

"Well, I can sort of see a very faint light of day but it's very far from us. This means that the tunnel we're walking in is straight, so at least we're not stuck in some kind of maze or something."

"The light could be from a window in the ceiling of this place."

"….Maybe, but anyway, we have no other choice but to start walking and finding out, right?"

"…Yes."

Alex turned his back to Subaru and waited for the man to place his palms on his shoulders.

"I'll follow your aura, there's no need for you to be hindered by me. I can sort of sense you here."

"Ah, good. Let's start moving then."

"Let's."

* * *

"Oh my. I seem to have woken up early today."

As soon as he sounded himself Lestate noted the werewolf, who landed at his side, jerk away as if bitten by a snake.

"Hello, wolf cub."

"S-stay avay from me…."

"My, your arm doesn't look very good; did you land on it accidentally?"

"_DON'T TOUCH ME!_"

Lestate blinked at the defensive youth. "Have I done something you did not like?"

"I….I just don't vant you to touch me, that's all…." Will's eyes began watering again. He pushed himself against a wall and curled into a tight ball around his broken arm which was now thudding with pain again. He couldn't see where the vampire is though he could smell the man's fragrance and assess where his foe was. "Ach, mein arm.(5)" He hissed silently.

Lestate stared at the boy for a while before reaching to him softly. "Your arm has been re-broken, it needs treatment."

"Ve'll vait to get out of here and zen Seishiro vill take care of it. _Don't touch me!_"

"Look, I can smell blood, which means your arm has an open wound, I can heal that. Let me heal it with my blood, I promise I won't touch you."

"I don't trust you."

'Heavens, what made you react like that' Lestate mused. "Look, just reach out your wounded arm and I'll drip blood into it. That way I can heal you and I won't have to touch you."

After a long moment of unsure silence, Will obeyed. Supporting his aching arm with his healthy one, he reached it out to the gaping black abyss around him. He could smell the strange metallic, zinging aroma of unnatural blood as Lestate bit open a gash in his wrist and brought it above the boy's damaged arm.

The werewolf's canine whimpers of pain turned into a frightened gasp as the blood began working its magic on the wounded tissues.

"There, does it still hurt?"

"N-no…and I can move my arm as vell…"

"Yes, the blood of vampires of my kind does that. You probably won't need that arm sling of yours too." Lestate climbed to his feet, having noticed the werewolf resumed his defensive position.

"Come, boy, we need to get out of here."

"I can't see a thing."

"Yes, well, I can. Here's what we'll do;" he reached into his jacket's breast pocket. "I'll play my flute and you'll follow the sound, how about that?"

"You can see ze exsit?"

"Yes, it's right a head of us, a bit far, but still right ahead of us."

Will began uncurling himself, staying on all fours as he began following Lestate and his flute. There was something in this beastly position that kept a bit of his confidence in this dark surrounding.

As he walked and played his flute, Lestate pondered the boy's violent reaction earlier.

"Ist that Mozart?"

"Yes, it is, you are a very well educated boy."

"Can you play Vagner?"

"Wagner?" Lestate pondered the request, "Is that a compositor? Perhaps someone from your world because I've never heard of such a man" he lied.

"Oh…okay…."

* * *

As soon as he fled the other man's body land on his Kamui placed his palms on the invisible chest and pushed it away violently. Fingers clawed at him for a moment and then let go, pushing him away as well.

At the same moment, two men pushed themselves away from where their landing placed them, pushed their legs under them and leaped to their feet, each to a battle position. None could see the other though, by the tiny moment of touching each other, they knew who they were.

The broad chest Kamui felt was too flat to be Alex's or David's and the clothes covering it reeked of cigarette smoke. The chest was too muscular to be Subaru's; it was Seishiro who landed atop of him. Kamui hissed and loosened his palms from the fists he created to a ready position to claw at the other man might another attempt at touch will be made by him.

The thin shoulders Seishiro grabbed were too narrow to be Subaru's and the faint smell of a dog the other body emitted indicated the other person under him spent close time with Will. Seishiro smiled in the darkness. He could feel Death was far away from him and by the sounds echoing back at him from the close walls he knew that Alex is not even in the space around them; Kamui was stuck in the same narrow space as him and the time was ripe for vengeance.

Unlike Kamui, who was blind in the dark, Seishiro's keen senses told him exactly where the boy was and what he was doing.

For a moment the alarming notion of danger hit Kamui's senses; he was powerless and alone with his biggest foe, without his powers and without the high-toned senses his powers once gave him. He was helpless, powerless, defenseless and blind.

His second greatest fear came true the next moment as a powerful palm slammed shut on his throat, pushing him violently against the curved wall behind him. Kamui clawed at the hand mercilessly until he could feel the wetness of blood at the tips of his fingers. If he hurts Seishiro Subaru will be mad at him, if Seishiro hurts him…

If Seishiro hurts him _again_ he will be severely punished by Alex. That was the only light of hope shining in Kamui's frightened heart. The sheer cruel force of the hand on his neck made it clear to Kamui that the man holding him was not only bloodthirsty, but furiously inclined to kill him.

No, Seishiro will not kill him; it would spell out his own death by Alex. Seishiro will dare not hurt him.

The fist slamming into the side of his face shattered that arrogant thought. His jaw exploded with pain, his right cheekbone chiming in. Seishiro was very much inclined to hurt him no matter what.

Kamui bit his lower lip to stop himself from emitting even the tiniest of sounds that might give the Sakurazukamori any inclining of the immense pain he was in. His head spun as his windpipe was slowly squeezed shut. Kamui rolled his eyes and blinked to keep himself from shedding tears of pain that were instinctively gathering in his eyes as the result of his hurt cheek.

A wave of cigarette smell gushed at Kamui's face, hot and humid; Seishiro brought his face closer to the boy. How can he see in the darkness so well!

"I can kill you, brat, my fingers are itching to do it." The assassin snarled into the face of the boy who sentenced him to death and sent his Subaru-kun into hellish anguish.

"You wouldn't dare." Kamui hissed back and spat whatever saliva and blood gathered in his mouth forward into the darkness.

Seishiro wiped the smudge away as silently as he could and smirked. This is exactly what he wanted to hear from Kamui.

To bring the boy closer to the threatening hisses he wished to hear from him, Seishiro sent his knee at the boy's groin, now extracting a choked breath and aching moan from his prey.

Kamui threw his right arm forward and waited for his nails to find skin to peel off. He found and eye socket and carved his fingers into it.

A strange, soft popping sound echoed around them from the close walls, then the sound of something hard and glassy falling to the ground and shattering.

Seishiro kept his right eyelids shut and ground his teeth as hard as he could. The damn brat tore out his false eye and broke it. His rage soared so high that the only thing that kept his right arm from flying towards the boy's chest was the memory of Alex's slap and the feel of the cold ice biting into his face as he landed on the snow as the blow's result.

Instead, the Sakurazukamori grabbed the offending right arm, yanked it as forcefully outwards until he heard the sickening crank of a dislocated shoulder. He did not let go of the arm; instead he lowered his palm on the limb and, using his left arm to grab the wrist and straighten the arm, he punched Kamui's elbow until the bones gave it and shattered.

Kamui's shriek turned into a howl of pain so strong it deafened both the men and echoed in their heads for a long while after.

Kamui collapsed to the ground, gasping and squealing, spitting and twitching as he fought to forget the pain. He squirmed on the cold smooth ground wildly, kicking his feet and arching his back until his head hit the opposite wall. His elbow disappeared in a bright white light of immense pain, so big it flickered on and off as damaged tissues failed to transmit every level of pain they registered.

Seishiro towered over the twitching boy, a large toothy smile spread on his face which he did not wish to wipe out so quickly, on the contrary – he wished the boy could see him and feel even more fear.

He bent down and picked the boy by the neck again, this time meeting no resistance; Kamui was a limp as a rag doll.

He brought his face closer to Kamui's, snarling, "Go on, boy, call out to your knight in shiny armor; call him over to save you from the big bad monster."

What was supposed to make Kamui feel even more powerless and pathetic worked the exact opposite way; it sharpened Kamui's senses and snapped him back to reality.

He smiled through the blood dripping from a wound at the corner of his lower lip, "No." his voice was surprisingly calm and collected, it even surprised Kamui himself, "I will not call him; I'm no longer dependant on him for my own protection. If you want to beat me some more, go ahead, I don't care."

Though he was taken aback by the smooth reply and despite the churning disappointment at the pit of his stomach that the boy did not cave in and began whimpering for Alex's help, Seishiro still had something to hurt the boy with. "You mean 'go ahead, I deserve it'."

"As much as you deserve to die, murderer."

The next punch thrown at Kamui snapped his cheekbone and dislocated his jaw. Luckily for Kamui, the pain he sustained so far enhanced until his body gave in and he fell unconscious.

Letting go of the boy's neck, Seishiro turned away from the splayed youth and began walking out of the tunnel.

* * *

By the time they exited the tunnels it was late twilight and, as Lestate strolled casually out of his burrow he could easily face what little light was left outside.

"Well that was interesting, don't you think, Alex?"

Alex and Subaru, who exited the tunnels first, sat on a rock outside the tall cliff at the bottom of which the tunnels' openings were arranged neatly one by the other.

"This was one hell of an experience, don't you think?"

"I do." Lestate turned backwards to observe the werewolf who had just popped out of the tunnel, shielding his eyes from the sudden light and climbing to his feet from the crouched he was at so far.

"Vere's Kamui…" Will mumbled silently. He realized that his master and protector was not here while one of his biggest dangers was at clear view of him. He chose a rock safely away from Alex and sat on it to observe the gaping tunnel openings, puzzled.

"I wonder how each single opening knew which tunnel to take us to and who to take with whom." Subaru spoke, placing a cigarette between his lips. "And who made these tunnels. I touched the walls; they were completely smooth and definitely not made of earth. Look at the cliff's stone, its mere sandy earth while the tunnels themselves are made of some kind of granite."

"It seems we've encountered one more mystery of this dimension." Lestate smiled.

"Training." Alex said suddenly, "It could be some kind of training facility, or a small adventure for training.

"This side is designed to give whoever comes from the Dark Side a good rest after what they've been through right? First they eat enough in Anthrax, then they re-armor themselves at the City of Men, later they care for their wounded at the Elves' and here they have a small bout of light, harmless, fun adventures."

"Well, it was kind of fun," Lestate chirped, "wasn't it, pup?"

Will was too busy frowning at the tunnels to hear the vampire.

David and Victoria sauntered out of the second tunnel to the right, their arms around the other's waist.

Alex and Lestate emitted a long "Awww".

David had a good screaming session at them, only to be teased into more and more anger by Death and the other vampire.

Victoria, on her behalf, merely stretched herself calmly and perched on a rock not so far from Will. She turned to the werewolf and beamed at him merrily; she felt like beaming at the whole wide world, even at Alex.

Throwing her head backwards (she was so lightheaded with happiness that any move she made gave her a delightful little dizziness) and began whistling a happy tune, swinging her short legs to the rhythm.

This stopped the loud threesome as they turned to look at the particularly cheerful girl. David turned beet red. Lestate opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it, leaving behind a large cunning smile.

Alex stroke a somewhat feminine pose and, shooting his eyes from the embarrassed David to the happy girl, emitted a long "Oh ho ho ho…"

"Don't do that." Subaru's voice was very hard and cold, his words coming out short and meaningful.

Alex stopped.

"My my, what a stallion we have then, look how happy she is." Lestate chirped, clapping his hands quickly.

"**_Shut up_** you little…..little…." David's fist, shaken at Lestate's general direction, would probably have a pulsing plus mark if he was an anime character.

Will leaped to his feet like a spring, rushing to the tunnel opening on the far left. "Ich reiche blut!"

Alex snapped his head towards the werewolf, his face grey with worry, "The smell of blood?" he scanned the men around him, "Where's Kamui?" he too began walking towards the left tunnel opening when a man walked out of it.

It was Seishiro, his head bowed a bit so his long fringe hairs hid most of his face. He walked slowly, casually, one hand in his pants pocket. When he raised his head his face was covered by bleeding lines, his blind eye shut and empty.

"_Seishiro-san!_" Subaru shot to his lover's side, staring up in shock at his wounded face, "W-what happened to you?"

"Kamui was with you in that tunnel?" Alex asked calmly.

Seishiro leveled his gaze with Alex's, waiting. What would be Death's judgment? Soon enough Kamui's condition will become known to him. What will he do?

Alex stared into Seishiro's eye for a long time, his expression unreadable.

Subaru clutched to Seishiro's jacket, hanging miserable eyes at Death.

"He clawed at me, Alex," Seishiro found himself speaking. This new emotion called 'nervousness' was getting on his nerves. "and he clawed my glass eye out; he broke it."

Alex's expression softened and he looked away towards the tunnel. Will had disappeared down it as soon as Seishiro exited it.

"Well…" he finally said after a long, tense silence which wrecked the onmyoujis' nerves, "Rou never really got a chance at proper, fair revenge at him…"

Subaru and Seishiro emitted a mutual silent sigh of relief.

Alex opened a gash in his wrist and poured a small dose of blood into a jar he created in his hand. He handed the jar to Subaru, "I think you aught to do that." He handed Seishiro a new false eye and with a small smile he turned to start unpacking the tents from the convoy's horses which he summoned to the cliff's bottom.

It was very fortunate of Seishiro that by the time Will dragged Kamui out of the tunnel the onmyouji were safely in their tent.

Kamui's face was swollen beyond recognition, his broken arm hanging limply at his side and swinging to his steps in a sickening fashion. The boy was still unconscious and was carried on Will's back out of the tunnel.

At the sight of Kamui's condition Alex filled with blinding rage. He wanted to storm into Seishiro's tent and set the man on fire for treating Kamui like that.

Then he remembered the damage done to Seishiro (a far smaller harm then what Kamui suffered, but still damage) and remembered that a battle must have taken place and Seishiro must have lost control over himself. At least he didn't kill the boy like he tried a month or so ago.

Gently pulling Kamui's fragile body off of Will's back, Alex took the boy in his arms and carried him to his tent, to place him on the boys' bed.

Staying at the entrance to the tent, Will cowered behind Death, unwilling to get closer to the man.

Alex kneeled by the bed, taking his sword gently by the handle and straightening Kamui's broken arm. He slit a long opening above the boy's elbow and began pouring his blood into it.

By magic, the horrid swelling which developed in the area began subsiding, the bruised flesh drained of the darkening spilled blood until they brightened back to Kamui's natural skin color. Finally, the fracture was healed and the arm was once again flexible and healthy.

Next, and not without extreme care, Alex opened a similar wound above the swollen cheek bones, pouring the healing liquid into it and wiping away the boy's blood and whatever he accidentally spilled of his.

Kamui emitted a soft moan and drew a breath of rapture. His eyelids fluttered but remained shut; he was still sleeping.

One by one, and as gently as possible, Alex treated every bruise and wound on the boy's body, chastely pushing away any layer of fabric that was in his way but doing nothing more then healing.

Will watched this and, for some strange reason, a shudder of horror and disgust rushed over him. There was something about the sight that sickened him. The crouching larger man, treating the unconscious boy on the bed and revealing pieces of his skin; it made flashes of obscure visions dance before his eyes and he did not know what they were of. Memories of something he did not know came to him and he could not think of them more then a fragment of a second.

At last the procedure was over and Alex climbed to his feet. He walked towards the tent's exit where he stopped before Will. The werewolf instinctively arched his back and bowed his head, treating carefully to a safe distance from the man.

"Come here, boy. Stay by his side and don't wake him until dinner is ready. When it's ready, wake him to eat and make sure he eats everything."

Whimpering, Will nodded before quickly dashing into the tent, trying to enter while keeping as away from Alex as he could.

Death walked on, towards the campfire David began setting up.

* * *

"Babe's hair is soooo pretty, it's so pretty, it's the prettiest. Babe's hair is the prettiest; the prettiest in the whole world, babe's hair is the prettiest." Sorata ran the plump brush through Arashi's bangs gently, from the top of her head down to the bed where its edges lay.

Her hair had grown even longer since their arrival and was probably the only thing in her body, other then the baby in her womb, which was not affected by the starvation.

Ever since she grew comfortable of his overflowing affection, Arashi had given into her young husband's begs and allowed him to brush her hair whenever she washed it.

They sat at the small pond at the forest edge, where they bathed that lazy afternoon, and enjoyed the beautiful sunset.

"Babe's hair is the prettiest in all the worlds of every dimension, babe's hair is the prettiest, prettier then even the hairs of Arashis of other dimensions, babe's hair is the prettiest of all the hairs in all the worlds of every dimension."

"Sorata..."

"What is it, sweet babe of mine?"

"Don't you think you're exaggerating?"

Sorata struck a trademark Sorata pose, poking the brush high into the air, staring forward determinedly, "Nope, my babe's hair is the prettiest, there's no doubt about it."

Instead of smiling, or leaning into him, or giving him a small chaste kiss, Arashi leaped to her feet, reaching to the towel at her feet to cover her bulging nakedness.

"Huh?" Sorata gawked at the suddenly Arashi-less air before him, his lap felt cold now that the woman was not sitting on it.

His loved one was hiding behind a bush, sending those daggers of feline glares he loved so much, forward to the lake.

Following her gaze, Sorata spotted two figures walking towards a tongue of sand which stretched into the pond a distance from them, on the shore to the right of theirs.

Vash and Yuzuriha were walking slowly towards the water edge, their heads down, obviously deep in conversation.

"Strange, none of them seem like themselves." Sorata mumbled.

"Sorata!" his wife tried calling him, to remind him of his own wet, uncovered condition.

"Vash seems sad about something, I wonder what happened…." Sorata ignored Arashi's hushed hisses. "…well, at least Yuzu's keeping him company." He turned to his hiding wife, "That Yuzu's turning into quite a little woman, isn't she? She's far more mature then I thought she was and I don't think coming here made that difference."

Arashi tried to signal her husband that he was still very much nude when the sound of Vash's shrilling mad laughter rang through to them, carried on the water surface.

"Ah," Sorata beamed, "it seems she managed to cheer him up, that's great. What a good girl." And turning to the two on the other edge of the shore, Sorata waved his brush-holding hand in the air in greeting towards them, standing up as he did so. "Hey! Yuzu-chan! Vash! Heyo!"

It took the gunman and the inugami mistress some time to spot Sorata, recognize him fully and recover the shock before they could do anything else.

Slowly, Vash covered Yuzuriha's eyes with his gloved hand, still gawking at the other man.

"Uh…dude….uh….put that away man, there're underage kids here…." He hollered back at the monk.

Sorata stopped waving his hand and, instead, used the brush as his means of cover while he fished around for the towel. As soon as he realized the towel was on his wife he hurried to join her behind the bush.

Yuzuriha chuckled as Vash uncovered her eyes and she took a look at the crouching couple before them. "Adam and Eve, the two of them."

"Y-yeah…he's a real somethin', that Sora…."

Yuzuriha studied Vash's awkward expression. "So, that's how a grown man's penis looks like."

"**_W-WHAT!_**"

Yuzuriha beamed lightly back at the startled man and turned to walk into the forest. "I'm almost sixteen now, I aught to start knowing these things, don't you think, Vash?" she giggled across her shoulder.

"_Almost sixteen!_ Ma'am you're fifteen and a couple of months, that 'aint no 'sixteen' to me!"

Yuzuriha shrugged and kept walking in the woods, soon to be caught up by Vash.

"Listen, you!" the gunman tried sounding educating at her, failing mostly.

"Oh, hello Kakyou-san, how are you?" Yuzuriha chirped as soon as she spotted the dreamgazer who came walking towards them with Maa and Baa at his side.

"Nekoi-san, hello, De Stampede, hello." Kakyou's greeting towards Vash was far colder then the one Yuzuriha got.

"My last name 'aint 'De Stampede', ma'am, especially not with a _French_ accent."

Kakyou's eyes shot poisonous glares at Vash, "And I am not a 'ma'am', tell him that." He huffed at Yuzuriha as he walked past them, his head high, towards the lake.

"Uh, Kakyou-san, be careful around the lake, there's a naked Sorata lurking there."

Kakyou spun on his heels and hung a shocked gaze at Yuzuriha's back. He then turned his shocked eyes to Vash.

"What'd she say? I don't understand Japanese, what'd she say?"

Kakyou's eyes iced again and he turned away with another patronizing huff towards the lake.

"Whatever man, whatever. Ignore me why don't you, _ma'am_!"

By the time Kakyou arrived at the lake (he scanned the area carefully before stepping out of the forest edge) Sorata and Arashi managed to fetch their clothes and dress before skulking away shyly, Sorata receiving quite a heated lecture from his wife.

* * *

Death's convoy stopped at the edge of a deep canyon in the now orange and red desert ground. The immense fracture in the earth stretched as far as the eye could see to both their sides, the sheer drop of the crack lasting until their gazes became unfocused when they tried to assume how deep the drop is.

"Damn…where the hell did this canyon come from?"

"Can we bypass it?"

"It's not _that_ wide, just….very deep…."

"Can we bypass it? I don't like heights…"

"You're afraid of heights Subaru-kun?"

"When I have to pass them on rickety bridges like _that_," Subaru shot an accusing finger at the fragile looking rope bridge stretching limply between one edge of the canyon and the other, "I'm very much afraid of heights."

"Oh, but you can easily leap over it."

"Then what would be of my horse?"

"I don't think we'll fall off the bridge, Subaru, we might die if we do that." Alex butted into the conversation."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Let me rephrase that; if this bridge would be a danger to our lives then it wouldn't be here, on _this_ side."

"….Ah…"

"A test of courage then?" David asked.

"Perhaps, or perhaps something light to wreck our nerves a little and provide a small thrill."

David climbed off his horse and walked over to the bridge, leading his horse with him.

He walked to middle of the bridge, his horse and equipment along with it.

The wooden boards under his bare feet did not creak, not even those who looked rotten and fractured. The ropes sustaining the sides of the bridge did not creak or unwound. It seems that, despite its appearance, the bridge was completely safe.

"Well…that's odd…" Kamui remarked, "If it's supposed to be a scary bridge, why is it completely safe to pass? I mean, it's not even trying to _pretend_ it's dangerous."

"Maybe it's supposed to just frighten us a bit, you know, get people's phobias worked up." Death shrugged.

Subaru opened his mouth to say something when they felt the earth roar under their feet. It stopped, and then roared again.

Death's men exchanged frightened looks.

The roaring came again, like heavy pounds were dealt to the ground beneath them. Then they stopped, and came back again.

A wild wind began building around them, casting sand into their eyes and throwing their garments around them to obscure their view even more.

Listening to the pounds' rhythm, Alex came to a conclusion, "Something's coming towards us. It's not an earthquake; it's something heading towards us."

The wind was so strong by then that his voice was lost in the gushes.

He pulled his wings out and began beating them to fight the current but, unlike fighting the wind on the mountain tops, this wind was powerful enough to pluck him off his horse as it caught in his wings like they were sails.

Folding them back into himself, Alex scrambled back to his horse, just in time to see what was heading towards them.

It appeared at first like a huge column of swirling violent dust and desert sand, caught on the wild wind. Then out of the fat pillar of sand came a body, a body made of swirling violent sand and wind.

It had a huge bulky head, with a large mouth, toothless and grinning, and a head large and round with a flabby short neck bend forward, lurking.

The creature had a stumpy immense body with fat arms carrying four plump fingers in each palm and soft feet at the edge of two bent fat legs.

Whatever it was, it was heading towards them, each leg on one of the canyon's edges, leaping towards them like a child.

The wind creature opened its huge mouth, sucking in air which almost pulled the riders off their mounts, and exhaled back a long roar which sounded more like a deep grueling belch.

"What the fuck is that!" David said against the wind and immediately regretted opening his mouth and letting a chunk full of sand into it. As he began spitting it out he heard Alex's roar barely making it through the violent wind.

"**_THE HORSES WON'T MOVE. TAKE_** (engulfed by the wind) **_REINS AND YANK THE_** (silenced by wind) **_ACROSS THE BRIDGE, HURRY!_**"

Nodding as clearly as he could, David fought with his powers against the wind and grabbed the reins of the vampire's coffin wagon's horse, grabbing with the other the reins of Subaru's horse.

Taking the reins of Seishiro and Kamui's horses in his, Alex began running as quickly as he could against the wind's blows and onto the bridge.

"**_GRAB ONTO YOUR HORSES AS HARD AS YOU CAN! GRAB IT FOR YOU LIFE!_**" he screamed at the mounted men.

Clawing at whatever they could, the riding men did as they were told. They clung so hard their fingers hurt, Seishiro even courched and bit into the front of his saddle to keep himself on his horse.

He was ravaged by a sickening worry for Subaru; the man was far weaker in body then him, and so light the wind could pick him up at any given moment. If he sends his shiki out to help or at least observe Subaru, the creature might be lost on the wind and be crushed against the ground, and then the sakanagi will surely kill him. He was helpless and he despised it.

Having crossed the bridge and as they arrived at the edge of the violent wind which gathered like a harbinger storm before the creature, Alex and David took off with the horses still tied to them, and flew towards the sharply protruding lonely mountains ahead of them, seeking a hiding place behind them from the monster which turned after them and kept leaping towards them.

In their flight they were faster then the somewhat clumsy sand and wind beast and so they managed to bring themselves and the other rider to the other side of the thickest mountain they could spot.

There, on its flaming red side, David spotted a cave in the hard sandy stone and flew towards it, yelling a note for Alex to follow him.

As the horses safely landed on the flat ledge before the cave, Alex began pulling his men off their horse and practically throwing them into the cave, helping David pull the coffin wagon deep into the cave as well.

As soon as they were safe, Alex scanned his men to make sure no one was harmed. The riders might have been unharmed but they were absolutely covered in deep orange sand, turning their hair, clothes and skin into the same color. It was almost amusing and they would have probably teased each other about it if they were not absolutely frightened out of their wits by their escape and the creature still on their tales.

"Right," Alex tried shaking some of the sand out of his hair, "everyone in fighting condition?"

"I am." David exclaimed, pulling his shovel out.

Subaru and Seishiro pulled their ofuda out in the very moment when the wind monster popped its head towards their side of the mountain and their precious paper spells were plucked out of their hands. The onmyoujis stared after the white and black paper slips, blinking at this ridiculously obvious result of their deeds.

"I never thought that might happen…." Seishiro chuckled, wrapping an arm around his sandy Subaru and pushing him against the wall of the cave to hide him from the monster's gaze.

"Everybody go as far into the cave as you can and don't make a sound. David, pull the vampires' wagon along and keep an eye on the others." Alex unfolded his wings again, his aura starting to beam out of his white skin.

"You're going to fight it alone!"

"If I'll leave these four alone in the cave they'll go at each other's throat."

"So I'm a babysitter now?" David tried complaining but the extreme wing swallowed his words. Instead he waved his hand canceling at Alex and retreated into the cave, pushing Subaru along with him after the man tried to voice a complaint at Alex.

Turning to the creature before him, Alex brandished his sword in large swift motions and unfolded his wings, trying to scare it away from him to at least give him space to attack it. He could not take off in this wind or it'll catch and toss him around like a toy. He needed the monster the back away a little so he could fly above it and circle it. This will give him time to think of a way to kill it or at least get it to stop chasing them.

The monster stared at Alex's sword which caught the sunlight from time to time to become a shining long line, and reached out it's plump palm towards Alex, as if to pick him up by the arm.

Seeing this, Death dashed away, off the edge and sliding down the mountain's steep slope, aiming his descend sideways to get himself out of the monster's windy surrounding.

He managed to get to the height of the monster's knees, and already he was almost at the edge of the wind circles, when the monster caught him and picked him up.

It did not grab him between its fingers or even tried to move him; it placed it's empty palm on him, thus sucking his winged body into the swirls inside his fat hand.

His wings still protruding from him and making his twirls in the wind even worse, Alex cursed himself for forgetting to fold them back in before leaping at the monster.

He was now thrown in large circles and moving so fast and violently that he lost all sense of direction. Even trying to focus enough and fold his wings was impossible with the horrid dizziness these twirling caused him. All he could do was to clutch to his sword as hard as he could, though even it was beginning to be torn out of his grab.

The monster, fascinated by the tiny thing caught in its palm, broke into the most innocent and childish smile and placed its palm before its face, observing the miniature black and white figure inside it.

Then it brought its palms together to create an even bigger ball of whirling wind, and sounded its deep, roaring giggle as it watched the small Alex swirl round and round himself, flying in eight-shapes between one palm and the other.

His desperate attempts to at least keep his sword in hand failed as this new game took Alex by surprise. His sword slipped out of his fingers, along with every other weapon he kept magically hidden inside it, and flew directly at the mountain by the monster. If he had any idea where he was and where the sword flew at, Alex would try to work his powers so the weapon won't fly towards his men.

The sword did, yet if it hadn't then Alex would have been the monster's toy for a longer time.

From their cave they could see the wild wind and Alex suddenly small body madly beaten by the wind, but they were sure that somehow he'll manage against the monster's power. After all, he was Death and, to most of them, he seemed all-powerful.

When the sword came flying into the cave and slammed into the floor a few feet away from the wagon, they began having second thoughts.

"He lost his sword! That's….not at all like Alex…" David muttered, frowning at the shiny weapon which was still vibrating from the force of its landing, moving sideways frantically as its tip was buried deep in the dark red ground of the cave.

"I-is he defenseless now?" Subaru gasped, taking a step towards the exit.

"He still has his powers, but if he let his sword go then he's either unconscious or too dizzy to notice what's going on around him."

That was enough for Subaru. He had sensed the monster was not one with evil intensions, but more like a child who finds them all as fascinating little toys. Usually he would have felt kindness towards the clumsy thing, but the way he treated Death only made Subaru want to give the creature a right good shout.

"I'm going over there!"

"_WHAT!_" Seishiro clawed at his lover's arm and yanked him back at his side.

"Are you nuts!" David sighed.

Subaru sent a fiery glare at the both of them. "You saw what that thing does to _Alex_ yet none of you has the balls to go out and stop it. Well then, if no one else is man enough, I'm going out there to stop it."

"Subaru-kun, don't be stupid, you'll be grabbed by the wind and end up like him." Seishiro was now fighting his countering star over his hold on his arm with Subaru violently shaking his clutching fingers off and Seishiro re-grabbing him whenever his hold was loosened a bit.

Finally, Subaru yanked his hand free from Seishiro and walked towards their horses, removing the reins and harnesses off two of them. He tied one of the reins around his waist, then its end around Seishiro's. After binding Seishiro to David with the second harness and reins set, Subaru turned to his lover, "Now you can hold on to me, then David'll hold on to you and to something in the cave and we'll all be safe."

Reluctantly, the two men agreed and Subaru began making his way to the cave's exit.

The creature had sat himself at the feet on the mountain, thus moving his head and its surrounding wind whirls away from the cave so when Subaru stepped out he didn't meet any sort of violent wind.

"**_HEY!_**" Subaru hollered down at the monster, "**_HEEEEEY! YOU!_**"

The monster turned its eyes upwards, looking sheepishly at the tiny man screaming at it. It even emitted a questioning gurgle.

"**_LET HIM GOOO! CAN'T YOU SEE YOU'RE HURTING HIIIIM?_**"

The monster blinked at Subaru, making another questioning bellow.

"He can't understand English…"Subaru sighed. He shot a gaze at Seishiro and stepped forward and into the light so he'll be completely visible for the monster.

Wildly, as slowly as he could and as clearly as he could make them, Subaru began motioning the monster towards Alex, then making long sweeping movements towards himself.

The monster looked down at Alex, then up at Subaru, slow and confused as a sleepy child.

Subaru tried a different approach, "**_GIVE HIM BAAAACK! YOU'RE NAUGHTY FOR TAKING HIM, VERY NAUGHTY!_**" and he wagged his finger at the monster.

This made the creature leap to its feet, pointing at himself and wagging his finger at Subaru while gurgling questions without words.

Subaru straightened his back, his arm rigidly by his side, and wagged his finger onwards, "**_YOU'RE A VERY NAUGHTY BOY FOR TAKING HIM. VEEEERYYYY NAUUUUGHTYYYYYY!_**"

A devastating rumbling wail came from the monster, who placed a hand at its chest and bowed its shoulders as if it was a sulking child.

Subaru was relentless, "**_GIVE HIM BACK, NAUGHTY BOY, GIVE HIM BACK._**" He wagged his finger and pointed at Alex's swirling form on and off until the monster finally showed signs of giving it.

Still looking at his forbidden toy with big sad eyes, the monster reluctantly reached out and placed Death on the ledge by Subaru's feet, backing away immediately and drawing its hands to its chest sadly.

Subaru, who was suddenly at the crazy wind's mercy again, clung to the wave's side and closed his eyes to keep the sand out of them.

He could hear Seishiro's frantic voice calling him; he sounded frightened and is palms clawed at his arms desperately, forcefully, enough to bruise.

Once the monster placed Alex safely back amongst his men, Subaru beamed at it and screamed at it, "**_GOOD BOY! THAT'S A GOOD BOOOY; YOU'RE BEING A VERY GOOD BOY NOW._**"

The monster leaped in the air with joy, its landing on the ground sending such a shock that the cave's ceiling crumbled onto it's inhabitant's head a bit.

"**_YES, YOU'RE A GOOD BOY. NOW GO AND PLAY SOMEWHERE ELSE, OKAY?_**"

The monster nodded and gestured something that looked like he was hugging himself, but was probably aimed at Subaru, though he couldn't exactly hug the man so tiny in comparison to him.

It turned on its heels and began skip-hopping away from them, shaking the earth carelessly as it went.

"Oh, thank kami-sama." Subaru sighed, leaning against the cave wall for a moment before rushing to Alex's side.

He had forgotten he was still bound to Seishiro and that Seishiro was bound to David and thus, as he rushed to Death so quickly, he pulled the two other men with him and nearly toppled them all on each other.

Alex lay on the ground, unconscious, his legs and arms spread sideways at odd angles, his face bothered and twitched.

"Is he alright?" Subaru turned frantically to David.

"I think he got a little dizzy, is all. Maybe he had a bit of a system overload with all those twirling and fainted. He doesn't look like he's injured or anything."

Subaru sighed and gathered Alex's head to his lap, running his fingers gently through his hair.

Kamui came out of the cave, holding Alex's sword in his hand, "Where shall I put this?"

He was stared at funny by David who eyed the sword nervously. "Give that to me."

Kamui did, poking the sword innocently at David.

"Hilt forward, stupid boy."

Kamui growled and obeyed the undertaker's words.

Slowly, David tried to pluck the sword away from Kamui but jerked his hand away quickly, hissing painfully as he did it. "Shit, he mixed the _hilt_ with that poison as well, stupid pervert."

Noticing a dangerous twinkle of realization in Kamui's eyes, Seishiro leaped at the boy and tore the sword away from the boy's reach for good, keeping it at a safe distance from Kamui.

David exhaled in relief.

Kamui realized something; that sword is dangerous for David and Alex, Alex himself said that the blade of it was too toxic even for him.

If he had kept the sword with him instead of mindlessly giving it back he could have threatened his way into freedom! He could have escaped and be a free man now!

No, but if he'd do that then it'd be unfair, after all they are not yet back at the City and the Lady of Light said that he is paying for his misjudgment and wrongdoings by being here. If he'd threaten and fight his way out to freedom he'd be cheating, and then where would he be? What would that make him?

* * *

Having Alex still unconscious, the riders decided to stay in the cave for the night and try to work out a way to climb down the mountain when everyone's in good shape again.

That night, as the men prepared the meal and spread their bed's mattresses on the floor at comfortable distance from one another; someone climbed the side of the mountain and took a look at them.

The creature, the size of a man, the shape of a man, a line of wheat yellow fur stretching from his head to the tip of his tail, clawed the sandy mountain walls with overgrown canine claws and his powerful fingers. He sniffed his way to the cave's side, following a scent he was stalking for a few weeks now.

He had been stalking the convoy from the moment they left the Elves' small city into which he was not allowed to enter under harsh threats by the magical creatures.

Now he made his way, silent as a mouse, on the sandy smooth rocks, until the bright soft light beaming out of the cave where David set a fire was within his sight.

The creature clung to the rock in surprise as he spotted the source of the smell he was following all this time; Will walked out to the stone shelf and stretched out, taking a breath of fresh air after choking on the fire's smoke a little and feeling very nervous about being in such close distance to David and Alex (unconscious as he might still be).

He did not fully smell the creature clinging to the wall by him because the smoke still clung to his sinuses, but when he did pick up the familiar scent, Will turned his head sharply towards the thing.

The man clinging to the rock was about to make a sound and attract Will's attention when David walked into his line of vision and emptied a pot he was washing of its soap water.

The creature noted the man's stripy pants and the number tattooed on David's arm and flattened himself onto the rock as much as he could, silencing even his heartbeat and breath as much as he could.

Will, beckoned by Kamui, forgot about the whiff he picked up and walked into the cave.

The creature noted to himself to be more patient and silently scrambled his way cautiously down the mountain side again.

As he did, his last remains of the pants he used to wear (now ragged and scraped into a mere miserable rag) caught on a protruding sharp rock and finally gave into weeks of abuse. The creature ignored the last piece of clothing as it ripped off of him and began floating downwards in long lazy arches, its brown hue randomly beaming in the moonlight.

Alex sat up with a violent jerk that nearly scared Subaru into dropping his bowel of broth. "There's someone here." He growled, casting scanning suspicious gazes everywhere.

"Good morning," Subaru handed his patient some broth.

Alex brushed it away, still looking around suspiciously, "I sense someone here, someone following us. In fact, I've been sensing someone following us since the Elven forest."

Kamui gasped, "Maybe it's Gollum!"

That shattered whatever paranoia Alex began building, "G-Gollum?"

Kamui's eyes glittered with excitement, "Yeah! I mean, he was by the elves after all, wasn't he?"

Alex turned his gaze away thoughtfully, and then returned it to Kamui, "Nah, why would Gollum follow us? We have no ring for him."

Kamui rolled his eyes, "Gollum is demented, Alex, and he's probably lost the Ring in his world so now he's just a complete maniac."

"Great, just great. You know he sneaks up on people and tries to choke them."

"He didn't do it yet."

"Are you saying that you'd like _Gollum_ to follow us? You want his company that much?"

Kamui shuddered with disgust and turned away, "N-no….just…well…I just love Lord of the Rings very much and Gollum is…well….he's like a _kind_ of celebrity, you know…its _Gollum_…"

"Spare me the juicy details." Alex grabbed at his forehead, "Oh, my _head_!"

This was the signal for Subaru to butt into the conversation. He forcefully pushed Alex back down to the mattress and covered him with his blanket better. "That's enough for you today, lie down and try to get some rest. There's broth for you here, which you will eat as soon as it'll cool down a little."

"Ho, you're such a kind nurse, Subaru."

Subaru took a spoonful of broth and stuck it in Alex's mouth to shut up any future teasing about to come out from the man.

(tbc)

* * *

**A.N:** Na! finished! My god, what a chapter eh?

(1) A Hebrew name for biblical Moses.

(2) 'Not more, not less' in Yiddish (using the German part of the language). A saying of cynic mock awe.

(3) The person they're referring to is Yehiel Dinur, Wikipedia it.

(4)'Dear god' in Yiddish.

(5) 'ouch, my arm' in German. Though I'm sure that was pretty damn obvious TT many thanks to Boemkool for helping me with that.


	35. Assistants

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **To LadyofTheBlackWings (I hope you're well and healthy now! Why does Sei deserve his ass kicked? Kamui tried to kill him! I've never watch DBZ, sorry, don't know what you're talking about. I think there are worst things here than the drugs who might set a bad example XD), to Kakyou-chan (DON'T LOVE WILL! HE DESERVES IT NOT! I made the Gollum reference, just for you, yay!). Also many thanks to Cait-hime-sama-dono, my beta, for working so hard on making A New World a better fic.

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN IT'S CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS! **

Yes! So soon! I downloaded some songs from the time I just discovered X - the time I began writing ANW and decided I will, like back then, spend a night writing a chapter or two of it. Yay! If anything fails to make sense in this chapter in a "what the fck is _that _doing here!", attribute it to the coffee high under which I wrote this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 35 – Assistants.**

_'He turns left, he skids to the right. Look at that dribbling! You can see he was his high school's team's star!_

_'He takes position, makes sure no one from the other team is near him, he aims, he leaps, he shoots…_

_'He lands on his bad leg and trips to the floor like an idiot, and the crowd is cheering! The nurses and doctors at the infirmary are going to kill him if the wound will open any more, but never mind that!_

_'DID YOU SEE THAT HOOP! What a perfect throw, such good aim, such good hit! The ball didn't even hit the ring; you could clearly hear that 'woosh' as the ball went straight through the net.'_

With a silly grin on his lips, Fuma picked himself off the amateur basketball court's ground and walked towards the ball. The mucky dimly orange sphere had been bouncing off the ground a few times due to its flight's power and was now slowly dribbling itself out of the court. The thin, soft grass around the court dimmed its power until the ball stopped bouncing and began rolling on the ground, the small slope beyond the court dragging it down and away from Fuma.

Sighing, Fuma followed the escaping ball down the hill, rubbing his injured thigh from time to time and stopping whenever he felt the exercise is too much for the still damaged muscles.

It was at the bottom of his house's hill that Fuma noticed the fragile, thin, ragged figure wobbling towards him from the darkness of the night around them.

Fuma picked up the ball, holding it to his chest with both palms squeezing it a bit from the sides. There was something about the figure that stuck a chord in him. Something about the thin shoulders, the narrow waist.

The figure stopped wobbling for a bit and raised its head to look at him. For a moment the figure stood there, staring at Fuma who was a few meters away from it. The darkness around them, lit only by the soft moon and Tara's magically beaming body hovering in the sky, did not help make these close men look any clearer to each other.

Fuma frowned and squeezed the ball's sides some more.

The figure straightened its back and kept making its unsteady way towards Fuma.

As soon as they came close enough to each other they scanned each other's faces, like two refugees struggling to discover a long lost relative.

For a moment Fuma saw a young man, in his early twenties perhaps, with smooth straight black hair and slightly small but very sharp eyes and features that weren't as beautiful as much as they were sensual.

But the next moment, as Fuma blinked, he saw someone completely different.

"Kamui? **Kamui!**"

The ball fell to the ground and was nearly stepped on as Fuma charged forward onto the figure before him.

Grabbing the boy by his thin shoulders, Fuma shook the young man. He didn't mean to, but his eyes were freely tearing and his fingers felt weak and shaky as he tried to do something other than grabbing his suddenly appearing Kamui and shake him.

Kamui, his face way thinner than what Fuma remembered him, raised his eyebrows in a perfect miserable expression and hung large watery violet eyes at Fuma, eyes which screamed 'help me'.

"Kamui….how did you? Where did you?...how are you?..."

Kamui didn't answer; his lower lip dropped open and he seemed to want to say something but was unable to.

"Y-You walked all the way back here? You managed to run away?"

Kamui seemed even more miserable as he looked away with utter confusion and frustration.

For the briefest moment, that other man flashed before Fuma's eyes, but he was Kamui once again he next moment.

"You don't recognize me, Kamui? You don't remember me? I'm Fuma, your Fuma…" Now it was Fuma who sounded miserable and frustrated. Whatever happened to Kamui before and while he escaped; it must have left some shock on the boy to make him so….aloof.

Suddenly Kamui shot his eyes to Fuma, a flash of sharp awareness briefly appearing and disappearing in favor of that perfect mask of misery. Kamui reached his small palms to Fuma's chest, leaning on the bigger teen a bit and tilting his head backwards somewhat seductively.

"Fuma….I'm hungry…" his voice was parched and weak.

"Hungry! _Of course_ you are!" Fuma forced himself to blink away the shock of his lover's sudden appearance and renewed his firm grip on Kamui's shoulders.

Next he practically dragged the boy up the hill to the house, talking endlessly as he walked, as if the longing and heartache were a dam which kept the gushing river of his words stopped.

"How you did manage to get back, Kamui? They let you go or did you run away? They didn't try to stop you? Did they hurt you? Are you injured anywhere, Kamui?

"We'll go to the infirmary next, right after you ate something. You must be starving, how long have you been going on without food? Without water? Where are those monsters right now, anyways?

"Are you feeling well other than the hunger? Do you have a fever? You look pale.

"Oh Kamui, I missed you se much that…" he laughed nervously, feeling like an absolute idiot.

"I was going mad here, see, there was a starvation and they made me undertaker and I saw some things…Oh I better not talk about that now, not when we're together again.

"We _are_ together again, aren't we? We are. Oh god, Kamui, I waited for this moment for so long, so very long.

"How _did_ you get away? Ah, never mind, we'll talk about that later, we have so much time now together, don't we, Kamui? I'll give you a great big hug, such a huge hug. Ha ha ha, I think I might squash you if I hug you now; I need to really let the thought sink in before I lay a hand on you…I mean, ha ha, beyond what I'm doing now.

"Here we go; remember this old house, Kamui? We brought some new furniture in, it came from a place long way away, they call it the Light Side, I think. Were you there when they sent it off, or were you already on your way back here?

"Ah, but don't mind me, look, it's Sorata! You remember Sorata, don't you? I hope you're not too ill and hungry to not recognize Sorata. And Yuzuriha too! Look, Kamui, you're home again.

"Here, sit down and I'll get you all the food I can make….but let's start with the dinner leftovers first, eh? I'll heat them up a bit, okay? You just sit there and, here, drink this water, you must be parched!"

Sorata and Yuzuriha, though re-introduced to Kamui, did not seem to share the enthusiastic recognition Fuma had for the boy as 'Kamui'.

They both stood at the side of the kitchen table where the new arrival sat and stared at him. From time to time they cast worried glances at Fuma, who frantically busied himself with loading a plate with the leftover salad from dinner and putting the pot of soba on the fire to reheat it.

Just to make sure she wasn't half hallucinating herself, Yuzuriha picked Inuki up and gently placed him on the table before the young man who was so far returning their curious gazes with an equally curious stare.

He followed Yuzuriha's seemingly empty arms and tried to see what it was that she placed on the table and when he made sure (by prodding the Inuki-d air with his finger) that she placed nothing on the table, he hung the most doubtful, worried and even slightly patronizing eyes at Yuzuriha, raising a single well-shaped brow at her.

Nope, that was _not_ Kamui.

"Neee….Monou-kun…." Sorata tried to find a way to break the news to the teen without trying to sound too worried about the man's sanity, "This isn't Kamui…"

"What are you talking about? Of course it's…." Fuma turned around and noticed that, indeed, it wasn't Kamui sat on the chair by the kitchen table. His heart sank and his head swayed forcefully. His knees betrayed him and he landed on the floor, legs folded underneath him, arms lying sideways limply.

The young man got up to peek at Fuma beyond the kitchen table. "I'm really very sorry about that, Monou-san, but I was very hungry. Still is, in fact…." He tried shooting his eyes meaningfully towards the heating soba pot still the primitive stove behind Fuma.

Fuma, his jaw hanging, his eyes empty, gawked at the young man and made no effort to move.

Yuzuriha took the salad plate from the marble counter by the stove and placed, along with a pair of clean chopsticks, before the young man. "Here, I'm sorry about him, but whatever you did to show him Kamui, you touched a nerve there."

The young man seemed rather careless about the news. He was busier shuffling the salad hungrily, yet still respectfully, into his mouth and chewing on it. "I imagined I might have done that, but I had my survival to think of." He said between one bite and another, with the most casual and careless tone, " I'll gladly work the trick for him again, if he wants to." Here a taint of bitterness could be picked up in his voice, but only for a moment, "After all, it _is_ my job."

Fuma finally came to his senses and got off the floor. He walked past Sorata, Yuzuriha and the young man without a single word or a glance at any of their directions, and headed up to his room.

Sighing, Sorata removed the pot from the fire and began pouring a dish for the stranger.

Karen walked into the house with hurried steps; she was on night patrol and forgot to bring something warm to wear. She stopped her march towards the stairway as soon as she spotted the stranger in the kitchen.

Popping her head into the illuminated room, she stared at the young man. "Hello there, where did you come from?"

"From Fuma's fantasies I think." Sorata tried joking.

The young man, who was very much engulfed in finished his salad and moving his full attention to the bowel of hot seasoned ramen before him, turned his eyes to Karen and nodded briefly before resuming his earlier task.

"What do you mean by 'Fuma's fantasies'?"

"I mean he made Fuma think he's Kamui and drag him here for a meal because he's hungry."

Karen now walked into the kitchen fully, her palms on her waist in slight discontent. "As much as I don't mind an act of charity, I don't think this is a very nice way of making people give it to you."

The young man finally finished his bowl (at speed record!) and placed it down, dabbing the corners of his mouth delicately with a napkin he found on the table (it was actually a small decorative table cloth Karen thought was rather charming and added a domestic streak to the kitchen) before turning his full attention to the three who were by now practically looming over him.

"First of all, before I give any explanations, I would like to know where on earth am I, and how on earth did I get here."

The three, who were about to interrogate the man about what made him pick their house of all places and why Fuma of all people to try and leech on, stopped in their stride, taken aback.

"You don't know where you are?"

The man shook his head. His hair, hanging down to his jaw line, was combed to one side so a great portion of his neck would be revealed. At this exposed side he wore a long earring of small golden links and equally small black stones. From the short chain of gold and jet hung a small golden crucifix hung upside down, embedded by larger jet gems. As he shook his head he made sure his hairs stay the way they are with a small twitch of his neck. Karen found it somewhat….familiar.

"You are in the Lost Dimension." She informed him, now folding her arms on her chest to seem a little less offending but still confident.

"Ah. That makes sense….not really." He looked away, sighing theatrically. Somehow he managed to pull off all those gestures while looking quite calm and stoic. "It sounds like something from a B movie, don't you think?"

"When did you arrive, I mean," Sorata cleared the dishes from the table and into the sink, "when did you sink into your home's floor and fell down into this world?"

"I _fell_ into this world? How is that done?"

"It's a long story. When did you fall, that's more important? Is our house the first place you went to?"

"Yes. I fell into a forest and have been walking since last morning towards this city. The house is the first place I noticed and that man, Fuma, is the first person who answered my pleas. He's really nice, I'm really very sorry for pulling that trick on him." For the first time, the man seemed to really express an emotion that was not some kind of a show.

"How did you pull that off anyway?" Yuzuriha had to ask. She sat down at the chair by the man's.

"It's an ability of mine; you might call it 'magical' if you want to. It greatly helps me with my work. In fact, the ability is what made me want to take the occupation I have right now, though I wonder if I'm still able to work in it if I'm out the _my world_…" he seemed very confused, yet still collected.

"What was your occupation, if I may ask?" Karen enquired, following the slight hunch she had about this specifically dressed man.

His pants sat a little too flatteringly on his backside and the armbands to his crisp white shirt, above which he wore a figure-hugging black vest, made his appearance seem like something that belonged to role-play cosplay.

The man beamed a warm smile, "I was a sex therapist."

Sorata leaped away from the sink, where he was washing the man's dishes, over to Yuzuriha's side, covering her ears with his palms. "Oi, oi, there are children present, if you don't mind."

This set off something in Yuzuriha. She shot to her feet, hanging blazing eyes at Sorata. "How am I a child? You're barely eighteen and _I'm_ a child? Why do you think I'm some kind of an innocent kind who knows nothing about life, because you're married and about to become a father?" she was shouting by then, "You're a kid just like me! Who do you think I am, Kazuki!" she turned her eyes to Karen who did not help her and leveled an educating stare at her.

"It's not fair! You think I'm a child, like I'm….I'm….**_it's not fair!_**" and with this she stormed out of the kitchen and up to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Karen, whose mouth was open and about to shout something at Yuzuriha or at least go up there and demand an explanation or an apology, was still trying to analyze what the hell just happened and where it came from, when the new arrival interfered.

"How old is she?"

Sorata and Karen turned their attention back to him.

"Uh…she aught to be fifteen by now, I think." The monk scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Ah. I suppose this is the first teen tantrum you hear from her, then?"

This both served to clear away the shock from the two Seals, and bring about another one.

"I-I never thought she'd have those…" Karen mumbled in a low voice.

"She was always so nice and helpful…I never imagined she might be….well….a normal teenager." Sorata smiled warmly, feeling something made complete within him.

"None of you were given the chance to be normal teenagers. None of _us_ were allowed to be 'normal' anything; children, teenagers, young adults, grown citizens." Karen sighed, clearing loose hairs from her vision and running her fingers through her bangs.

"Karen, what's keeping you here?" Spike poked his head into the house, "I thought you were just bringing something warm to wear."

"There's a newcomer here." Karen pointed at the man who turned to Spike with an intrigued expression. "He's a sex therapist."

Spike shrugged. "Useful….I guess…"

A shrilling, horrified scream sounded from the floor above, the more human sounds defining its owner as Arashi.

Tensing, Sorata shot to the stairway, preparing a small ball of electricity in his right palm, "Babe!"

Next came a shuddering crash and a scream in a masculine voice, fading into a faint painful, animalistic wail.

Arashi came rushing down the stairways, first crushing into her husband's arms and then pushing him behind her back as she turned around to face the upper floor with her sword pointed angrily towards the hallway above them.

"What is it? What happened? Are you alright babe?"

"Something tried to _touch_ me." Arashi hissed, her face red with anger, brow covered by a thin film of sweat.

"_What!_ Let me at it!" Sorata tried pushing his wife behind his back but she did not let him do so, blocking his way with her arms.

"Leave it to me, it's me it tried to attack, whatever it is."

"I'm home. Oh hello Spike-san. What's going on?"

Instead of hanging the same amused and curious stare the therapist hung at anyone new around him, the stranger's expression cleared completely as he hung empty eyes at Yuuto standing at the doorway.

"Guys, what's going on?" reaching into his jacket's inner pocket, Yuuto assured himself of his ninja whip's existence.

For some reason, though he could definitely read the tension and alarm from the couple by the stairway, Yuuto couldn't pick up the essence of something dangerous upstairs. On the contrary; he sensed something familiar, something warm and friendly.

"Something tried to _touch_ me while I was sleeping." Arashi spat across her shoulder, trying not to remove her eyes from the stairway.

"An incubus…" Yuuto heard himself mumble before he could know exactly what he meant.

Both Karen and Spike shot their eyes to Yuuto who was slowly advancing towards the stairway, his body radiating a soft bright pink light, "Eh?"

Gently, Yuuto removed Arashi's hand from the stairs' banister, finger by finger, and pushed the both of them back into the living room.

He focused his attention to the floor above, "Come out now, it's alright. I'm here, you're safe, come out."

Slowly, unsurely, an exceptionally tall man, completely naked, stepped forward out of Arashi and Sorata's room, towards the stairway. His eyes were blank, glowing pink like the eyes of the therapist's were. He had long blond hair out of which, at the top of his scalp, poked two long ginger ears, their tips snow white.

In his left hand the man held a large, long, bleeding fox tail. Two more such tails were poking from his backside; one hanging loosely to his right and the other slightly erect and curved like an 's', moving the his steps' rhythm. Other than the dismembered tail, he had a long slash at his right arm, in the middle of his belly and on his left cheek.

As he finished his decent down the stairs he poked the severed tail towards Yuuto, as if giving it to the man.

"She hurt you…." Love cooed, trying to reach a soft caressing hand into the creature's hair but failing due to the rather grave height difference between them.

"_I_ hurt _him_!" Arashi nearly leaped at Yuuto, ready for an attack, "_I_ hurt _him_! It didn't have to sneak into my bed and _touch_ me!"

Sorata held back his wife, garbing her as forcefully as he could, considering her delicate condition.

Yuuto turned to Arashi, his eyes still glowing. As he talked his voice seemed softer, though slower, as if he was in a trance. "He's an incubus and he just arrived here. He was probably frightened and hid in your room, attracted to do more as soon as he recognized someone else is in the bed with him."

"I don't care what his story is, he shouldn't…."

"Arashi-san," Karen turned the miko's head towards her with soft hands, "both this…incubus, kitzune spirit, am I correct Yuuto?" Yuuto nodded, "And the young men, over there in the kitchen are freshly arrived newcomers and the kitzune is injured. I'm on patrol now and I need to take them both to the infirmary."

She grabbed Yuuto's wrist and began dragging him towards the door, passing by the kitchen to pull the entranced therapist the same way, "we'll be going now, Arashi-san, so you can go to sleep peacefully; Kitzune….incubus-san won't be bothering you anymore, will he Yuuto?"

"Oh no no, he's going to the infirmary with me. Come along."

The naked spirit, his eyes still glowing, followed Yuuto without a word. His bleeding tail and body left a long line of dark, strange smelling liquid on the floor after him.

"Great, now we have to clean that." Sorata sighed, "You go back to sleep now, sweetheart, you've had a rude awakening. I'll stay here and clean, goodnight!"

Left alone in the living room Sorata scratched his scalp enthusiastically, "Haaaa, what a strange, strange evening, ne, Inuki?"

The inugami, who was just coming down the stairs while excitedly sniffing the liquid on the smooth wooden floor, gave Sorata a friendly lick to the tips of his fingers and moved on to the kitchen. With his long nuzzle he rummaged through the closet where the house kept its candies and pulled out a small bag of chocolate balls, carrying them in his mouth up to his mistress' room as she asked him to do.

"Stealing the chocolate candy now, eh? Yup, you're growing to be quite a woman, Yuzu-chan."

* * *

"A what-now?" Charlie shrilled while scanning the incubus with puzzled eyes. He was not so much suspicious as he was curious about those tails and the creature's phenomenal height.

"Kitzune; a fox spirit." Yuuto beamed at the doctor, leaning casually on the examination table where the creature sat, still holding onto his tail. "Though I've never seen an _incubus_ one…"

"Did you just say 'incubus?'" the purple haired nurse interrupted the conversation, "I was wondering what on earth happened last night." Somehow, she didn't seem as displeased and disturbed as she should have been.

"Wouldn't _you_ need a succubus, Nuriko?"

"Shut up, Charlie."

"Ah, so he goes both ways. What a strange creature." Yuuto ran his fingers aimlessly through the kitzune's thick yellow hairs. "Although….oh, but that's impossible….or is it…" he turned questioning eyes to Karen who was now cradling a cup of warm cinnamon tea.

"What? I've never heard of an incubus fox spirit. Then again I was never very much into any kind of spiritual life or knowledge, unless you're counting catholic saints. Perhaps you aught to ask Sorata or Subaru, when he returns."

"N-no, that's not what I was going to ask you…" a soft blush tainted Love's cheeks, "I-I was going to ask you if…somehow…you might have come across a-a Ten-sensei work….perhaps?"

Karen blinked, "Tezuka-sensei? How old do you think I am!"

"N-no. Not Tezuka-sensei, god, even _I'm_ not that old…I mean…Ten-sensei…the hardcore-mostly-shota-lots-of-cosplay-and-BDSM-yaoi mangaka?" the more he spoke the more he kept his voice down.

Karen displayed what can only be described as a nefarious smile. "Yuutooooo," she edged her way towards the blond, locking her taunting eyes with his frightened, awkward ones, "Yuuto-kun's been a bad enough boy to read that stuff?"

"I had a sister, _she_ read that stuff." The water master returned her teasing with a cold glare.

"Uh-huh, and how would you know that said Ten-sensei specialized in, and I quote, hardcore-mostly-shota-lots-of-cosplay-and-BDSM-yaoi?"

"My sister told me."

"Liar."

"Fine! I took a peek from time to time, happy now? I was a bad, bad, perverted boy, okay?"

"Uh, try to keep such conversations to…say, more private surroundings." Charlie tapped his finger on the chrome examination table irritably.

"So, what about Ten-sensei's work?" Karen chirped, straightening her back after threateningly looming over Yuuto.

"He looks like something out of it."

"Ah, you're right."

"Ne, Karen-_san_, how would _you_ know what Ten-sensei wrote?"

"I'm a girl; I can read stuff like that."

"Tssk, and you'd imagine the majority of gay porn's audience would be gay people." Yuuto sighed. "It's a twisted world we lived in."

Charlie coughed and cut their conversation short. "I'll need to stitch that tail back on. I have no idea if and how fox spirits heal from imputation or if they're vulnerable to infection. Hell, I don't even know if he lost too much blood and might be in hypovolemic shock by now. I don't know anything about this creature. But since the two of you know so much about it and its creator, care to share some information here?"

Yuuto stared at the incubus who, for the first time since his ordeal with Arashi, was fully conscience and aware of his surrounding and himself, stared back at Yuuto. His toothy grin could have been interpreted as 'dog smiling to his beloved owner' and 'shamelessly seductive'.

"He's just fine. A bit of food and he'll be as good as new." Yuuto beamed, beginning to feel the full weight of the creature's meaningful stare.

"And what, pray tell me, does it eat?"

"Orgas…" The creature's mouth has been covered by Yuuto who shot onto the table to reach the thing's face.

"Leave the feeding to me, eh?"

Charlie, Nuriko, Karen, Ace and Spike, all stared at Yuuto in surprise.

"Next time you choose to inform us that you can also speak," Yuuto growled at his creature, "do it with better timing, will you."

The creature nodded and gathered Love into his arms, and lap.

* * *

After another day of harmless riding through the desert, the Death Convoy's horses set hoof on green grass once more after two week's ride.

The landscape before them was flat, save for a few hills here and there, not taller than a man on his horse. From time to time tufts of pine trees huddled together in the view around them. Covering the ground was a strange type of grass which had the same build as normal weed save for leaf being thick juicy ones which would pop and give away an oozing liquid if one stepped on them too forcefully. This strange type of grass grew medium sized pink flowers with white rims to each petal and a beaming yellow center, which gave off no particular smell and seemed to contain no pollen.

Subaru stopped to mull one of the grass leafs between his fingers. Crouching to the ground, one arm to his side with a burning cigarette between its fingers, Subaru wondered if he should pick one of these leafs or not. "Do you think they're edible?"

"If the horses were alive we'd be able to tell." Alex answered the onmyouji's question while refitting his saddle onto his beast's back.

"I wouldn't put them in our food." David grunted from his ceremonial location; preparing a small fire for lunch cooking.

"Hmmm." Subaru climbed to his feet and chose to thumb the leafs with the point of his shoe instead or risking skin touch with the oozy substance within them.

"Alex." Seishiro did not continue; as soon as he attracted Death's attention he placed a finger on his lips. He pointed towards one of the hills behind them.

A dark figure on all fours, as high as a large pony, could be clearly seen stalking away from sight as it spotted the men spotting it.

Unsheathing his sword, Alex trotted towards the hill, tip toeing and signaling Seishiro to bring his bow and quiver and be quiet.

For four hours they tracked the creature, whatever it was, and found nothing. Whenever they thought they found something, the creature would be gone, leaving not even a trail behind it.

Only once was a mark left by whatever it was: one of the hills was fronted by an ancient lonely wall of large, clumsily made white bricks and the creature. Thinking his chasers might be foolish, it leaped behind it and its paw crushed the fleshy grass leafs as it jumped.

"It's hard to tell what kind of a print it is, don't you think?" Alex and Seishiro were kneeling by the single print, their backs bent so their faces were mere inches from the freshly made print.

"It's round, see?" Seishiro drew an imaginary circle with his finger in the air above the crushed area.

"Yes, it's an animal's track; a paw or a hoof. But this is something we could have gathered from looking at it and the way it walks. What did it look to you?"

"It certainly didn't look to me like this Gollum we thought is following us so far." Seishiro straightened his back, casting alert gazes around him.

"I'd imagine something humanoid like Gollum's supposed to be would walk more like a gorilla. With legs folded beneath him or stretched behind him and arms straight to keep his point of view high as possible." Taking the positions he described, Seishiro checked with Alex that this is, indeed, not what he saw.

Alex took the same positions and for a moment they crawled on all fours in the grass, staring across their shoulders to the other to verify what they saw.

Suddenly Seishiro crushed to the ground, laughing. He covered his face with the back of his hand and laid the other on his stomach, bellowing in laughter.

"Seishiro! Be quiet! It might hear us."

"I think the way we've just been behaving it not only detected us but had the time to have a good laugh at us."

Death smirked, "Well, I guess we were kind of making a fool out of ourselves." He joined in with Seishiro's laughter.

After a short brake of giggling they were both laying in the grass on their backs, staring up at the pleasant clear blue sky.

"Do you think it's a riding beast? It seemed too tall to be any animal of prey that I know of."

"What you know of is one thing, Alex, and what this damn dimension brought into it is another. As far as we know it might be one of those half-tiger-half-bear beasts the Wizard of Oz had and then we're in deep shit."

"Hmn…there was an Oz in my world, it was a very good television show. Though it often got on my nerves until I had to go outside and destroy something to calm down."

Seishiro chuckled so hard he began coughing. "Schillinger, huh?"

The way Alex truck his sword into the ground was enough of an answer to Seishiro.

"You know, I'd sometimes plot to go and kill the actor, I couldn't watch him do any other character without wanting to gauge his eyes out, cut that smirk off his ugly face and gut him."

"Ouch…"

"Back to our discussion; what do you think it is?"

"I think that whatever it is, it's hiding behind that wall, if it hadn't already escaped while we were making idiots out of ourselves here."

Alex leaped to his feet, pulling his sword out of the thick brown earth. Seishiro readies an arrow in his bow and, crouching a bit, followed his Death.

Using his sword's surface as a mirror, Alex slowly poked it beyond the wall until he could make a clear image of what it was.

For a glimpse of a moment he saw an immense beast of prey, with bright yellow mucky coat and sharp bluish eyes which was snarling and flashing its teeth at his observer.

The next moment, as Alex pushed the sword slowly deeper beyond the wall and the creature managed to make out the mark on Death's right arm, it fled as if the wind carried it away.

"It disappeared! But I managed to get a good look at it." Alex screamed as he leaped beyond the wall to make sure the slightly shaded space was indeed beast-less. "It looked like an extremely gigantic wolf. It was snarling at me one moment, about to pounce me even, then the next moment it _vanished_, just vanished…."

Seishiro crouched at the small curve of the wall and sniffed the cool stones, "Smells like a dog too; very dirty, very frightened."

"Frightened?"

"There's no doubt about the stench of a frightened dog, I know about it more than anyone, I think."

"Hmm…it was gigantic…"

"The land bound pirates back in the Dark Side; didn't they say something about a pack of huge white wolves that roam the forest?"

"Yes, but that was the Dark Side and it's been following us only since the elven forest."

"Perhaps it's the white wolves tribe's relative who was taken into the Light Side, it happens to every group that gets sucked into this dimension."

"Maybe. Why would it follow us then?"

"Will."

"Eh?"

"Will is a werewolf, maybe that thing picked up the animal part of Will's smell and thinks he can tag along and become like Will. Or maybe it's trying to figure out what a werewolf is, or what it's doing with humans; we don't know this creature's intelligence, do we?"

"Will…maybe this creature _is_ a werewolf, like Will."

"Then won't it take on its human appearance before us and approach us like one man to another?"

"We're not exactly friendly looking; I hope you haven't forgotten this, Seishiro."

"Henh, perhaps I have, perhaps I got used to gang-riding so much that I don't find it odd anymore."

"'Gang-riding' sounds like something very dirty, Seishiro."

The Sakurazukamori shook his head humorously, "Only you can make a remark like that. Come on, let's go back; we know what it is and now we know what to look for whenever you get the feeling we're being watched."

"Yeah, lunch must be already eaten ages ago."

Throwing a lazy arm across Alex's arm, Seishiro turned his leader around and began lazily dragging the both of them towards the camp.

"Awfully friendly, aren't we?"

"Nah, I'm just leaning on you. You're short enough to be a comfortable stool. Ha ha ha!"

"**_A stool!_** You bastard! Come here, you coward, and take it back!"

Skidding across the grass, hands flailing in the air theatrically, Seishiro avoided the mock blows Alex sent at him with his metal rod.

"Fine, fine," he turned around and raised his hands in surrender, "You win; I apologize, honorable leader, for you are not a stool, as short as you might be."

Alex shuffled over to Seishiro, glaring at the man through the hairs of his fringe. He stopped a little away from Seishiro and took a deep breath.

"_I'M NOT SHORT! DON'T CALL ME MIDGET! OR SHORTY! OR SHRIMP!_"

"Ho ho! I didn't say any of that! I merely called you 'short'."

"_YOU CALL ME A RUNT! A DWARF! A 'LITTLE PERSON'!_"

"**_NOOOO!_**"

"….Oh….okay then."

"Would you like a cigarette?"

"Why, yes, certainly my good chap."

"Oh, how lovely."

"Splendid, simply splendid."

"I ssss-ay, what a simply super day."

"What's all this shouting going on! What are you two doing here?" Subaru appeared from behind the hill Alex and Seishiro chose as their smoking corner.

"Having some harmless crackish fun."

"We were being silly, Subaru-kun, very silly."

"Stop that, it's _silly_!"

Subaru sat down between the two men and pulled a cigarette from his own stack. As he lit it and took the first drags he kept eyes them suspiciously.

"We went wolf hunting, Subaru-kun."

"Oh, that's what it was?"

"Yes, a wolf. And along with it was Red Riding Hood, too."

"W-what? Really?"

"He's lying. I said stop that, it's silly!"

"Make me stop."

"I _order_ you to stop!"

"_Order _eh? Who does he think he is then?"

"W-why are you talking in that high-pitched voice, Seishiro-san?"

"'Who do I think I am'! I am your Death, Alexander Michael!"

"'Death', eh? Well I didn't vote for you."

Subaru grabbed a palm in each hand and pulled the both to their feet, "Right, that's enough from the both of you. Come on, we've been saving lunch for you, it's going to get dark soon."

"Yes mummy."

"Shut up, Alex."

"Ooo!"

Seishiro poked his head past Subaru's back and pointed at Alex, "Mummy told you off."

"Shut it, you. I swear you must have stolen some of those hippy's drugs before we left."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Subaru-kun, I honestly don't."

"I noted these cigarettes tasted different."

"_Seishiro-san!_"

Before they entered the camp Alex took one last glace at the direction where Seishiro spotted the wolf earlier that day.

A sneaky thought ran through his mind. The sword he held up as a mirror, he held it with his right hand. As soon as he poked enough of his hand through the wolf disappeared. Could he have seen it? Could it be the reason, or is he just paranoid?

Musingly, Alex caressed his right arm, above the number tattooed into his skin.

* * *

"Yes, name please?"

"Dornezi Watari."

"Occupation in your original world?"

"A sex therapist."

"You used in bodywork, tantramassage?"

"Uh…no…"

"Treatment of sexual dysfunctions?"

"No. I had a bar where clients would come to express their suppressed romantic needs."

"Express?"

"Physically. And it was a men only club."

The office noter stared at Watari, looking something between exasperated and frightened. She hung desperate eyes at Yuuto.

"He's one of mine so try to put him somewhere near here, the office or the infirmary or the cemetery."

"All three places are fully manned."

"I'm sure we need a secretary here."

The noter's eyes chilled Yuuto's hopes.

"An errand boy? To go fetch for all those files you girls have to scramble to and from your H.Q? To run coffee rounds? To bring food to the undertakers?"

The noter turned questioning eyes to Watari.

The therapist shrugged and beamed an unarming smile at her.

"Oh all right. But you'll have to console Lion first. This office is his and the city council's and I highly doubt the council will have time to listen to you unless you'll tell them the fire monster are back."

"I see. We'll go to your H.Q later then, shall we, Watari-san."

"Certainly, Love."

Something about the therapist was beginning to remind Yuuto of Seiichiro's sweet domestic aura, which bothered him. He escorted Watari out of the office, laying a neutral hand on the young man's back.

"Watari-kun, don't try to heal me. If I'll come to you I'll come in my own time."

"Yes, Love."

"Now, about you….Sh-shikima-san…" Yuuto was even embarrassed to pronounce the Kitzune's name(1).

"Yes?"

"You'll be Watari's assistant."

"Cool."

"And please don't smoke in the infirmary, Watari, there are sick people here."

"Sure."

"Uh….guys….?"

Yuuto did not like the looks Watari and Shikima were giving each other, and the sneaky smiles which slowly spread on their lips.

Where will those two stay, Yuuto wondered, they aught to be kept close to him so he'll keep an eye on their movements and make sure they won't get in trouble.

Watari seemed like a pretty mature person and would definitely not do anything stupid, but Shikima is something completely different. They need to be housed together so the more dangerous one of the two will always be kept busy.

The screams of horror and alarm which rose from the infirmary's main room took Yuuto's concerns away. He reached for his whip for the second time that night and stormed into the main room.

In the doorway to the graveyard stood a stumpy figure drabbed in a long flowing, mucky black robe. The hood was pulled down so the figure's face remained mostly hidden. A yellowish-white narrow surface could be seen under the hood, like the jaw of a skull.

In fact it was definitely a skull hanging under the hood for the figure's hands were dry bones, held to each other by an invisible force. The creature's right hand held a sickle, its hilt long and bent crookedly, smooth and worn from ages of use.

"I-it's the Grim Reaper! Run for your lives!" one of the patients screamed, starting a chaos in the large room.

Within minutes every patient who was able to get off his bed did so and scrambled, limping or not, to the doorway. Those who could not get up tried to drag themselves out of their beds and flee, even if it meant falling to the floor and crawling, or dragging themselves by whatever limbs they still had. Those who were too weak to even do that merely sat in their bed and screamed, or prayed or cried miserably.

Some of the nurses fled, screaming in panic and tearing at their hairs. Others flung the doors open and assisted patients by the door to evacuate from the room. Three nurses stayed behind in the room itself and ran between one bedridden patient to the other, calming them and standing between them and the Reaper. Nuriko was the only nurse to stay behind for a fight. She picked up a scalpel in one hand and a bed in the other, getting into battle position.

"Goddamn it!" Charlie ran to the nearest window facing the rest of the city and flung it open, poking half his body out of it. "Call the patrol men, call the noters, call _someone_ for god's sake!"

Fighting his way through the stampeding patients and medical staff, Yuuto managed to scramble into the room. As he passed by a sink he spun the tap open and began working circles of razor sharp water currents around him, his whip ready for action as well.

The office noters smuggled as many patients as they managed to yank out of their terror and locked them in the office, not before they unlocked a long metal cabinet hidden under the interviewing table and pulled out of there three M16 rifles. The girls, rifles loaded and readied with shaky hands, joined the defensive medical staff at the row they've created to block the Reaper's path from the bedridden patients.

The squat hooded figure moved its head left and right slowly, as if scanning the row before it.

"You're awfully defensive, aren't you?" it said. To the astonishment of all, the figure had a humorous, light woman's voice with a slight Oxford accent. It even sounded as if it was smiling as it spoke.

"I hardly see any reason to be so threatening. Though I have to admit you pulled yourself together and got everyone arranged so very nicely. You must have done it before, am I right?"

The men and women in the room gawked at her at best, but did not step down from their battle position.

"Oh my, I seemed to have frightened you. I'm sorry, but this is how I usually look when I visit people," it pointed a bony finger at itself, "and sadly, when I was suddenly sucked into the very earth itself, I was paying someone a visit."

It drew its hands into its sleeves, and then pulled them out again. Miraculously, the hands that now slipped out of the crude black fabric were fleshy, pink and feminine, with boldly red dyed long fingernails, adorned by rings of gold embedded with tacky diamonds.

With its left hand it removed the hood from its head and, to everyone's shock, what was revealed was not the skull they've noticed before but the head of a kindly smiling woman. Her black hair was very well arranged in a high sixties do, decorated by a flashy pink ribbon at its center. Her face was very warm and welcoming, her plump cheeks sliding sideways gracefully as she smiled at them one after the other. Her oval black eyes darted from one defender to the next, often arching her brows as if asking them 'well, what frightened you so much?'.

"Y-you're not the Grim Reaper?" One of the patients asked, tears of relief leaking from his aging eyes.

"Oh I am, only I'm not all that bad." She flashed a broad toothy smile at the man who immediately fainted in the arms of the nurse who was standing at his bed.

"So what's all the nice appearance for?" Charlie signaled the people around them to put down their weapons and relax. His voice, however, was still very sharp and suspicious.

"I thought you might appreciate this appearance more, it's a lot less stressful isn't it?"

"You arrived here tonight? When?"

"Oh, I arrived yesterday but I was looking for Death and I thought I could find him by myself." She began walking towards Charlie, pacing softly and slowly and using her sickle as a walking stick. She was casting glances around the room as if assessing its décor casually.

Finally she sat on one of the deserted hospitalization beds, swinging her flat pink shoe covered tiny feet. "I can sense him but it's so faint I can't seem to be able to focus on him quite well. So I went to the cemetery to wait for him there, but I've been waiting there since sunset and, frankly, I'm tired of waiting. I thought you might be able to tell me where he is."

Yuuto was the first to use the break in her speech to get a word in. "Did you say you are looking for Death? As in, Death with a capital 'D', the Death, the destiny creature?"

The Reaper turned twinkling merry eyes to the blond, angling her whole body with surprise and delight at someone finally understand her.

"Protector of anything dead and undead? That kind of 'Death'?"

"Yes, yes. Short guy, heavily built, likes to carry a sword around a lot. White skin, black hair, a little bit feminine when you only look at his face. Number tattooed on the arm and a half pink half red triangle above the left nipple. Big black bat-like wings, turquoise aura during battle and angry moods. Cranky guy, can be a silly, whimsy child sometimes, obsessive about cooking ridiculous amounts of food and feeding people, tends to get depressed when alone. Hates anything German, loves men, if you know what I mean…."

"We know what you mean and we know who you're talking about." Charlie sighed. Around him everyone were finally disarming themselves, recovering from the tension and starting to get back to normal.

"Sadly, I'm afraid he's not here. He left about seven months ago or so. We have no idea where he went or when he'll return. I'm sorry."

The Reaper's face darkened and her shoulders drooped. "I see…." She said in a small, sad, nearly frightened voice.

"Where did he go? I mean, what did he go for? I can't sense any thing that belongs to Death here other than the corpses in the graveyard."

Yuuto signaled Charlie he'll take over from here. He placed a friendly arm on the reapers' shoulders and motioned for the both of them to step back out into the graveyard.

"About seven months ago the Justice we have here put to trial a Man of Death and sentenced him to death. When they refused to let the charges down and tried to perform the execution Alex attacked the Justice men with all of his, kidnapped one of Justice and ran off. We haven't seen him or any Death thing since then, though we've vaguely received news of where they got to. It sounds pretty far away, I'm afraid."

"I think I misheard you, child. Did you say you have Justice here, at the same time as Death?"

"Yes. Alex told us that in his world the three destiny people did not live in the same time, but here it's different. I, in fact, am Love."

"Oh." The Reaper took a step back to better asses Yuuto. "You're far better than the Love in my world. That Love was a real snob, towards Death anyways. He was never able to forgive him, never."

"Forgive him? What for?"

"Well…You must know, because you're Love. Death's ability to make anyone he kisses fall in love with him and everything that comes with it? It was supposed to be given to Love, naturally, but somehow it ended up with Death."

"I know." Yuuto sighed, "And it isn't even making Alex's life any better."

The Reaped gave Yuuto a long searching stare, her face blank yet tentative. "So, he is not happily with someone….I sometimes think he never will be…" She looked away, her expression that of deep grief. "And he suffered so much, that child…"

"Yes, the last love affair he had ended pretty nasty. He was, well, _is _in love with the one Justice boy he took and I'm afraid that love in unrequited."

"….Funny, but you mentioned earlier that Justice is not one person…."

"Yes, they are two; and lovers at that. In my world they were twin stars, their destiny was foreordained, their fates bound together."

She turned away from Yuuto and walked to a nearby gravestone to sit on it. She lowered herself slowly onto the flat broad rectangle, like an old woman might, and as soon as she did she drooped her shoulders, hung her head, laid her sickle on her shoulder lazily and stared forward into the dark distance.

"Tell me, golden boy," she spoke after a few moments of tense, gloomy silence, "what men or creatures does he have here?"

"Hmm… let's see; there are two vampires, of two different kinds and I wouldn't be able to tell you why they're different even if you forced it out of me. Then there's the undertaker who's usually here, a man who….uh, shares the same camp history as Alex…"

"He's the undertaker?" the Ripper peeked at Yuuto across her shoulder.

"Yes."

"Is he marked with a red cross symbol on the back, perhaps?"

"Y-yes, how did you know?"

She turned her gaze back to the view before her, "It used to be a woman in my world. Never mind, who else?"

"There are two onmyoujis; a Sumeragi medium and a Sakurazukamori. And that's all."

"A what and a what?"

"Oh, I don't think you had those in your world. To make a long explanation short, it's a medium and a kind of black magic assassin."

"Ah. Oh well, guess I'll just sit here and wait for him to come then. I'll disappear whenever people are here; don't want to frighten people too much."

Yuuto was about to leave but a question which has been bothering him begged for an answer. "Say, uh, Grim-san…You know Alex a little, don't you? Though you might have come from a different world where there's a slightly different Alex…never mind, you know him well?"

"You can say that, yes."

"Well...from what you know him, how do you think he'll react if a great love of his, a love that's become an obsession by now, is forever denied of him?"

The reaper turned to Yuuto fully now, giving him a long searching gaze. "When I knew him he had a big love denied of him. He mostly accepted it and angsted about it a lot. He gave the other man his freedom to do with his heart what he wanted. But, then again, that love was never an obsession and I've never seen him love someone so badly it was an obsession."

Yuuto's face fell. "Yes. I was afraid you might say that. Oh well, good day to you. Let's hope he's coming soon, eh?"

She nodded and resumed her earlier position.

Yuuto walked back into the infirmary with a heavy heart.

* * *

"What's this building? It's got white pentacles like yours on its doors."

In the middle of a wide field of fleshy grass, placed between two hills, stood a wide house surrounded by a tall wooden wall. A building inside, of clear traditional Japanese design could be seen above the wall.

The gate at the wall featured a torii, two round basalt stones at each side, into both pentacles were carved. The pentacles drawn on the each door were like Subaru's; white with the point aimed heavenwards.

"This is the house of an onmyouji, a good-doing one." Seishiro commented as soon as his horse got close enough to the house to see it properly.

Subaru rode forward, up to the gate, and descended his horse to read the small sign hung by the door. As soon as he read it he stumbled backwards, covering his mouth with his hand.

"N-no…it's impossible, this is….this is…."

Death's convoy awaited his words with impatience, leaning forward in their saddles.

"This can't be….why here…?" the onmyouji turned to his fellow men, his eyes quivering and wide, his face pale, "This is the house of the legendary Abe no Seimei…"

"_What!_" Seishiro heard himself whisper.

Alex rode up to Subaru and leaped off his horse to better investigate the sign and the marks on the doors. "Who's he then?"

"Ah," Subaru chocked on a kind of a nervous giggle, "Abe no Seimei is the greatest onmyouji to have ever lived. He is the strongest, stronger than any Sumeragi that had ever lived…H-he's like….like Merlin is to you people…I-I've grown up on legends about him, I've dreamed…well, every Sumeragi dreams, of becoming as good as he was….and now this is his _house_?"

He turned to Alex, his hands shaking, his eyes a bit frightened, "Y-you think he's there? I-I mean, d-do you think t-that he's actually in there, alive a-and real?"

Alex stared at the walls and focused. He didn't have to focus, really, to sense the onmyouji in the house; the man's aura was so strong he has picked it up from miles away.

"He's there and he's sensed us…."

The doors opened, forcing Subaru and Alex to back away from the wall. Inside was a beautiful garden, absolutely exploding with blooming bushes and short trees in which the traditional Japanese decorative rocks and water fountains seemed to drown.

"No cherry tree." Seishiro noted, starting to feel he's under someone's watchful gaze and not liking it one bit. Of all the people in his profession, the legendary Abe no Seimei (who was even admired by the Sakurazukamori clan) had to be the one to catch him with his guards down and his sakura mound worlds away from him.

A man sat on the porch at the two floored building, lying languidly on a red blanket, two cushions propping his back, nibbling on something out of a bowel at his side while calmly watching them. He was wearing a white fishifuku and a strange cone-shaped black hat.

Subaru exhaled a choked sigh of awe, digging his heels into the ground.

"Come on, Suby, it's high noon already and we didn't have a proper lunch break." He tried petting the man's back to prop him to move forward but it didn't help. He tried pushing Subaru a bit more forcefully but that, too, didn't seem to do the work.

Poor Subaru, whose wits were absolutely _not_ prepared for the appearance of the man who, by what he was thought from childhood, is a living god.

Suddenly his connection to Seishiro seemed like the most wrong thing in the world and the man's marks on his hands an evidence he cannot hide or deny.

"Alex…" he whimpered, "What will I do about Seishiro-san? What if he denounces me?" he grabbed Alex's arm frantically, forcefully, "He's already looking directly at me, oh god! What do I do!"

"You could come to him not looking like a guilt ridden man, that's a first."

"Don't let go of me, walk with me there, please Alex, don't leave me to face him alone!"

Death removed Subaru's hands from his arm and motioned Seishiro over. "I'm not the one you should walk up to Seimei with; your lover is."

Subaru shot a terrified glance at Alex but Death had already left and was walking back to his horse.

Reluctantly, forcing himself to work every muscle as he walked, Seishiro approached Subaru.

They stood at the gateway, staring at each other in silence.

Subaru was breathing rapidly, his cheeks aflame and his eyes desperately searching his countering star's face for traces of confidence, of reassurance.

Seishiro tried to show Subaru all those but mostly seemed as frightened as Subaru, only with a better mask to hide it. Finally, he took Subaru's hand in his, placing his other hand on the smaller palm, on which the etched pentacles were glowing. "Whatever he'll say….we've faced worse judgment, haven't we? I had my superiors, you had your Obaa-san. Both of us had Justice pestering us…"

Crying, Subaru nodded and tried to gather his wits again.

Seimei stayed just the way he was, chewing on a pickled plum slowly while observing the drama before him.

_'Look, I know I don't like talking like this to my own kind but…' _a trail of thought in a voice not his own snuck into the ancient onmyouji's mind. _'But…lay off those two; they've fought very hard against both their traditions to be with each other and the both of them have a great deal of respect towards you.'_

Seimei smiled softly and beckoned the two towards him.

"Oh god, he's calling us…"

"Whatever happens….Subaru-kun, I hope you know how much I…."

"Please come in, don't stand there at the gateway. I have room for all of you to stay here at one time." The ancient onmyouji got up and walked towards the edge of his porch.

Walking slowly towards the man, Subaru and Seishiro stopped at the first step to the wooden platform, kneeled and bowed to the ground before Seimei.

"Why do you bow to me like I'm some kind of a god? I am but a bit more powerful than you are, why so much respect?"

Both Subaru and Seishiro straightened their backs with an alarmed jerk.

"W-why that's impossible!"

"Only a little more powerful than us? That's preposterous. You're just saying it to make us comfortable." Seishiro climbed to his feet, pulling Subaru along with him.

Alex walked half the way into the garden, keeping an alert gaze on Seimei. Behind him, the rest of the convoy climbed off their horses and led the beasts into the yard.

Seimei walked deeper into the porch and resumed his earlier prone position, scanning the two curiously. "Such strange outfits. From where do you come to me?"

"W-we're from a different world…"

"I imagined as much." The onmyouji placed a plum in his mouth and shifted his body's weight to his left arm. "I meant what _time_ are you coming from?" His voice was very calm and very sweet, smooth like cream and pleasant to the ear.

"You know of the existence of different dimensions?" Seishiro sat down on a blanket before the man, urging Subaru to do the same.

Seimei smiled secretively, pretending to find the pickles' jar most fascinating. "I do. And I know of the witch who often arranges traveling between them."

"Yuuko-sama? She existed in your world too?" it was now Subaru's turn to sit down from the weight of is astonishment at Seimei's knowledge.

The onmyouji master straightened his back and gave Subaru a kind, soft stare, "She exists only in her dimension, though she pokes her head into other worlds from time to time, the nosy little thing."

"Yes, she paid a visit to my grandmother when I was a child…" Subaru frowned suddenly, remembering a glimpse of his sister complimenting the witch's outfit.

"We're going to park here for lunch." David shot at Seimei. He was standing in the middle of the vibrant garden with the large cooking pot in his hand, trying to find a place to set the fire.

"There's a stove inside if you wish." A Seimei beamed at David, standing an arm's length from the undertaker.

"Wha? What the hell!"

"Ah, a shiki." Subaru shot to his feet, leaning out of the porch staring at the second Seimei like an excited child watches a circus show.

"We can only summon animal shiki. I don't think I ever thought I'll be able to summon a humanoid shiki…your powers _are_ great, Abe no Seimei-sama."

Seimei exchanged mysterious glances with Seishiro, as if the two men were trying to read each other's mind. "If you wish, and you'll stay here long enough, I could show you a few things."

Subaru spun violently on his heels, now grabbing the banister as if it's the only thing to keep him on his feet, "Oh, I would never dream of bothering you with teaching a simple onmyouji like me."

"Nonsense, I'll be delightful to broaden your knowledge, Sumeragi-san."

After calming his breath enough Subaru bowed deeply before Seimei again, "Thank you so very much for dedicating your precious time to teach me, I'm sorry if I'll be too slow for you and bother you, but I'll do my best to learn as much as I can."

"Hmm." Subaru's manners seemed to be boring the great onmyouji, as he got up and walked into the house, following Alex who went to investigate the kitchen for David's sanity's sake.

"You're lonely here." Death exclaimed calmly as soon as Seimei walked into the wide kitchen area.

Seimei stopped in his stride and recomposed himself. "Yes, I am very much cut off from the rest of society where I am right now. But then again, I never liked being at the center of a populated area."

"If I call you to come to me and settle somewhere where you're easy for me to reach, will you do it? I guarantee I'll find you a place remote enough from silly mortals where you can chill out as much as you can."

The onmyoujis stared at Alex for a long while. "Do I have a choice?"

"You do. You're pretty powerful and it's not like this place is exactly hazardous. In fact, where I'm going there's a chance your powers will be needed."

"I did not say I don't like to work; I merely said I prefer not to be disturbed unless it's an emergency."

Alex's jade orbs were the ones to search the other man's soul. "You used to share this house with someone else, though, a long time ago."

"That is correct. Luckily, Hiromasa died before I arrived here or my coming here would have been much worse."

"Hmm…"

As noon turned into calm twilight and the garden was set aflame with golden rays of the setting sun, with fiery red and powerful pink of the soft clouds above them, Subaru and Seimei began their short study session.

First Subaru gave Seimei short examples of what he's capable of, answering any questions Seimei produced. Seimei gave his kohai a few tips to help in ofuda making and storing, in shiki summoning and oni handling. Subaru then told his sempai of some of his worst cases.

Seimei seemed to be fascinated with the Sumeragi spell which enables them to detach their souls from their body and plunge into the hearts of another person. Subaru then found himself in the honoring, yet awfully awkward position of teaching the great Abe no Seimei an exercise in onmyodo.

When Alex popped out of the men's room and noticed the world around him was pink and that only Subaru and Seishiro could be seen when he clearly remembered seeing the others all over the hourse, save for Kamui, who was busy untangling the fur on Will's tail in the living room and was now alone and quite confused, he chuckled.

"Methinks you've showed him one trick too many, Subaru."

"Y-yes, I've forgotten that inside a Kekkai only people from the Battle can exist. I was so excited to show him all the stuff I can do." He withdrew the Kekkai, revealing himself before Seimei again.

"That must be the biggest spirit shield I've ever seen." Sempai Seimei clapped his hands, clearly excited, "You say people who do not use onmyodo could also create such a shield?"

"Y-yes…."

"How absolutely magnificent! You _are_ more skilled than I am, you see?"

Subaru was incapable of speaking for a long time after that remark, other than small embarrassed mumbles.

Sighing, Death flopped on a blanket by Seishiro who was sitting at the living room's porch, observing Subaru and chain-smoking.

"So…."

Seishiro exhaled a long column of unhappy smoke, trying to ignore the man at his side, "So what?"

"Did he talk to you? Did he say something?"

"He caught me by the camellias bush right after the meal. He looks at me funny, even though he claims there were no Sakurazukamori in his world and that the evil form of onmyouji he knew was completely different than what I wield."

"And you buy it?"

"He's lying. At the time when he lived there was no cherry blossom burial mound yet and no Sakurazuka clan to attend to it. After his death the country was thrown into a phase of spiritual turmoil, to which's solution the Sumeragi were appointed as his successors and the Sakurazukamori were encouraged and funded by the emperors. I'm sure he knows that because he is told to have a great knowledge in astrology and would draw the most accurate predictions of the future, both near and far."

"And how do you feel about it?"

"I couldn't give a flying fuck. As long as he's not pestering Subaru-kun about how wrong it is to be with me, I'm fine."

Alex stared forward at the two practicing onmyouji who seemed to be now floating above a fog of flowers. "His presence, do you think it'll bother you if he was to move to the Dark Side as soon as we're back there?"

Seishiro shrugged, stubbed out his cigarette and lit another one, never removing his eyes from his lover.

"Won't it disrupt the balance, though?" he asked after some silent musing.

Alex moved awkwardly and bettered his sitting position. "No," he said in a slightly hushed voice, "because I'm going to bring your mother over as well."

"**_What! Why!_** _Are you mad!_"

"Now, Seishiro…"

"Don't 'now Seishiro' me, are you out of you fucking mind!" Seishiro turned to Alex, holding himself back from leaping at the man and grabbing him by the collar of his shirt to give him a good shake.

"She won't go anywhere near you, Seishiro, she'll be put in the mental institution and she probably won't be coming out of it. I highly doubt she'll even know you're around. And even if she does, she has no ofuda or any other spell casting equipment; even if she'd want to hurt you or Subaru she wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

"Then why bring her over anyway? Why bother?"

Alex looked at Seishiro, his voice now commanding and determined, "Because she needs help, she's absolutely mad and she's falling apart so away from her tree and surrounded by sheep like Anthrax's women. She's going to do something that'll harm her if she'll stay there for the rest of her life. And besides, she's still a Woman of Death and I need to have her within my reach, to make sure she's alright."

"I thought you're strong enough to keep an eye on everyone no matter where they are."

"I'm not that powerful, Seishiro."

The Sakurazukamori stubbed his cigarette angrily and walked off to the toilet, dragging his feet a bit. The tingling, troubling sensation that is awareness to another, equally strong predator around him, tingled at the ends of his nerves

* * *

The morning after Love and Death's assistants arrived; a noter's patrol passing by the shut court discovered another new arrival, half sitting and half lying on the court main doors. What they thought to be a dead body at first appeared to be a sleeping small woman who they simply could not wake up.

On their way to the infirmary, the carriage attracted Blue Fairy's attention.

"Would you look at that? I haven't seen one of those in ages." The Love creature remarked, leaning above the rim of her canoe to get a better view of the comatose woman.

"What is it?" Charlie inquired his wife as the sleeping woman was laid on his examination table.

"It's a justice fairy. They're very rare, in fact, even in my world it was a miracle to manage to spot one. I've never seen one so big." The blue clad fairy ran her gloved fingers through the woman's soft brown hair. "Then again, back in my world I was a much smaller than I am here."

"Did you say it was a _justice_ fairy?"

"Yes, why?"

"Nuriko, get stitch-tearing-wonder-boy from the graveyard, there's someone here for him."

As he arrived at the newcomer's side, Fuma could do very little beyond staring down at the woman in utter confusion.

"What's wrong with her?"

The fairy was about Kamui's height and very thin, though the signs of womanhood were clear on her. Her outfit consisted of a knee-high purple dress held loosely on her body by a black belt high on her waist. To her feet she had curly-pointed short black boots underneath which she wore black and white striped stockings.

Her face was pleasant, yet blank as her sleep was very deep. Above and below her black dyed eyelids she had black spots, clearly drawn on her white painted face. Her hair was wavy and very soft to touch, reaching down to her shoulders.

"She looks strange, her shoes remind me of the evil witch from The Wizard of Oz." Fuma folded his arms on his chest irritably. He knew the fairy was his share of assistant, just like Yuuto got his therapist and incubus and Death got his Grim Reaper, he could see her aura as his. Also, he knew why she was inactive and he _really_ didn't want anyone talking about it.

"Well, she is a fairy. You can't say I'm following the normal dress code, can you?" Blue Fairy beamed at Fuma warmly.

"Hmmm…"

"Why is she asleep though? Can you tell if she's well or not?"

Fuma shifted his weight from one foot to another awkwardly, digging his hands into his pockets.

"Because Justice aren't fully here she's comatose. I suppose that as soon as Kamui returns she'll pop into action again." Yuuto entered the conversation, Vash trailing behind him.

Fuma sent a reprimanding glare at Love and shrugged. "I'll come pick her up when I'm done for the day."

"Where will you put her, Monou-kun?"

"In my room, on the floor, I guess. It's not like she's likely to wake up anytime soon." The bitter teen answered across his shoulder, walking out to the cemetery.

Yuuto followed him, motioning Vash not to follow him.

"Monou-kun…"

Fuma was just picking up a shovel and did not look like he was very willing to talk to anyone. His moods had moved from depressed to asocial-grumpy the past few weeks; he didn't talk much and he didn't seem to respond very well to anyone who tried cheering him up, not even noters.

"What?"

"I want us to pay a visit to Kakyou today after work. This whole specific newcomers' appearance looks like something intentional and I highly doubt the Lady Destiny didn't inform our yumemie about it."

Fuma stared away from Yuuto, trying to think of a countering argument. When he couldn't find any he shrugged and resumed his earlier assignment.

"Great, I'll come pick you up when I'm done in the office."

* * *

Love and half of Justice found Kakyou behind his small wooden cottage. He sat on a stool, in the center of a wide round blanket and was busy gently shearing Baa with a pair of black iron industrial scissors.

Maa stood at a distance from him, nursing a new lamb (named 'Eee', by Kakyou, as usual), her coat already sheared.

"Good day, Kakyou-san! My, how pastoral you look when you do that." Yuuto greeted his fellow Harbinger merrily.

Kakyou cast a somewhat sleepy acknowledging gaze at the two and when he made sure Vash was not tagging along with Yuuto he resumed his doings with a sweet smile. "Hello, Kigai-san, Monou-san. How have you been?"

"We're fine, all things considered. Say, how do you get the sheep to stay so still? I remember I saw a show about sheep once and from what I recall they give quite a struggle when you try to shear them."

Kakyou chuckled softly. "Maybe it's because they were sheared with an electric shaver and it scared them, maybe the farmers were just rough on them. Baa knows me; he knows I won't harm him."

"Awww. Say, what do you do with all this wool?"

"I used to stuff the duvet and pillows full of it but now that there's too much of it I sell it in the market in exchange for fresh vegetable. My sheep grew quite a reputation of high quality wool." Kakyou ran his long thin fingers proudly through Baa's yet un-sheared bright creamy coat. "To think that when he first brought Maa here, Dimitri wanted to make a meal out of her."

"We didn't come here to talk about sheep, did we?" Fuma sighed, tapping his foot nervously on the ground.

"Yes, you're right. Ne, Kakyou-san, you haven't been having any dreams about us getting some kind of help, did you?"

Kakyou stopped his shearing and stared at them blankly. "Well, I did have a dream, but the Lady told me not to bother telling you about it."

"Huh? She told you that?"

"She told me 'I'm bringing assistants to all; Love, Justice, Death. Oh don't bother telling them about it; it's not like anyone other than Love can do anything with their assistants'.

"She said, 'Justice is away from each other so their assistant won't even be active and Death...' and I quote: 'Death is with that cunning sister of mine'."

"Cunning sister? I wonder what she meant." Yuuto crouched by Maa's side, trying to grab the lamb's attention.

"The Light Side has a lady of destiny of their own, or so I gathered from my dreams, and an oracle of their own too, though I have no idea who it is; I can't see that far. Apparently the two are sisters and not in best terms with each other."

"She said nothing but 'don't bother telling them'?" Fuma sighed, trying to keep the feeling of his free time wasted on a pointless ride all the way to Kakyou's forest.

"She seemed occupied by peeking at the other side. Perhaps…." Kakyou held his tongue before he says something that might upset Fuma. "Perhaps it was just another one of her cruel little tricks; throwing these assistants at you and leaving you to figure out what to do with them.

"By the way, Kigai-san, where do you keep yours? There's two of them, that must be a lot of a hassle with the nature of one of them…"

Yuuto chuckled. He managed to convince the lamb of his harmlessness and was scratching it behind its ear, receaving a playful nibble to his knee from the young thing. "I found a tent that came with the Light Side's provisions and set it up in Venus' field. As long as they spend their nights together no one else is going to even notice they're there."

Kakyou blushed and resumed Baa's shearing.

Fuma tried very hard not to grumble. "So why did she bring us assistants? Why now when half of us are gone?"

Kakyou and Yuuto stared at him thoughtfully.

The yumemie's face fell, "I-I have no idea, I'm sorry."

"Perhaps she's trying to help us do our job better. I, for instance, had no idea how to help this couple who came to me this morning with a very personal problem. But Shikima heard them and immediately had a solution for them, though he said it pretty bluntly and pretty loudly…"

Fuma glared, "How nice."

"I asked Blue Fairy about what your assistant does and she said that justice fairies point at guilty people and condemn them. Sounds creepy really."

"Why would we need that! We can look at a person and see the crime in him. Oh, but we screwed up last time we tried that, didn't we?" Fuma turned to leave, his shoulders drawn up like an irritated boy's.

"Perhaps the fairy came here to help you spot people rather than see if they're guilty or not." Yuuto called, trying to sate Fuma's anger.

The young man shot a glare at Love across his shoulder, "What do you mean?"

"I mean the Noters aren't an investigation group, they just arrest people if the crimes they did were observed. But surely there are a lot of people who commit crimes so that no one sees them do it and get away with it because there are no witnesses. The Fairy's job would probably be mostly with the Noters, going around the city and spotting hiding criminals. Then the criminals will be brought to court for your part of justice. She's not a replacement; she's your eyes and ears outside the court."

Something made Fuma's eyes start to water as he walked back to Yuuto's side. He looked away, trying to hide his eyes while fighting back the tears.

"Ah, the sun is setting." Kakyou got up, finishing the last touches to Baa's new haircut and shaking the curls which clung to his long robe. "Perhaps you'd like to stay for dinner? I made boar and mushroom casserole."

"Sounds tasty…ah, who's turn is it to cook tonight, Monou-kun?"

Fuma's face paled, he shot a nervous glance to Yuuto and Kakyou, "Karen-san's."

"We'll be staying to dinner, thank you very much, Kakyou-san."

* * *

Two day's ride in the strange grass hilly fields and the Convoy came across the strangest thing their eyes ever lay on during their whole trip.

A tall wall, high to the sky and maybe even beyond, of thin unknown substance stretched before them and to the sides as far as they could see.

The wall shone, like aurora borealis, in a rainbow of changing colors through which, from time to time, the other side could be seen. Beyond the wall the field continued unchanged.

The men stopped their horses and stared forward, awaiting their leader's word.

Alex climbed off his horse and checked the sky. "It seems late enough for lunch break, what do you think?"

His men shrugged and descended their horses. Cautiously, they chose to sit away from the wall, casting suspecting glances at it.

Kamui was the first to mouth what was on everybody's mind, "What do you think it is, Alex?"

Alex stared at the wall for a moment, "I have a theory; I think this is the boarder between the Light side and the Dark side. I've sent a shiki along it, it saw the wall curving beyond this point, to a place where there's seashore, but only a small one. There are traces of civilization there; beach huts and wooden slides into the water, but there's no one there at the moment."

"If this is the boarder, how come it's not as hard to cross as the other one? I mean it's not even hidden." Seishiro asked while walking to the wall and examining it better.

"The mountains, when we descended them, were completely impossible to climb. When we rode down them, me and David had to use our powers to keep the horses moving. The whole mountain side on the Light Side is a collection of razor-sharp rocks, impossible weather and deadly cliffs. I think the mountains are made so that no one tries to run away to the Dark side, though that's highly unthinkable. From this spot, which is very far away from any village or city we've seen, no one would want to run away."

"What about those huts and slides you were talking about?" Subaru inquired.

"They looked abandoned. Maybe, once upon a time, someone was here, but now they seem like they were unused for years.

"I think the unnatural appearance of this wall is so that people would fear it and not try to cross it. Besides, who'd want to leave the Light side?"

The men stared at Alex silently.

"Yes, why leave the Light Side, anyway?" Seishiro walked to Alex, folding his arms on his chest.

Death sighed, avoiding eye contact with Seishiro. "Because we don't know how much of the Dark Side there is beyond this wall, all we can see is more fields."

"There's a shore, we'll come across it shortly after we cross to the other side."

"And if we chose to cross the sea, or lake, or ocean to which this shore belongs, what do we know of how much of the Dark Side there is beyond the other side's shore?"

David opened his mouth to say something but decided against it at the last minute.

Seishiro glared at Death. "We're going back to the City, aren't we?" he hissed in a hushed voice might Kamui hear them.

Alex leveled a strict glare back at the Sakurazukamori, "Maybe we will, maybe we won't; we need to cross that body of water first. And even _if_ we returned to the City, _I will not give you up to justice, even if it'd cost me my life!_"

Seishiro shook his head angrily and walked back to Subaru's side. He wanted to say something, anything to Alex, and make them stay here where the living is easy and hazardless, but Alex's will seemed to be made of iron.

It was not that he distrusted Death, he was sure the man would not give in to Justice; he just didn't want Kamui to be back with Fuma and go seemingly unpunished. He wanted to watch the boy shrivel up with longing and misery, and die.

As his emotions raked him and he had nothing to take them out on, Seishiro hugged Subaru and buried his head in his lover's neck, closing his eyes to try and calm his heart.

Alex walked up to the wall and reached his hand to the mysterious colorful band.

Behind him, his men watched his actions, tense and curious.

A flicker of hope made Kamui's heart skip a beat; if they're crossing to the Dark Side then they are on their way back towards the City. Deep in his heart, Kamui always suspected that the talk he had with the Lady of Light, the conversation Alex must have been brought to watch somehow, persuaded Alex once and for all that his attempts to win his heart are futile. If this is so then going back to the City must be the only reason why Alex refuses to stay in this side of the world.

What will be of Seishiro's deeming? Kamui couldn't bring himself to think of right now; his head was too dizzy with happiness to think of such heavy things at the moment. Oh, if only they'll be returning to the City, oh please.

Death's hand extended, touched the strange wall, and went past it. Retracting it, the limb seemed to have suffered no harm.

"I-it's completely penetrable." Alex gasped. Taking the next step, he walked through the wall completely, and walked back, just as unharmed.

Cautiously, Subaru approached the wall and did the same. "We can go past it too. Strange…"

"So?" David asked, placing the cooking gear back in its bag, "We're crossing it or not?"

Alex scanned the faces of his men and then shrugged, "We're crossing."

A gentle wind blew, playing with their hair and clothes for a moment and as it picked up force, the riders noted a young woman standing at a distance from them to their left.

An indigo shawl which fluttered around her like an aura she held in her left hand, pushing it before her as if trying to hide her face from the wall. She walked towards them with slow long steps on bare feet.

Her outfit rang a bell in Kamui mind - it was the dress the Lady of Light wore. But the two were so different in age, though their faces held much resemblance to one another. Her long, curly dark ginger hair danced on the wind and she smiled at them, her eyes unreadable.

"So, you leave?" she asked, her voice smooth and soft as velvet.

"The Lady of Light…" Kamui gasped, "B-but you've come down to meet us? Why? How?"

"Because I wish to speak to you. Why do you want to leave my realm? You know what you're leaving behind and what you're heading for."

"You're wondering why we leave?" Alex growled at her, "You had a hand in this decision, and you're surprised about it?"

The Lady turned her large eyes to Death and kept them there for a long moment. The sweet smile she held disappeared slowly, replaced by a deeply worried frown.

She walked towards Death, reaching her milky white arm to him.

Alex turned away from her angrily.

"Please don't run, and don't look like I'm accusing you of anything."

The Lady placed her palm on Death's breastplate, looking deep into his eyes. "Can you feel it here? A fire roaring inside and anger beyond compare?"

Alex frowned, "No, why?"

The Lady turned away from him and walked to Kamui, casting the same soul searching gaze at him. "Can you feel it, grief and despair to consume your heart?"

"N-no…"

She smiled, tears gathering in her beautiful eyes. She held her hands to her chest and walked away from them. "I'm glad, I'm so glad it did not happen. Maybe it will never happen."

Alex moved forward to catch her, "What won't happen?"

Her face dropped, her eyes were so powerful they almost glowed.

She looked at the carriage containing the vampires' coffin, "A vampire master and a master-less vampire."

Her eyes darted to Subaru, "Two from the light," Then to Seishiro, "two from the dark."

She looked to David, "And twins of fire.

"Fire to destroy.

"No, you do not have all of them yet, and maybe you'll never have them. Maybe, if my sister is merciful.

"Forget what I've said; go on with your journey."

The wind carried her away.

Blinking away the small spell she cast on them, the riders recovered their shock and climbed to their horses. Her last words were erased from their memories.

Beyond the wall the field lasted for only a couple more miles. The seaside was of bright white sand, so smooth and fine, like powder. The sea was the brightest blue on a short band near the beach, growing gradually into a darker, greenish blue, and finally into dark blue of a deep ocean.

"Now what do we do?" Seishiro sighed irritably, leaning forward on his saddle.

"Now we try to build a boat." Alex snapped back at him with a reprimanding glare.

"What from? I don't see any trees here." Seishiro smirked.

Alex did not respond for a while. Instead he stared forward to their right and began walking his horse to that direction. "We might not need to build a boat at all, look!"

At the distance, riding the gentle waves in the noon sunshine, a large wooden ship approached the shore.

"I'll bet everything I have on that ship belonging to the Pirates." Death smiled and signaled his horse to ride faster. His men followed him.

* * *

"A vampire master, and a master-less vampire.

"Two of the light, two from the dark.

"And twins of fire.

"Fire to destroy."

The woman rose from the floor where she lay on her side, looming over the water covered magical mirror. As she sat up her long straight black hair spilled from her shoulders down her chest and back. Her smooth, exquisitely designed dress rustled.

"Poor Light Lady, she's too nice to see you deserve it, Death, for what you've done to me."

At the sound of those words Watanuki, who was carrying an empty tray towards her, to collect her empty wine glass, cringed and clawed nervously at the wooden plate.

"Yuuko-san…I-I'm sorry about that time, I'm really sorry…I-I didn't mean, I mean, I don't know what came upon me…"

The witch's large pale green eyes turned to her servant slowly. "I told you right after it happened; you are not to blame. Your ability to see spirits made you a vessel of his power. Neither you nor Domeki wanted to restrain me while he held that monster sized gun at me; he made you do it and I do not blame you for it."

She rose to her feet, her eyes still darting angrily to the mirror.

"What did you see there? What was that thing you said about it? You saw him? Did he find Kamui?"

"Of course he found Kamui!" Yuuko shouted, "I gave him the boy's dimension's location, did I not?"

"I'm sorry…."

"If you'll apologize one more time and remind me of that incident I _will_ punish you!"

"A-ah….yes…"

Yuuko walked out to the open door and gazed thoughtfully out to the garden. Moru and Maru danced happily in the summer rain, teetering "Punish Watanuki, punish Watanuki!"

"Yes, it will happen, because he should have paid me for that information with the vampire's gun and gloves, and instead he forced it out of me and nearly killed my poor precious twin shiki…it is hitsuzen, it his punishment."

(tbc)

* * *

(1) look it up in a dictionary, hmph.

**A.N: **Good god, they're already at the seaside! The story's gradually moving towards it's close, yup yup. I assume there won't be more than ten or fifteen other chapters, but then the story's over. Yes. And now for sleep.


	36. It Nears

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **Many thanks to Cait-hime-sama-dono, my beta, for working so hard on making A New World a better fic.

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN IT'S CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!**

**Author's request: **Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

* * *

**Chapter 36 – It Nears**

"Eh?" Sorata gaped baffled at the work chart hung on the living room wall at the Rescue Team house, "What's this?"

Tara, who was sorting through the herbs she plucked from her garden and hung to dry, bent above the coffee table shuffling the dry leaves and branches softly, answered him, "My handwriting's a mess, I'm sorry." She rose to her feet, wiping her hands on her long dark green skirt.

She walked to Sorata's side and stared at the work chart, pointing at the small text written in the blank row under the next day's shifts arrangement.

"Old O'Brian wants to move his cattle herd across the river to the pasturing fields and needs our help with the fire monsters the day after tomorrow." She turned her eyes to Sorata to see if he understood.

"Me and Missy have an appointment with Charlie the day after tomorrow…can I swap places with someone else that day so I can be on patrol shift and not in the cattle thing?"

The witch shrugged, "Yeah, sure, I don't see why you can't. Better ask people around though, because I'm not up for settling stuff like that; too much of a headache."

Sorata nodded and bowed a little to thank Tara.

He brought the subject up during dinner that evening.

"I don't understand why we have to do it in the first place." Spike grumbled, picking at his noodles dish.

Since half the dinner table attendants were missing for the last half a year, Karen began bringing Ace and Spike along with her to fill the void and help cheer up the dinners which lately took on a somewhat gloomy air.

If Subaru, Seishiro and Kamui's absence was felt in short stabs of longing for the past five months, Seiichiro's absence during this last month was the last straw. Karen noted the joined meals became silent, empty and brooding.

Though Ace was not very talkative around strangers and Spike mostly ate in silence and stared at everyone with all-watching eyes, she felt their presence alone was enough to do something, anything, to help the house's remaining inhabitants.

Yuuto'd do the same whenever he could.

He couldn't have Watari over due to the air the young man brought about Fuma and Shikimai was absolutely out of the question.

The dinner when they invited Venus and David over turned out to be a small disaster. Venus mostly made dragons of both earth and heaven uneasy no matter how cheerfully she spoke and how many live discussions she brought about with her warmth and kindness. Jacob sat at the head of the table and ate very quickly, very quietly, and ignored the people around him unless their gazes accidentally moved to Venus' body which is when he'd glare daggers at the offending person.

The evening they spent with Charlie and Blue Fairy as their company was extremely delightful. Charlie was a source of sharp, witty and often zany humor while Fairy filled the room with soft comfortable air which unwound and soothed the dinner attendants.

Sadly, Charlie was a busy man, much like his wife, and so chances to repeat the event were scarce and often had to be canceled due to medical emergencies.

Kakyou and Dimitri would drop in for dinner from time to time, which was not entirely bad at all. Dimitri would always bring good game meat for Sorata to turn into fabulous dishes while Kakyou unwound from his stubborn shyness and slowly allowed himself a fluent conversation with Yuuto, Yuzuriha or Karen.

Dinners to which this pair joined were usually filled with reminiscing of their lost Japan, of medical talks about sheep health and the way the City's market flourished and changed its features and costumes after the famine broke with the Light Side's supply.

Though these dinners were most pleasant they were also scarce. Both Kakyou and Dimitri were often too exhausted from their day's work and could not arrive, much like the people who invited them to dinner.

Lion attended one meal, during an extremely lazy week of sweet summer breeze and no particularly dangerous events. He sat at the head of the table where Seishiro used to sit (it'd be the other way around, usually, for some reason) so that he can sit with Fuma at his side. Though both the house members' and Lion's English was not the best it could which lead to several misunderstandings, the conversation was fluent and pleasant.

But Lion was a busy man and mostly preferred to have his meals in his soldiers' bases, amongst his many adopted children.

Vash was by now a permanent attendant at the dinners and though his presence brought about laughter and happiness at first, it seemed he was calming down these past few weeks, and becoming more serious.

Yuuto knew it had to do with his worries for his brother back in his original dimension and knew he could do nothing to help the man.

"What do you mean 'why'?" Ace's voice always shrilled a bit when he's surprised, "We're Rescue Team, we need to be there in case something starts with the fire monsters."

"We're not bodyguards. Three cattle farmers already got their flocks across the river, but _this particular_ farmer needs our protection?" Spike arched an eyebrow.

"He has the biggest flock, so I heard."

"Also," Kazuki pitched in the conversation, blushing a bit at the excitement of entering an adults' conversation, "his cows are the best at milk production. It's said they taste better too."

"Exactly," Ace waved the fork (brought from his kitchen to help him and Spike because Karen's house had only chopsticks for cutlery) at Kazuki's direction, "he has prime animals and he'd like to make sure they all go through the river safely."

"I can go to the appointment on my own, Sorata, it's alright. It's better to do your duties than to try and avoid them." Arashi said calmly, her words aimed more towards Spike than to her husband.

Spike ignored her.

"I think I know what you're trying to say." Yuuto leaned back into his chair, pondering Spike's words.

"Well I don't, please explain yourself." Karen turned to her lover.

"The fire monsters, they look like alligators, right? Big, black, fire spitting alligators; but alligators nonetheless, right?" he waited a while for everyone to understand.

"I've noticed that they also behaving like alligators. They eat like alligators, they hunt like alligators, and they walk like alligators. They're another dimension's version of an alligator.

"Once one alligator got a meal all the rest run to him to try and get a bite from his kill. That means that no matter how long it takes the herd to cross the river, the fire monsters will only kill one or two cows.

"Since Old O'Brian has about a hundred cows, one or two beasts won't be such a big sacrifice. He'll have to give his own share of cows anyways; it's his turn to give a cow to the monsters to keep them away from us this week."

"But what if they won't take only one cow?" Yuzuriha entered the conversation after seeing Kazuki was allowed so, "What if the fire monsters attacked one of his the farmers? We have to be there in case something like that happens."

"The normal daily patrols can do just as good a job at that if they'd move their course more towards the river. There's really no need for extra precautions."

"I want to be there for every examination you go through, babe."

"I'll be happier knowing my condition was not a burden to you rather than have you holding my hand like I'm unwell every time we go to the doctor's."

"Are you sure?"

"But why O'Brian of all people? I know his herd is biggest and best, but why him? Every other farmer fears the fire monsters, why would he of all people want our help?" Yuuto mumbled, chewing on the end of one of his chopsticks.

"I'll tell you why:" Spike poked his fork at the blond's direction, "There's always fresh milk in the City Council's office, that's why."

"Oh, you can't be serious!" Karen yelped.

"Are you serious?" Sorata ogled.

Yuuto frowned.

"That's awful! It's outrageous!" Yuzuriha cried.

"What do you mean?" Kazuki pondered, cocking her head to the side innocently.

"I wouldn't think it's that bad." Ace shrugged, trying to avoid an argument with the man he loves.

"I hope it's not true, that'd make me very sad." Vash sighed through the dumpling he stuffed his mouth with.

Fuma shuffled the noodles in his plate blankly, picking on one and eating it dejectedly from time to time.

Arashi strictly avoided eye contact with Spike, keeping her voice calm and leveled as she reached for her glass of milk and spoke, "This sounds like an excuse to avoid work."

"Hey!"

Karen placed a calming hand on Spike's shin. She herself turned her eyes, glaring, to the miko.

"When we joined the rescue force we took upon us a great responsibility, which takes shape in a variety of missions we must accomplish. If O'Brian-san feels a need for the security we can provide then it's our duty to protect him. To try and come up with conspiracy theories to avoid a day's work is unacceptable to me."

"It's a good thing I'm not your husband then."

Fuma got up to leave the table.

Kazuki cringed and clawed nervously at the table cloth.

"Now, now," Vash giggled nervously, "no need to talk like that at the table."

Spike turned his glare scornfully away from Arashi who kept her eyes still on her plate and cutlery.

Karen moved uneasily on her chair, exchanging worried glances with Ace to her other side.

Yuuto tapped the thicker end of his chopstick on the edge of his plate softly, frowning and pondering what had happened.

Sorata bit his lower lip.

Ace fumbled with his napkin trying to recollect the various forms his mother used to fold them for fancy meals.

Yuuto waited for the thoughtful silence to reach its peak so he could say what was on his mind.

"The City council members, they've upped their salary without telling anyone. One of them also wrote down a higher salary for his daughter's new husband, he did this for his cousin too. Another borrowed furnishing from the great furniture hanger without the hanger and gave the hanger keeper some food to make him not say anything about it, I saw him guide the carriers to his house on a walk I took after dinner the other day."

All eyes turned to Yuuto, gaping and amazed.

Spike slapped his palm on the table, making his plate dance on the cloth giddily, "See, what did I tell you?"

"Are you serious?"

"No way!"

"Oh, good god."

Fuma walked out to the back yard, sliding the door behind shut in silence.

The main room filled with the sound of argument, cries of discontentment, loud conversation and complaint. It seems no one was able to keep his cool.

Karen and Ace shared resentful experiences with the council members, Vash mumbled about his disappointment, Yuzuriha complained about the corruption, Sorata had to explain Kazuki the meaning of everything.

Yuuto sat back and stared at them all, wondering if had started something dangerous; after all, most of the currently active Rescue Team members were here and he couldn't imagine any of those not present at the moment reacting any differently.

"It doesn't matter." Arashi claimed a little louder than the tone she usually uses, "Even _if_ the council members are corrupt, it takes nothing off the danger O'Brian-san's facing. The other farmers who brought their cattle across the river only came out of it unharmed by pure luck, there's no guarantee O'Brian-san won't be hit."

Sorata took his wife's palms in his and turned her beautiful eyes to his, "Are you sure you don't mind me not coming with you? The baby's so close to being born, I want to savor every moment of the pregnancy as I can."

"This pregnancy's got the both of us through enough already and Charlie's only reporting good things so far. Please go and perform your duties, Sorata."

Her husband kissed her knuckles gently, laying his cheek on her palm.

"Speaking of duty, Arashi-san, you're not going to keep at yours until the birth, are you?" Karen inquired.

The miko's eyes flashed for a moment, "Why not?"

Karen huffed with amazement, "Y-you can't be serious, Arashi-san! You must be in the eighth month, if not in the ninth already, it's already too dangerous for you to go on patrol!"

"She's right, babe."

Arashi pulled at the hands holding her palms a little, "That's nonsense!"

"Babe!" Sorata's voice was no longer soft and admiring; it was resolved and commanding. His eyes fixed hers to them with a powerful gaze, "If you're hurt the baby's hurt as well. You've been amazingly fit and brave so far, at least give yourself a break at the end when rest and caution are the most crucial things for you."

Arashi opened her mouth to say something but found she could not. Her husband was suddenly so serious and authoritative and for some reason she found it more comforting and pleasing than irritating or preposterous.

She nodded and looked away. "Yes, alright."

"I'll tell Tara to take her off the list then?" Ace sought approval for the obviously approved in Karen and Spike.

The atmosphere became once more calm and pleasant and soon light, happy conversation filled the room's air again.

Yuuto looked towards the kitchen window and wondered where Seiichiro is at the moment. The pain in his chest was lessening with every day that went by but from time to time he'd still be caught in miserable fits of tears and depression of the misfortunate fate of his last relationships.

"By the way, which one of you is robbing the kitchen cabinet of candy, eh?" Sorata asked humorously.

"It's not me!" Yuzuriha hurried to object.

"Me neither!" Kazuki said with much the same tone.

"It's that strange Justice creature Monou-san keeps in his room." Arashi answered, "I saw it creeping into the kitchen one night."

"Really? I always thought she's in a coma." Karen wondered.

"Apparently it only wakes to feed, though why it only wants sweets is beyond me."

* * *

After dinner Yuuto walked out to the balcony at the second floor, a place of ghostly silence since the onmyoujis did not use it after meals as they used to, and listened to the night.

It was a habit of his, since Seiichiro left, to fight back the loneliness of the darkness by tuning in on the sweet sound of loving happiness in the City.

That night, that particular night, Yuuto heard four loves he didn't hear for a long time, and two new loves as well.

For the first time in four months, he was able to hear Seishiro's love for Subaru, Subaru's love for Seishiro, Kamui's exploding love for Fuma and Alex' burning love for Kamui. He could hear, with much joy, the newly found love of Victoria for David and David's love for the draculina.

The sensations had hit him like a powerful wind. Suddenly, hearing those hearts pounding so clearly, was like the men were right there, at his side. He could see the onmyoujis as if they were before him, he could see Kamui's longing mauve orbs, Alex's sharp ancient jade ones. He could feel the strange and powerful beat of an undead heart, the slow yet erratic pound of David's mind.

Love's head reeled and he grabbed for the balcony's railing to stabilize himself. Something hot and wet rolled down his cheeks, it was tears. His breath came out ragged and hoarse its pace quick with excitement.

At once, without thinking, he stormed into the house and down to the kitchen and living room.

"They're here again, they're coming back! Subaru and Sakurazuka-san and Kamui too, they're all coming back!"

Yuzuriha ran up to Yuuto, grabbing his jacket's lapels desperately, "And Bicktoria? What about her? Is she there? Is she near?"

Yuuto grabbed the girl into his arms powerfully, rocking sideways gently, "Oh she's coming back as well, happier and stronger. She'll be here in no time!"

Yuzuriha cried into Yuuto's soft pink suit, jumping up and down and emitting long shrills of happiness from time to time.

"Yuuto-san," Love felt Sorata's palm on his shoulder, "you better go and tell Fuma about this."

Nodding frantically, Yuuto detached himself from Yuzuriha and hurried out to the back yard to scramble up the half demolished stairway and into Fuma's room.

After a few merry raps on the door to Justice's room, Love decided to burst in without further request; after hearing the news he has, Fuma will surely be too happy to reprimand him for barging in.

Fuma was just tucking himself to sleep and cast a dim glare at the brightly glowing blond in his room.

"I can feel them here, in this side of the dimension again, Monou-san, I can feel Kamui."

Fuma shot to his feet, still reluctant to draw near to Love might this turn out to be bad news.

"Don't be afraid, silly boy, Kamui still loves you. He loves you more than before, his heart's not turned."

Fuma opened his mouth but nothing came out. He tried to say something but only a dry incoherent whisper came out.

"He's in good health and has you on his mind, he's unharmed. I can feel that they are traveling towards the City. They'll be here in no time. It's true!"

Quit simply and without any attempt to hide it, hush it or hold it back, Fuma burst into tears. He sat down on the bed, grabbing at his hair and rocking back and forth, he wept like a little boy.

For a very long time he sat there, weeping with Yuuto's arms comfortingly and chastely around him. He cried until the dark night sky brightened and the sun shone and the layer of clouds to obscure it gathered like a forbidding veil. He cried until he could physically cry no more.

And when he was done crying he wiped at his face with a napkin Yuuto held out for him and rubbed at his sleepless, searing wet eyes and blew his nose and smoothened his hair and turned to Yuuto.

And for the first time in six months, he smiled.

Yuuto's heart nearly burst in his chest.

* * *

That night was especially windy with short annoying showers of drizzle, which Seiichiro found extremely annoying. He wondered through the south edge of the forest where Kakyou and Dimitri lived, in search of a hiding place.

His head felt light and his stomach churned, it's been days since he's had a proper meal.

Slowly, but steadily, he learned the basic skills of survivals in the wild.

He already knew how to spot the kind of twigs and branches best for fires and how to make it so that the fire he lit (when he learned how to light it using primitive skills after the lighter he took from Seishiro's bedside table ran out of gas) from spreading through the dry leaves on the forest bed.

He learned which nuts and berries were good for eating (a skill he took a while a lot of tormenting stomach problems to learn) and was slowly learning which fruits were good and where to find all these.

He did not dare to hunt yet, taking the life of anything was still beyond him.

His clothes had become dirty and tattered and the time he used to devote for fixing them and cleaning them was taken by his endless search for food.

His hair has grown long and unkempt, he could feel it sticking out at odd angles and from time to time, when he moved his head rapidly, a few bits of dry leafs and dirt fell out.

His hands, which were once slightly too delicate for a man of his size and age, grew crude and dirty.

His jaw and cheeks were covered by a thick curly beard he could not tame; he forgot to take a shaving razor and the knife he had for cooking was far too big and sharp for him to want to use so close to his face.

He was always stumbling on something with his shoes only feet for walking on pavements and the City's flattened and arranged dirt roads. Soon holes and tears opened in these too and he'd spend many nights soothing his aching feet.

His glasses, his most crucial item for survival, were ruined as well during one particularly nasty tumble he took in a wood clearing. One lens was broken and missing a big piece while the other had cracks running through it. One of its arms snapped and the other became twisted beyond comfort after Seiichiro tried keeping his glasses in his jacket's front pocket and was turning in his sleep.

Nevertheless, Seiichiro wore them, if only so that he can see the strange new world around him better. Without his glasses he was blind as a bat and would surely become completely vulnerable.

At night he'd hear the howls of wolfs all around him and from time to time catch the glimpses of a large white flash crossing the edge of the circle of light his campfires cast around him. He'd create circles of wind razors around him and succeeded in chasing away these invisible menaces.

Seiichiro's mind became empty of all thoughts those days, as his every bit of energy was devoted to surviving. Though it meant that he thought less of his family gone for good, it also meant he was losing great pieces of himself in those feral and hallucinated days of wandering through the alien world's wild.

At night, as he sat before the fire and stared at the dancing flames, his mind would awake form its numb slumber and he'd wonder what became of the Seiichiro Aoki he was so far. It felt like he was shedding that other man now, like a snake sheds its skin. But if that man is slowly disintegrates, what's left behind?

Most of all, Seiichiro missed words. He had no one to talk to here and no one to listen to. He refused to talk to himself, fearing it becoming a foothold of madness in his mind.

He missed spoken words and written words and he missed people.

Yet he held back the tears when they burned the rims of his eyes and bit back very cry of pain his clumsily afflicted wounds tried to wrench out of him. The vow of silence he forced on himself was absolute.

The more he thought about the changes he's going through is the more he became numb to it and careless as for the results of the change. He moved out of the house for change's sake, did he not? So why be bothered by it? Why stir up thoughts when the only thing they bring is pain?

The next morning, Seiichiro walked into an immense forest clearing. It was definitely a forest cleaning and not the end of the forest because he could vaguely make out a distant line of trees at the far distance and the forest stretched to his sides yet curled in the distance to form a ring around the huge field of bright green thick grass in which he stood.

For a while Seiichiro stood there and stared around him, noting the high grass shoots and their softness. It will be a pity to stomp down enough of them to clear a space for himself to settle in for the night.

Perhaps by the time the sun will set he'll arrive at that far entrance back into the forest.

Shrugging, Seiichiro shouldered his tattered backpack, his pots and pants clanging noisily, and began walking forward. Before him the earth was rising in a tall hill beyond which he could not see much other than the distant tree tops.

The sun shone brightly on him, bringing with it the distinct odor of weeks of his sweat which soaked into his clothes. He smelt like musk and dirt and dust, which was somehow more encouraging that depressing.

Sometimes he'd be able to find comfort in proofs that he survived through all those weeks outside of the urban environment he lived in all his life. Why his personal smell was one of those comforts, he didn't know. It was much better than sniffing himself and feeling horrible about being filthy.

Stopping dead on his tracks with surprise, Seiichiro nearly tumbled down the edge of the hill he just climbed. He couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him.

He was not standing on a tall hill; he was standing on the edge of a small valley. It was not really a valley, though, it had been made so. Once this was a mountain until the creatures which now inhabited it carved into it their small village and hid behind the high rims they left of the mountainside.

Below Seiichiro lay tiny fields and tiny roads, tiny wooden structures erected here and there in the shape of sheds and inns, there were even tiny patches of well pampered blooming gardens.

Around the walls of this Lilliputian village, small bulks of earth poked out of the rim on the north side of which Seiichiro stood, into the end of which round brightly colored doors were fixed.

Seiichiro looked down at his feet and noticed he was standing on one of those small budges and he was starting to sink into the soft grass covered earth.

He quickly leaped off to a part of the wall from which no doorway poked out and resumed his staring.

There were ponies, tied to tiny perfectly made plows, and tiny wheelbarrows and tiny carriages moving all around the village. But what most astonished Seiichiro was not these miniature artifacts, like the bizarre show at a toy store's front window, but the beings which operated these things.

The village was inhabited by men and women no bigger than a child of ten or nine years, their children were even tinier. They all seemed in face and body structure as adults, despite their shortness. The men were all chubby but never fat. The women were opulent but well shaped. Their outfits were rural and simple, with pants or skirts down to the middle of their legs, simple vests and tunics or small simple but elegant suits of wool and faintly Victorian dresses missing only the strict corsets.

These creatures, by whom Seiichiro's presence went completely ignored, went about their daily chores with such zeal and happy air that Seiichiro could not help the feeling that this was all some kind of a dream or hallucination; is it possible that he stumbled into a village of midgets and if so, how did they gather here?

Then, as he crouched to better see them, he noted strange features in the Lilliputian village people: All had relatively big feet covered by thick curly hairs and all had charming pointy ears under their rich curly hair.

"Ho-hobbits!" an astonished giggle escaped Seiichiro's lips, "I-I can't believe it!"

At once the whole village, including some of the creatures which were inside buildings at the moment, turned their eyes to Seiichiro, and those were not filled with a welcoming gaze.

The next moment it seemed that a wave went through the village for each and every little person bent down and picked a stone or rock nearest to them.

Next thing he knew there was a rain of stones flying towards him. Seiichiro stared at the dark lumps, confused, and forgot to take cover. It was the earlier evening, as Seiichiro forgot to find a source of water and this morning, with just as little water and full sunlight that rendered Seiichiro so slow in reactions.

He felt the pain of many small stabs and blows to his body and next felt a wall hitting his back. He did not stay on the wall, which was in fact the earth beneath him, because his fall brought him rolling down the hill he climbed.

He stopped rolling at the bottom with his arms tucked under him and his right cheek pressed against the soft brown earth and thick grass. His vision, before he fainted, was rendered completely blurry as his glasses took this tumble as their last adventure and became completely crushed.

Only the frame remained and it was stuck halfway up the hill, grass shoots poking through its empty frame where the shattered lenses gave way and laid in glittering sprays on the grass, like water droplets.

* * *

Seiichiro opened his eyes and saw nothing but a big bright brown blur with a faded orange blur high above him and several green blurs to the left.

His glasses were gone for good. The glasses Shimako bought him with her own money for his birthday, though they went to pick the design together because Shimako was unsure of his current taste in glasses. The glasses Yuuka reached for the first time he picked her up from her cradle and she was at an age to try and grab the things she saw with her toddler's eyes.

Seiichiro closed his eyes and brought himself to sleep. There was nothing here he wanted to discover or sense anymore. If he'd die in that moment he'd be content with it.

The next time he opened his eyes it was because of a sharp pain to the left of his forehead. He hurried to shut his eyes again.

Something wet was dabbed on his right palm and fingers and soon they too sprang into pain. This dabbing and pain process was repeated on his neck, on his chin, on his right cheek, on several spots in his chest and arms and on his right shin.

Soon the pain gave way to a kind of buzzing warm sensation much like that of a mild burn. Seiichiro was being healed, or treated by someone. The mysterious liquid which was used on him was applied through a soft fabric, though its texture often hurt his open wounds. Seiichiro could feel, rimming the folded piece of cloth, a set of five tiny plump fingers pressing gently onto his skin.

Seiichiro waited for the treatment to end and sharpened his senses to try and pick up noises of the person who treated him leaving his side. He heard the soft creaking of wood and small feet shuffle out of the room. When a door closed to the left of him Seiichiro dared to open his eyes again.

He was blind, probably for eternity, but this does not mean he must stay unaware of his surroundings.

He was lying on a bed which was soft and comfortable, though the mattress underneath him was not too thick. Over the mattress were sheets which were pleasant, if not a tad crude. Covering him was a simple wool blanket which managed to keep him warm. In fact, it was two blankets which covered him, one from his neck to his waist and a second from his lower abdomen to his feet.

With a bit of gentle shuffling on his sickbed, Seiichiro realized that though he was lying on a bed he was far too big for it and that his feet were laid on different furniture which was pressed against the bed he lay on.

All these small artifacts around him told Seiichiro that he was probably in the village he observed before he was brought down with stones. This means that he is hospitalized by creatures he read about in a book.

Seiichiro wanted to sleep again but he was far too refreshed for that, and had already slept too much.

He sent his fingers over his body to asses his wounds. His upper body was almost covered by swollen bruises, with scratches at his sides and several nasty punctured wounds. The more serious of the inflictions were covered by thin soft bandages which were circling his torso and arms in all sorts of directions.

These Hobbits were just as Tolkien described them; small and seemingly helpless, but vicious and precise with a rock in their hand to toss at their enemy.

They've seen him as enemy, for sure, because they didn't know what he was or where he came from.

Remembering the howling at night and the white flashes at the rims of his campfire's light, Seiichiro realized that these Hobbits were probably at constant guard against perils dwelling all around them.

The fact that they took him in and were tending to his wounds proved to Seiichiro that they were not regarding him with any hostility, which meant that he shouldn't be bothered with making escape plans in the state he is.

So what now?

The door to his left swung open slowly and two sets of feet entered the room. Seiichiro tilted his head towards them and saw a round lump of soft bright light (all around him was dark this time around) and two darker blurs before him.

"He's woken up." A man's voice said in English with a soft accent which reminded Seiichiro of Yuzuriha's vampire friend's accent.

"Good morning or evening, to be exact." A second voice said, sounding softer and less surprised than the first.

"Y-you speak English…" Seiichiro whispered, wondering what else he might say.

"Speaking what?"

"He understands us, maybe he's from Bri?" the first voice asked. This one sounded younger and filled with curiosity and surprise. He also sounded closer to Seiichiro, as if he neared him to inspect him better.

"Don't be daft; we're the only ones who landed here."

"W-where am I?"

"You're in Deephollow, the new version of it." The older voice answered. This one was calmer and the tone of his voice was soft and warm.

"Oh…And this is a Hobbit village, right?"

"He's calling us 'hobbits'. So you know about us?"

"In my world there was a book telling to story of four of your people. They went to destroy a ring…it was a very interesting book."

"Eh, he read about third uncle Peregrine!" The younger hobbit chirped.

"'There and Back Again made it all the way to your land, eh? What's your name young man?"

Seiichiro smiled faintly at the sound of someone referring to him as 'young', "No, in my world it was called 'Lord of the Rings'. My name is Aoki Seiichiro. But you should say it Seiichiro Aoki."

The blurry Halflings to his left became quiet. Listening more carefully, Seiichiro picked up whispers; they found his name strange.

Then one of the two shuffled towards him and a small hand laid its weight on Seiichiro's mattress, near his arm.

"Where did you say you were from?"

"Ah, I came from the City…"

No reaction, though the sound of a faint rustling was heard and Seiichiro decided one or both the hobbits shrugged at each other.

"Beyond the woods…I-I think it's southern from here….I think…."

"Beyond the woods you say?" The older hobbit said, suspicion sneaking into his voice.

"….I-I'm not originally from here…no one is…I'm from Japan, in my world…"

The hand left his mattress, tension filling the air.

Seiichiro reached softly to his left, trying to beckon the creatures to him with a soft smile he tried to make as harmless looking as possible.

"Didn't you land from the sky…some time ago, you fell to this forest clearing from the sky, right?"

"Do you know how this happened?" the younger hobbit dared to speak, though a small hiss from his companion was heard, as if to silence him.

"It's a long story but, what I understood is that we were all taken from our cities and thrown into this world by the world itself." Which was a simple as Seiichiro could make it to the already suspicious and probably simple farmers which his helpers were. If he tried explaining them what he knew of dimensions it would only make him sound mad or dangerous.

"The world itself?" just as Seiichiro feared; the older of the two, and perhaps the one who has been treating him so far, was becoming dangerously suspicious of him.

Trying to find something to explain is words with, Seiichiro noted his head felt light and that his bare chest felt awfully cold.

"Excuse me, I'm not feeling very good….may I have something to drink?"

For a moment none of the hobbits moved to Seiichiro's aid but after enough frowning and slight pouts from the wind master, one of them drew near him. A small soft hand landed on his forehead.

"You've got a fever." It was the older of the two.

"Ah…" will they think what he said was hallucinations? Seiichiro could only hope as it seems his knowledge of the Lost Dimension made the hobbits untrusting.

The hand was gone from his forehead and the feet of the nurse of the two traveled around Seiichiro's head, to the other side of the room. He could hear something being picked up and immediately, the sound of softly running water; a cup was prepared for him.

"Help me sit him up Avrard my lad." The elder said as he shuffled towards his patient.

"I can sit on my own, thank you….ouch…oh…I'm so sorry I scared you, but throwing stones like that was perhaps still a bit exaggerated…" he fumbled with his cup which was very round and very small but filled with good, cool, clean water.

None of his new companions answered him for a while.

"Well, you scared us a little…" the younger finally said bashfully.

"I apologize…I've been walking around in the woods for a few weeks now, I got lost."

"Where are you heading?"

"Oh, anywhere; I'm heading away from a place rather than towards it."

"Are you on the run? What from?" the elder asked as he fished around things Seiichiro couldn't guess the identity of save for that they were on the same table from which his tiny cup of water was.

"…I…I lost my family and…I ran into someone else's arms far too quickly…I did that person a great wrong and can't face them anymore…"

A small sigh of awe came from the younger hobbit. The older one remained quiet.

"I felt I need to take this journey and stay away from those I know so that I'll never hurt them again the way I did…" a tiny laughter escaped his dry chafed lips, "I guess I don't have what it takes to survive in the outback…I can't hunt for food, I'm not very good with picking food from what grows…can't find water…I better leave your village before I become too much of a hindrance, I'm sorry for the bother I already caused you…"

The older hobbit neared Seiichiro and began to gently remove the thin bandages "There's no reason to be so polite, how did you say your name was again?"

"Aoki. I was brought up to be this polite."

"Avrard, bring him the thing you found in the grass by him."

"Oh yeah!" the younger hurried out of the room.

Seiichiro's heart quickened, "You found my glasses?"

"Only the frame I'm afraid, and it's mostly broken. Can you see anything at all?"

"Not much…everything's a big blur…"

"Maybe Nebue can make you new lenses, he made my reading glasses."

"I'd very much appreciate that, thank you so much."

The frame of his glasses was pushed into his left palm and the world became ever so lighter for Seiichiro. Immediately he began running his shaky fingers on them, trying to feel out the damage done to the frame.

The metal was a bit twisted at the rims but the arm which was twisted somehow became straighter by his fall.

"Do you think Nebue-sa…uh…c-can the frame be fixed too?"

"I'm sure it won't be too much of a problem. Old Nebue likes tinkering with little things like this."

The hobbit to his left giggled "Oh, you want Nebue the geezer to handle him? Poor man, he doesn't know what he's up against."

"Don't listen to the youngling; Nebue is a very wise man, if a bit talkative."

"I'm sure he's not that bad, and he'll do me a great favor by fixing my glasses. I'll be completely blind without his help."

"You'll continue being completely blind, Oki, until your wounds are healed and your fever is down. Until then you're also bedridden."

Seiichiro's eyes were tearing, his heart ached, "Thank you so much for your kind help. I'm afraid I can't reward you right now…I have no form of currency on me…"

"Don't be ridiculous; I'm tending to wounds mostly caused by me and young Avrard here, the rest mostly missed."

"Thank you still…"

"Well, you just rest your head back on that pillow and try to catch some sleep. Go and boil some water, young Avrard, this man could use a good vegetable and beef broth."

"Thank you again...oh, I don't know your name…"

"Tullmen, but you may call me Tom."

"Good Tom, that is." The younger corrected Seiichiro's nurse with a youthful giggle.

Tullmen grumbled something Seiichiro couldn't quite pick up.

The wind master obeyed his kind host and laid himself back onto his bed. His eyes were droopy and his head felt dizzy. With his glasses back in his possession he felt much more relaxed and pleased and could allow himself a rest.

How long he'll stay here, he didn't know. After nearly a month in the cold and cruel world of the forest, a roof above his head and a fire burning in the room next to his, a soft mattress to sleep on and a warm talkative company felt like unthinkable luxury.

Seiichiro wished to stay in this village for a little while, as long as they'll allow him to stay anyway. He grew so lonely in the woods and so sad.

He'll recover and try to make himself as useful and harmless to them as he can. Until they'll kick him out, until he'll end up hurting them somehow, until his longing will eat at him and banish him from society again.

Seiichiro prayed it won't be too soon.

* * *

At the sea shore, back in the Dark Side's territory, the Death Riders dismounted their horses as they approached the great wooden ship and the men bustling at the shore near it.

"Just as I suspected;" Alex smiled, "it's the pirates."

David slowed his pace to a stop and began fumbling with the saddle of his horse, trying to avoid eye contact with any of the men in the group by the ship.

To those of the riders who never saw the pirates, these men were something to ogle at. All were young men in their early twenties and not more, dressed in simple and crude practical clothes. Their outfits were a mix of all sorts of fabrics to form simple tunic shirts, vests and pants cut and fringed at their knees. All of them were barefoot.

What was most astonishing about them was that, save for a few thin men, all of them were big bulky thug looking persons with broad shoulders, flexing muscles and strong legs. They were perhaps around Seishiro's height and often more. All were unshaven and so tanned they glistened in brown and dark red. Dry salt sprays hung on their hairs, lashes and beards.

At first these men raised their heads to observe the small group nearing them but, as they spotted Alex and David, some cast their eyes away with a frown.

"If these are pirates," Subaru mused, "who were the men we met in those woods back in the Dark Side…the other end of it that is?"

Alex motioned his men to gather around him, casting a longer gaze at David.

"Now that I know the rouges we met on the other end of this dimension, I'd say this is the other half of the pirates in a sense."

His men stared at him, puzzled.

"I think the men we met in the other part of the Dark Side are the real owners of this ship."

David emitted a short sound of understanding. "That explains what A.W.O.L catchers were doing on a pirate ship, calling themselves pirates."

Noting the onmyoujis were just as puzzled at him yet chose to stare at Alex trying to make him realize they were clueless, Kamui spoke up, "…What?"

"These men are all Noters who lost their memories and somehow chose to take up this ship and call themselves pirates. They're not really pirates; they sail to the shore closest to the City and trade food from the City for all sorts of goods they get from sources only they know of."

"And now we know where they bring these goods; the Light Side." David murmured.

"Because everything that lands in the Dark Side has to land in the Light side in part, most of the Noters landed in our side while the A.W.O.L catchers landed in the Light Side. The Pirates who originally owned this ship landed in the Dark Side while their ship landed in the Light Side, and the rest is history." Alex smiled, "Yup, makes sense."

"What's 'Awor'?" Subaru enquired.

"'A.O.W.Rll', Subaru-kun, it's a way to say 'deserter' in army lingo."

Subaru turned to gape at the pirates behind them, "What do you mean 'catchers'?"

"It means these men go into cities and catch defectors, Subaru, and bring them to court martial."

"….No wonder they're all so…big…"

Kamui shuddered, "Are you sure we're going to board their ship?"

"We don't have to, do we, perv?" David smirked at Death.

Death glared at the undertaker, "We're boarding that ship or we stay on the beach and dehydrate. I'm sure long enough passed since that little quarrel you had with them."

David looked away angrily and turned to tend to the vampire coffin's carriage. He disappeared into it.

Meanwhile the men behind them continued what they were doing; loading trunks (obviously of food and goods) onto their ship, sitting around playing a few shabby guitars and smoking lazily in the sun.

Subaru grabbed the sleeve at Alex's elbow and, with Seishiro looming at his shoulder, dragged Death to the side. "What happened between David-san and the pirates?"

Alex cast a checking glace at David who was with his back to them and at a comfortable distance from them, and turned back to the onmyoujis.

"About….say…before I went to look for Kamui it was about a year and a half ago…these men arrived at the shore the City was at the time, to do trades. David and Jacob lived in the City perhaps a few months back then, and never saw the pirates. These men, four of them chose to dress as women for some reason, and thought themselves to be a kidnapped princess and her consorts.

"You see that short blond skinny guy leaning on the big red box there? He was the princess and quite a convincing one too. With this fancy dress they found in the ship somehow, he was a perfectly beautiful woman. David took one look at her…him…and fell in love.

"Since he thought he was a kidnapped princess, the little guy convinced David to help him and his maids to escape from the pirates, which the pirates obviously didn't take so lightly, and a small battle started.

"Having recognized their men in the pirates, the commanders of the Noters' bases tried to make their A.W.O.L catchers remember their true identity and failed. Most of them backed down, feeling the open and free sea would be better for their soldiers who no longer have defectors to catch. Only one commander refused to lose contact with his men; Ice Men.

"When David stirred up trouble with the pirates, Ice Man took the pirates' side. I had to intervene…" Alex stopped here, remembering for a moment how he came to meet Mouse for the first time, "And managed to stop bloodshed from happening, got into a real serious fight with Ice Man too…

"Anyways, in the end, the princess and his consorts managed to somehow realize they were not exactly female and became one with the pirates. Ever since then the pirates come to what was once the City shore less, and make trade only through the Noters whom they trust."

They stared at the working men for a while, pondering the story they've just heard.

Out of the ship, down the ramp they used for stairs to the sandy shore, through his men and past them, one of the larger men they've seen in the group neared them.

He wore a glittering black and purple unbuttoned jacket with no shirt beneath it and simple black trousers cut, as it was the costume amongst his men, at the knees. To his head he wore a wide rimmed black hat with a large white ostrich feather stuck in its side. His steps were wide as he closed the distance between himself and the Death riders quickly and his eyes moved over the men with speed and some suspicion.

This was the commander of the ship, Alex explained his friends.

"You," He said as he finally arrived before the riders, referring to Alex for he didn't recognize any of the other men with Death, "how did you get here?"

At once, Kamui recognized the accent in the man's English as exactly the same one the Noters had. These were really Noters, Noters who forgot their true identity. How strange.

"We rode here by land. It took us almost six months. How long does it take you to reach the City shores?"

The man folded his wide hairy arms on his chest, leaning back a bit as if to get a better perspective of Alex, "About two weeks if the wind is good and we stop at no other ports on the way."

Alex nodded silently and mused this for a while. In the meantime the onmyoujis and Kamui and Will had their chance to ogle at the man and his companions as much as they liked.

What must have fascinated them the most were the way that each and every pirate was absolutely covered in jewelry.

They had at least three necklaces each and at least one ring on each finger. Some had broaches to their vests and every second man or so had an earring.

The most peculiar detail about these ornaments is that, unlike the land bound pirates they've met before, these pirates' jewels were of the same fashion.

All were made of silver, which was fashioned in a wide variety of styles and forms, and all contained the same stone for decoration; a beautiful mauve gem which they placed in their decorations in all shapes and sizes.

Death stopped his musing, "Are you going to sail directly to the City or are you stopping at different ports on the way?"

The man examined Alex for a while, looking very unpleased with giving such details to the man. "We're making our usual course of trade; as many ports as possible."

"Do you have rooms in your ship for us to join your ride?"

The man looked even more unpleased. He cast a glance back to his men who were now stopping their work to observe the conversation and frowned as he returned his gaze to the men before him.

"How many rooms do you need?"

Alex needed time to calculate.

"Five rooms." Seishiro answered for Death who was still trying to calculate what goes where with who.

The pirate commander nodded with a secretly smug smile, "We only have four rooms available."

Alex snapped out of his calculations, "Me and David will share a room, we'll take the four rooms."

The pirate's face fell, "What do you have to give us for the rooms?"

"Velvet, the finest velvet you can find in all sorts of colors." Alex made the men around him shoot their eyes frantically to him. "And we'll also pay for you going directly from this port to that of the City."

The pirate, whose face became a pure expression of pleased surprise, smiled kindly, "Show me the velvet and I'll see how many rolls I'll take for what you ask."

Nodding, Alex gestured the man to follow him to the carriage containing the vampire coffins.

"He's kidding, right? He's not going to pay with Lestate's velvet, is he?" Kamui exhaled, ogling at the two men distancing themselves from them.

"Apparently he is." Subaru smiled, covering his mouth with his palm as he felt slightly guilty for laughing at such a matter.

"Lestate is going to kill Alex." Seishiro snickered, "Yup, if we sail today the ship will sink by the time the sun sets." He and Subaru burst into giggled.

It infected Kamui and Will in a matter of seconds and soon they were sitting on the sand trying to calm their breaths.

Alex knocked on the side of the carriage merrily, "David, grab one of the velvet rolls and bring it here for a moment." he leaned on the side of the carriage, staring at the pirate humorously.

The edge of a wide roll of rich dark purple velvet poked through the flap at the entrance to the carriage.

Knowing David was clever enough to realize who this fabric is offered to and have picked the right color to offer as an example, Alex had to smile proudly.

At once the pirate leader became transfixed on the beautiful fabric and was running his thick fingers across the soft surface, mulling the dark lilac fibers gently to appreciate their quality.

When he was done he was the picture of content. Indeed, the velvet Lestate took from the City's salvation supply was at a very high quality, higher than in his own world, which made him steal it in the first place.

"Good, I'll take ten of these. I'd like ones in green, blue, red and pink. Orange and yellow ones too. Black and white as well. And if you have something imbedded with gold I'd have that."

At his request, David poked the requested rolls out of the carriage, trying very hard to stay hidden.

It would have succeeded if his fingers would not accidentally grab a roll on the wrong side. His fingers lay on a layer of rolled fabric which simply slipped free of David's grip, thus nearly tumbling down to the sand below, which would have surely ruined the roll.

Trying not to let this happen, David leaped after the roll and managed to grab it inches away from the sand. Thus he exposed himself to the pirate commander.

As expected, the pirate recognized David at once and his pleased expression turned into that of rage and mistrust at once. His eyes hardened and his upper lip drew in a snarl.

He sent his hand to the dagger which hung in a belt at his side, drew it and gestured at David with its vicious looking point, "If _he_'s coming along its ten more rolls."

Alex agreed to this, trying to negotiate about which colors the commander would like with a soft calming tone.

"And he better stay away from us, as further as possible. If not we're throwing all of you overboard."

Alex agreed to this as well and as the pirate left towards his ship to call his men for help with the fabric rolls, Death gave the fire keeper a meaningful look.

* * *

For the vampires' coffins a rather narrow but long room was found with only a few other boxes in it. Thinking the coffins to be nothing more than boxes (and they were shaped so that they could appear as both coffins and ordinary storage boxes) the pirates figured this storage room would do them good.

Along with the coffins, Lestate and Victoria's personal belongings were placed, wrapped in the carriage's roof's fabric.

Seishiro and Subaru received a very comfortable, if not a bit small, room with a double bed which's sheets were very wet from sea spray which came through the window under which the bed was located not so cleverly.

At once Subaru hurried to separate the simple straw and down made mattress from the sheets and went up to the bridge to find a place to hang the bed set somewhere where the sun will dry the sea water.

Seishiro contemplated assisting his loved but decided instead to smoke a cigarette and test the mattress' quality.

Kamui and Will received a room similar to the onmyoujis' only with a bigger window and a table which nearly snapped the first minute Will tried to place something on it.

Being somewhat similar in personality, both the boys were drawn to the large window at once and sat at its wide ledge to watch the men still working at the shore.

"Vere do you sink ve're going, Kamui?"

"The City. We're going back to the City and as quickly as possible." Kamui's voice came hushed and calm.

"Really? I never thought ve'll be back so soon…I can't vait to see the City you told me about…ve'll be staying there vhen ve arrive, yes?"

Kamui didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the men outside and the waves gently playing on the bright yellow sand.

"Kamui?"

Justice's eyes were tearing, the large drops rolling down his cheeks and down to the salt-eaten wood of the window ledge.

For a moment he remained like this; staring out the window and crying in silence. Then, as he noticed he was distressing his companion, Kamui turned to wrap his arms around Will.

"Yes," he whimpered, burying his face in the werewolf's neck, "we'll be staying in the City for good…we won't be going anywhere else anymore…oh, please let us stay in the City…"

Will rubbed at his master's back in silence.

The room David and Alex were to share was narrow and small with only a bed of two bunks and a small round window at each edge of the bed. The bunks were made of wood and contained a simple thin mattress for one person made of hey.

"Oh, yeah, that's just great. I haven't slept on wooden bunks and hay for a long time." David grumbled loudly, glaring at Alex.

"You thought they'd give _you_ a better room, David! You really thought so!"

"Hmph." Kicking one of the bed's legs angrily, David took his bag of cooking equipment and threw it violently at the corner of the room. He then hurried to climb to the upper bunk and reluctantly tried to make himself comfortable there.

"Oh, sure, take the upper bunk why don't you…" Alex hissed.

"Shut up. I bet you were never on the upper bunks, bet you were always punched to sleep on the floor."

"Bastard oven boy."

"Shut up, pervert."

Huffing angrily, his mood turned to an edgy grouchiness, Alex walked out of the room in search of some fresh air. He really hated the smell of wood and hey which have been slept on, with a passion.

After a while he returned with a table he took from Kamui's room and had fixed its leg and set to his maps on a chair he took from one of the pirate's room without its inhabitant's approval.

The first thing Lestate did when he woke was to take stock of where he was. Then he checked to see if Victoria was up yet.

She was, and was absolutely transfixed to the view of the sunset lit sea on which they were sailing smoothly now.

Next, the vampire turned his gaze to the neat pile by the window, on which Victoria sat. With a few words Lestate removed his roommate from the pile and began taking stock of the pile.

At once the payment for their travel on boar the pirate ship became known to Lestate and a rush of panic went through his undead spine.

Though the rolls missing were merely of hues slightly different than other hues of the same color so that Lestate would never really be missing a whole color, the loss was only to be fully appreciated by Lestate and his vampire eyes which can pick up such tiny details.

He rushed out of the room in search of Death. There were many things on his mind, mostly angry things to say to Alex, but these were slowly dimmed and he realized where they're heading and the possible reasons for this.

Death was on the bridge, along with Seishiro and Subaru.

The light onmyouji was bent over the rim of the ship, spewing out the dinner he just consumed. The waves, as gentle as they were, and the way the ship handled led them did no good to Subaru's stomach.

Seishiro had both arms around his lover and was running one palm softly across Subaru's back. Alex held a glass of water and a napkin in his hand, scrutinizing the vomiting onmyouji with his usual mothering worry.

When he was finished, Subaru was drawn away from the side and was held on his feet by his lover who now ran his fingers gently through Subaru's hairs.

Subaru took the napkin and dabbed at his mouth, making a disgusted face, then drank the glass of water.

"You'll have to eat another dinner now for what you just threw up, Subaru."

Subaru expression became that of immense suffering and sadness. He looked pale and awfully weak, "Oh please no, Alex, I'll just hack it all up again."

"No you won't and you will eat again." Death placed a palm on Subaru forehead and at once the onmyouji's face cleared, the color returned to his cheeks. "You'll be a good boy and finish everything from your plate too, and no arguing. Come to me every time you start feeling sick again."

Nodding faintly, Subaru was softly dragged back to his room for another round of dinner

Lestate chose this time to approach Alex.

"You paid for this ride with my velvet, Death, with _my_ velvet!" his voice was perhaps not as angry as it could have been for the vampire had other things on his mind, but it was angry enough.

"What else could I give them? And you have plenty of velvet left, Lestate, really. You aught to see the shrink when we go back to the City, that velvet fixation of yours is far from healthy."

"So we are going back to the City."

Alex eyed Seishiro nervously; the onmyouji was already walking Subaru down the steps to the deck below the bridge but was nonetheless still in earshot, "Try not to say it so loudly."

"You're not doing this for the boy's sake, are you?"

Death gave Lestate a long, tired look, "No, I'm not. This journey is over, Lestate. I can feel the change within Kamui; he will not repeat his mistakes again." Suddenly his face dropped and darkened, "He won't repeat any of his mistakes…"

Suddenly unable to read his Death's thoughts for some reason (Alex blocked his thoughts from the vampire's prodding mind), Lestate frowned. "The men are tired as well; we're all pretty much done with this little adventure."

Jade orbs snapped to Lestate. The rims of them were still a bit turquoise for some reason (which was why Lestate became worried and tried to explore Death's mind) but they were more focused again on the vampire by his side, "Was it such a bad thing, this adventure?"

Lestate smiled softly, "Goodness no. I think we've all became better somehow, if not different at least. It was a very interesting and fun adventure and we all came out of it united somehow, those of Death that is. As for Kamui, I don't know; I do not explore his mind and do not wish to do so either. If you say he's changed then I'll take your word for it. It is only the defendant we need to think of now, isn't it so?"

Alex was about to say something about Seishiro but his mind was taken to a different course of thought again as Lestate's words of Kamui rang in his ears.

Changed, yes, Kamui changed. He grew more mature and learned once again to take care of himself and survive on his own while not depending on anyone else's help. No, he will not seek out another knight in shining armor, nor will he let Fuma be that knight for him once they're back together.

And they will be back together, Kamui and Fuma, as soon as they'll reach the City again.

A roaring fire exploded in Death's chest and such horrid bitterness that he suddenly lost all connection to his surrounding, simply standing there sunk in his angry thoughts.

Away from Death, on the bridge, Kamui and Will leaned over the edge of the ship, looking down at the waves in the darkness. Oil lamps were hung all around the deck, the light of some reflecting in tiny golden sparkles on the water surface.

A thought came to Will's mind and he raised his eyes to his master to see if the time was right to do what he thought of doing.

Kamui was still very much in the dark brooding mood he was in since they bordered the ship and was always looking as if he'll start crying in any given minute.

Yes, if he'll do it now it'll definitely cheer Kamui up.

Without a word of warning, Will placed a hand on the ship's rail and leaped beyond it and into the water below.

At once Kamui was screaming his name and all around them the pirates on board began screaming to each other in their language of a man overboard.

But Will did not plunge into the waves, nor did he really touch them. Moving his feet with the inhuman speed he was given through bizarre science back in his world, Will was able to keep himself above the water surface in a way which appeared like he was walking on water.

Kamui gaped at this with amazement, as did the men who gathered near Kamui to try and help pull Will out of sure drowning, and as soon as Will sent a clowning grin at his double the smile reflected on Kamui's lips.

Seeing he now has a whole audience to entertain, Will began to move over the waves this way and that way. He pretended to walk casually on the surface, as if in search of something. Then, as the men on board started cheering him more loudly and Kamui started giggling, Will started surrounding the ship in long running circles.

His captivated audience followed him, stampeding around the ship's edge and cheering for him madly, urging him to jump around and do tricks. When he skip hopped on the surface the joy of his audience reached a new climax.

Several men grabbed for ropes to dangle themselves with down the ship's stern to better observe how this trick was accomplished. One of the men, even bigger than his fellow large bodied sailors, with the expression of a child in joyful awe, dangled himself down the stern and reached his hand for Will to touch as he went past him.

Will was just picking up speed as the wind began blowing all around them and was keeping his attention focused on this man trying to think of something amusing to do as he went past the pirate.

At that very moment one of the many necklaces the sailor wore slipped out of his vest from the angle in which he swung himself down the ship and the pendant on his necklace popped out of his vest and dangled in the air, catching the moon's silver beams on its surface.

Will took one look at the glittering Star of David and, still only stunned at this stage, stopped moving completely. The water beneath him engulfed him at once, a wave covering the air where he stood a moment ago.

Like a tide, the men watching Will turned from amused to alarmed and hurried to dangle ropes and help the man who tried to reach for Will to pull the cub out of the water. Kamui's frightened scream of Will's name disappeared in the uproar of calls and commands from the pirates around him.

The huge man who frightened Will grabbed a longer rope which was dangled at him and hurried to plunge into the water.

For a few nerve wrecking minutes there was nothing below them but black waves and silence.

Kamui's heart sunk, his head was a vacuum of misery. He refused to believe he will lose Will now, so suddenly, and just when things seemed to be getting better. What will he do now!

But in a few seconds' time the large man surfaced, a drenched and unconscious Will flung across his shoulder. He was pulled back to the ship deck with combined effort of his fellows and was soon safely on the wooden bridge.

He gently removed Will from his shoulder and laid the drenched werewolf at Kamui's feet. At once one of the smaller men hurried to Will's side and began resuscitating the cub, pushing any intruder including Kamui out of his way.

Though Will was out of the water, he was still unconscious and could have drowned and be gone by now. Kamui was crying again as he looked at his doppelganger with his wet yellow hair sticking to his small head and his drenched tail looking so thin and fragile. His skin was bluish and pale.

Noticing the commotion, Alex stepped closer to better observe the outcome of the ship's medic's work. He didn't get too closely he stayed at enough of a distance to both see everything and be hidden in the shadow so as not to be too much at people's sight in the event.

He didn't care if Will died; in fact, it'd be a burden lift from his already troubled mind. He wanted to see Kamui's reaction to all this.

Suddenly Will began coughing up water and was immediately brought to sit up and spew out whatever else he swallowed. He sat there for a while, still very much sheltered by the man who treated him, and gasped for a while, blinking madly to try and clear his mind.

A wave of relieved gasps and calls of happiness came from the men and turned Will's attention back to what made him trip in the first place.

Like bolt of lightning, the fear came back, and the werewolf scurried into Kamui's lap.

Kamui, who crushed to his knees as soon as Will sat up and showed signs of being alive, wrapped his arms around his twin immediately and bent above him more to hug him than to shield him.

Whimpering and shivering badly, Will begged Kamui to protect him.

"What of? What frightened you so much?"

The man who pulled Will out of the sea neared them and crouched before Kamui to try and talk to Will. This only sent the werewolf into a bigger panic and he crawled out of Kamui's lap to hide behind the boy, clawing at him desperately.

Noting the pendant too, Kamui realized what happened. He straightened his back and pulled Will away from him, to face the man.

"Calm down Will, he won't harm you. They know nothing of you and don't remember the culture that taught them to be alert even to your accent. Stop hiding behind me already, stop shivering! You've paid for your wrongs, you've regretted, haven't you?"

Will buried his head under Kamui's arm and kept whimpering, holding on to Kamui tightly. "But Z-ze N-Noters you…you told me of…" he hiccupped between a sob and a whimper, "Z-zey veren't mo-mo-m-mo….zey veren't Mosad….vere zen?" his whimpers grew to a new level of shrieking panic.

"W-what! No…not that I know of, Will, so stop being so frightened…"

"B-b-because I vas taught…I vas told…zey told us never to go to ze big cities and not to talk to anyvone…because the Mosad vere looking for Doc a-and ve might say somesing to make them know vere he vas…"

Huffing irritable, Kamui climbed to his feet and yanked Will forcefully to his feet as well. "I don't want to hear anymore of it! It's gone, everything is over now! You have no reason to fear anymore so stop crying."

Will refused to calm down and was still in tears and shaking like a leaf, "B-b-but ze Noters…"

"We'll cross that bridge when we'll get to it, now calm down already, you're only rising suspicious like this." With this Kamui dragged his sobbing twin down to their room, casting testing glanced back at the baffled pirates.

Alex observed this in silence with a small smug smile tugging at his lips. He turned away to find the onmyoujis.

Beyond the railing, at the side of the stern, a small wooden escape boat hung, a thick waterproof fabric covering it. Beneath the fabric a man hid. He had pulled himself up to the railing to glance at what happened to Will after seeing what happened moment earlier. When he noticed Kamui's questionable comfort and Alex standing at a distance keeping an ever watchful eye on what happened, he drew back into the boat and hid there.

He'll wait for the ship to dock and see what happens next.

* * *

Alex found the onmyoujis in the biggest room in the middle deck, the one which neighbored the rooms where the pirates slept and lived in.

This room was the biggest on the ship, bigger even than that of the ship's captain. It contained many tables and a big, well secured and stabilized melting pot. Around the melting pot six pirates sat and worked on the tables they covered with thick leather, and were busy working on silver. One pirate stood by the melting pot, and was busy fashioning white-hot silver into a set of four interwoven oval rings.

Behind each pirate sat a small box kept shut by several locks. One pirate bent to the box and opened it, fished around it and pulled out a beautiful pear shaped mauve gem and placed it on the table by the intricate silver collar he was making.

Supervising this work was the ship's captain who leaned on the wall by the door with his arms folded on his chest.

To the right of the room the wall was covered by a black fabric on which the fine examples of the men's products were hung for display. This was in fact a stand that was leaning on the wall and would be taken out of the room to be displayed every time the ship would dock for trade.

Subaru and Seishiro were absolutely transfixed by this stand and the jewels displayed there, by the beautiful designs and the marvelously shining purple stones decorating them.

Nervously, both onmyoujis scanned through the rings on display, constantly eyeing the other's reaction at the corner of their eyes.

As Alex spotted their keen interest on the jewels he hissed for them to come to him at once and as soon as they were within reach he grabbed them by their arms and yanked them out of the room.

"Hey, what was that for!" Seishiro complained, removing Death's hand from his sleeve angrily.

He just found a ring he thought would best meet Subaru's taste and was prepared to go and speak with the pirate commander about purchasing it for Subaru. He was excitedly expecting to see the look on Subaru's face as he'd purchase the ring and give it to Subaru before all the men. Or maybe alone.

Death's expression was grave and commanding, "_Do **not** buy **any** of these jewels, **ever!**"_

"What!"

"You see those beautiful purple stones embedded everywhere and on the jewels the pirates wear? They're called Forget Stones. If you wear them and sleep with them on you, or spend any given time of unconsciousness with these things on you they suck out your memories and lock them within themselves.

"It's how these men forgot that they're Noters and started pretending they're pirates. They must have found a stash of these stones at the treasure room of the ship and decided to wear them. If you wear anything with this stone your memories are gone for good.

"The only way to regain your memories is to break the stones and that's very hard to do. Ice Man managed to somehow break the stones on the guy I told you about, the one who thought he was the princess. Only then did he remember what he is and stopped thinking himself a princess."

The onmyoujis gaped at Alex, turning back to look at the beautifully displayed poisonous gems.

"What a shame…" Subaru sighed. He noticed Seishiro set his mind on that ring and was ever so nervous and excited about the possibility that this ring might end up on his finger. But now it was not going to happen.

Oh well, he'd much prefer to keep his memories.

Disappointed a bit, but mostly relieved, Subaru and Seishiro returned to their rooms for a night's sleep.

"So," the pirate captain boomed at Alex angrily, "you tell your men not to buy from me!"

For a while Alex stood at the doorway to the workshop, staring at the melting pot and the workers in silence. The rims of his orbs were glowing turquoise again, which slightly unnerved the pirate commander.

Then Death turned those eyes to him and spoke up with a slow low drone, "Yes, I'm sorry I told them that but what they looked for was not here."

He took a step towards the captain, his eyes a little softer now though no less glowing, "But I wish to order something from you, if you'll have time to complete the order that is."

The pirate turned to walk into the workshop, beckoning Alex to follow him. "Yes, what is it that you wish us to do? Do you want it only with silver or with the gems?"

For a moment Alex contemplated this, frowning and drawing away, almost to the point that he seemed to want to completely cancel what he said earlier. Then his face darkened and he walked to the side of the commander. "With gems please, the best you have. There's a specific hue of mauve I'm looking for, if you have stones of this color we'll have a deal."

Nodding, the pirate's captain motioned his men to open their chests of gems and the negotiating began.

(trc)


	37. The Ship of Memories

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **To LadyofTheBlackWings (Alex scheming? What made you think that? XD yes, foreshadowing is fun to play with. I can't wait for you to continue writing your story, yay!) and to atannenbaum from my LJ (if you bug me enough I'll cooperate and put Nancy in. I already thought of a place for her).

Also many thanks to Cait-hime-sama-dono, my beta, for working so hard on making A New World a better fic.

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN IT'S CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!**

**Author's request: **Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

**WARNING: **This chapter contains some heavy material. And dirty words. So be warned. Yeah.

Brace yourselves for a long one. It's as long as the exile, as we say here.

* * *

**Chapter 37 – The Ship of Memories**

A cloud of snowflakes blew towards a lonely horse and its rider, so thickly flying together they looked like a wall racing towards the man and the beast.

Winter beat Auvergne hard that year. That did not deter Lestate one bit; he was young and courageous and his mission was for the sake of the peasants in his father's land. That pack of wolves was not going to hunt itself, nor will it be hunted by anyone other than him; he was the only one capable of doing it.

Twenty one years old he was back then, a royal savage, a hunter, a handsome rebel of his family, a creature completely different than anything and anyone around him.

No one understood him and no one tried. His father scolded at him, widening the abyss of unsolved anger and hatred his son created when pulled away from the monastery's arms. His brothers mocked him and looked down on him, thinking him a bizarre beast of a boy with his shabby clothes, huge mastiffs and hunting obsession. His mother was the only soul who understood him and yet even she was aloof and unreadable to him at times.

When he wasn't hunting wolves he hunted food for his home, food for his family; and still they refused to give him the thanks he deserved.

Lestate drew his cloak back and checked on his firearms; three Flintstone guns, one Flintstone rifle, his father's sword, muskets and a mace. His beastly mastiffs exhaled clouds of white mist, bigger than Lestate's breath.

Back then he had breath. Back then he needed oxygen and food. Back then he could look at the sun, was conscious during the hours when the sun was up. Back then when he cried, and he seldom did, the tears were crystal clear rather than the bloody stream they were now. Back then he needed candles to light the darkness for him and half the colors before him missed his dim vision.

Back then he was human and a mortal.

Far away, up on the mountains, the wolves howled. Their solemn cry challenging the cruel January blizzard's roar. The sky was black from the dark clouds gathered above them.

On they rode; towards the wolves, towards a battle.

Lestate opened his eyes to darkness. He was inside his coffin. The earth on which his coffin lay swayed gently and the sound of waves softly lapping against one another, against a wooden wall, reached his sharp ears.

He was not in pre-revolution Auvergne; he was in the Lost Dimension, in the Dark Side again. He was on a pirate ship, in a room where his coffin shared the same space as another vampire's coffin, a vampire from another world where blood drinkers sprung from a single act of sacrilege rather than a bodiless spirit which possessed the blood of an ancient queen.

Then why was he in Auvergne just now?

It was no dream, nor was it a vision. No; the cold was too bitter, his buckskin coat was too heavy on his shoulders and his rawhide boots too tightly secured on his feet. This was a flash of memory, but what a flash! Like traveling through time and being back there in the flesh.

Truly amazing. As he pushed his coffin lid open Lestate decided to walk around the ship and see if any of his other companions to Death experienced the same thing.

* * *

"You dead? You dead? ehee hee, hey, **hey!** You dead, copper?"

Victoria, a mere child not even old enough to have learnt the alphabet, hid in the closet of her parents' bedroom and gaped. The room was dark; the shutters were closed and already the sun set outside the simple building in Essex inside one of its apartments a family was crushed into bloody fragments.

"Is he dead? Is he dead?" The talkative neurotic one wore a dirty beanie and a black jacket too big for him (probably stolen from another one of his victims) which's collar and sleeves were adorned with shabby fake fur.

"Yeah, he's _plenty_ dead alright." The second murderer was a more civil, probably older man, with a simple black shirt and bright jacket. His hair was parted in the middle and his face was unshaven.

"**Fuckin' pig. **You regret it now, fuckin' pig?" The walls, sprayed with blood, echoed the man's hoarse hisses of hate, "This is what happens to a punk cop who gets in too deep. Got that?"

The family pictures on the wall looked blankly at the horror, those whose eyes weren't covered by blood.

Her father, shot in the head, his blood sprayed in a circle of bloody lines, half leaned against the dresser in his bedroom.

Victoria never saw her father stay in one place or position for so long; he was always so lively and busy with things, even when he was relaxing with a cigarette after a long day's work. The child stared at her lifeless father trying to comprehend what she was seeing.

"Listen very carefully to me, Victoria(1)! No matter what, stay in here!" Her mother's words as soon as the woman realized what's happened to her husband.

Victoria might have been panicking at the sounds of the mayhem outside the room they hid in, but she obeyed her mother nonetheless.

Her beautiful, warm, soft and strict mother who loved her so much.

"Mum!...Mu…!...Mum!...Mum!"

Gunshots sounded in the room, the room where Victoria hid. Gunshots after her mother shut the closet doors tight on her child and turned to face her home's attackers. Something fell on the wooden floor, something with long limbs to fall a bit after the bulk of the body.

Victoria glued her small ear to the wooden door of her sanctuary and struggled to hear what happened in the room through the noise of her confused child's mind's frightened mess.

Where's Mum? Where's Mum? Victoria peeked once more through the crack between the two doors and saw.

Her mother lying on her back on the bloody floor, crimson spreading through her soft white blouse, above her stomach. Her beautiful blond hair spilled on the floor in shiny waves now soaking up the small droplets of blood from the wooden surface.

Her mother with her large blue eyes gaping in horror, her mouth hanging open. Two lines of blood streamed out the sides of her mother's mouth, flowing down to mingle with the blood coming from the hole in her forehead, another stream, reaching her eye.

The child was screaming now and she was out of her closet. Still screaming, she grabbed a fork she spotted lying on a table. Charging at the chatty murderer kneeling by her mother's body, Victoria plunged the cutlery into the man's eye.

"**GYAHHHHHH!**"

"Godforsaken little brat!" The second man pulled his gun out, aiming at Victoria.

The bullets hit her small body so hard they knocked her back to the closet, to hit its doors shut and leave a mark of blood all over it.

It seemed the whole room was flying in the air, with rushing bullets hitting everything and throwing them around. Victoria saw photo albums, plates, drawers, trays, lamps, picture frames, and cabinets in the air around her.

When she hit the floor it was all scattered around her, sprayed with the blood of an entire family.

Victoria lay on the floor like a broken bloody doll, eyes open like her mothers. Mouth bleeding like her mother. But not dead, no, not yet. Not dead yet.

"That little piece o' shit! **DAMMIT!**"

"Hey! Get up, we've got to move!"

"God that **hurts! Shit!**"

Still alive, watching as the man who shot her tried yanking the second man to his feet. They were going to leave her here, in the room filled of shattered pieces of the first life she lost.

"Bloody 'ell! This didn't even seem _worth_ it." The man she hit stopped feeling out his damaged eye, "I'm gonna rape the old bag!"

"She's dead, you ass."

"No problem," He tore the shirt off her pure, dead mother's body, looming over her, "she's still warm."

Victoria jerked herself to sit up so hard her head punched through the wood of her coffin lid. For a long while she stared forward, head caught in the thin smooth wood, woodchips scattered around her and in her hair, and blinked. Warm blood streamed down her face. Her head was dizzy.

Of all the scenes of her strange life, this one had to come to her in a dream. Why?

The blood kept flowing from her eyes, warm and comforting. She lapped at it, tasting salt and iron.

"Ah, you cry bloody tears as well, how curious."

For a moment Victoria was filled with the deepest, most powerful and all consuming feeling of hate she ever experienced towards her immortal roommate.

They never got along; he always patronized her and looked down upon her strange features, her underdeveloped abilities so different than his.

He will mock her current state with her head through her coffin lid and she's in the mood most unfitting for his annoying French banter.

Glaring at him, Victoria hoped to shut Lestate up. But as she looked at him she didn't see those lips twitched in that patronizing half a grin, nor the eye blazing with amusement.

Lestate's eyes were observing and soft, his face clean and smooth. There was something else there; he looked old and brooding.

"You dreamt of your past as well?" he asked her and the corners of his eyes twitched.

Victoria mumbled a shy yes.

He was sitting on his well cloaked piles of velvet, legs gathered to his chest childishly.

Now he stretched himself like a cat and climbed off the pile, walking with a light stride towards the room's door.

"Me too. It was not pleasant."

Victoria blinked at the door behind which Lestate was now, and frowned.

She wondered what Lestate saw that made him so quiet and brooding. She secretly hoped it was something nasty and painful.

The tears started streaming again. Victoria felt like staying just the way she is; half lying in her coffin with her head through the lid and scream for David to come. To scream like a child in panic.

Then David will come to her and wrap his strong arms around her and ask her with his sheepish stutter what hurt her and burn through the whole world if it meant that's what'll make her feel better. Then she'll calm down and snuggle up to him and fall back to sleep.

Instead she pulled the lid off her head and climbed out of her coffin to search for Death; she was hungry. Then she'll find David and get from him that healing hug she ached for so much.

* * *

The house was dark, it was already very late in the day and he should be back home at the dinner table eating his mother and bigger sisters' cooking. Instead he stood in the corridor outside his rabbi's room, where his parents listened to his teacher's angry rebukes.

The walls smelt of old wet wood. The cold wind coming through the crack in the window smelt of rain-soaked earth and upcoming snow. The yellowing lace curtains blew gently on the breeze.

David repressed a shudder from the chill and clutched his fists. His shoulders hurt from their hunched position and his neck from holding his head so low. The floor beneath his feet was covered by soft warn rug. How many bad pupils stood like this outside the rabbi's room before him? He probably shouldn't think about it; he must be the only child who's as bad as he is.

Beyond the corridor, his cheder(2) room lay, empty of the rest of his classmates; they were all back home already. Only he was here to be scolded before his parents. On the other end of the corridor the mesivta(2) lay, from which soft murmurs of the boys hard on studying came and, once in a while, a random remark from their rabbi.

Will he ever get to be one of those boys? David doubted it.

"But he can't even read the Talmud(2) properly! Not even a single verse! Do you understand? Do you realize how lazy this boy is?" His rabbi's voice echoed off the walls of his office's room sounding as cold and harsh as the man himself.

David cringed.

His mother sobbed softly and mumbled apologies. She was sitting on a chair before the Rabbi's desk, holding her forehead with her palm as if to hide her shame filled eyes from the man before her.

His father stood much the same way his son did; shoulders hunched, fists clutched. His clothes smelled of sawdust and oil.

He came directly from the work shop as soon as David brought him the letter the rabbi gave him. He gave his son a good slap and dragged the boy by the ear back to their home and from there hurled him to the house's carriage and off to the yeshiva, to hear the rabbi's complaints.

"He sits at the cheder and stares out the window, day dreaming! And when I tell him to read out loud to the rest of the boys, he can't! He screws his eyes and frowns, then he brings his nose so close to the page as if the letters are too small for him to read!

"Such pranks I will not tolerate in this institution, I will not have him set such a bad example for the rest of the boys. They already like him too much. And why is that? Because in recess he climbs the trees and plays ball games and spins the hoop like he was one of those scheigetz(3) out on the street!"

"We're really very sorry…" his father's deep voice, like the thick oil he rubs into the wood in his workshop, "W-we come from a very simple family…"

"That is nonsense!" the rabbi slams his palm on his table, "Your son Avram was a great scholar before he got those crazy ideas into his head to go to a gentile university! Why, they say even David's sister, Sheindel, who is five years younger than him has a better grip of the language of the torah than David!"

Someone was walking towards David with soft deep steps and just a little bit of shuffling. Inside the room David's mother blew her nose and quietly as she could. The wood panels under his father's feet creaked as the man shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"At this rate, mark my words, at this rate he won't be able to read his parasha(2) in his _own_ bar mitzvah! What would you do with such a shame then?" The rabbi's voice boomed in the room again.

David wanted to go in there and punch the man in the face for talking to his parents like that, like they were children in his classroom.

"My, who is he talking to so harshly?" a man's voice came from above David.

At once the boy turned around sharply, startled for not having noticed the man approaching him.

He saw another rabbi, a little thinner than his chubby rabbi and with a beard only a little shorter. He held his fur lined hat in his hand, his yarmulke almost drowning amidst the soft white and gray curls on his head, wiping at his forehead with a napkin. The man's jacket was slightly ruffled and the first few buttons in his shirt were open.

David blinked at this stranger, confused at the sight of a rabbi looking so unkempt and casual. Yet the man asked him a question and, having the notion of a rabbi as a man of complete authority imbedded in him, David had to answer him.

"My parents, sir, about me…I'm a very bad pupil…"

The man's small eyes scanned David up and down, assessing him.

"Why? Do you daydream in class? Bored with the Talmud?"

"N-no, sir! I'm not bored with it at all, sir! I like the Talmud…only…" David lowered his head again, biting his lower lip as he whispered, too ashamed to say it out loud, "I-I'm too lazy to learn how to read it properly…"

"There's no such thing as being too lazy to sit on a chair and read a book, dear boy. I bet there's something else that keeps you from reading. Do you like playing out in the yard rather than sit in the cheder?"

Tears gathered in David's eyes. He fought them, trying to stay as calm and mature as he can. "No, sir, I just….I can't read, rabbi…I'm a very bad boy…"

The rabbi crouched to have David in the same eyelevel as him. He raised the boy's chin gently with his soft hand and smiled sweetly at the nervous boy.

"Come; explain me why it's difficult for you to read."

David gasped. No one ever asked him why he couldn't read; all they did was frown and scold him about it. Suddenly a lump of heat gathered in his chest, riding to choke him with emotions. With it came the tears, flowing freely down his cheeks.

"T-the letters, rabbi, they dance on the page…" he sobbed, biting his lower lip cruelly again and clenching his fists even harder. His fingers ached from the slaps of his rabbi's ruler as punishment. "And t-the words…they cling together and I can't make out a word out of anything…"

"But you know the alphabet, yes?"

David shot his head up, hanging powerful yet miserable eyes at the man before him, "Yes! Both Hebrew and Polish!" despair took over him again and his head drooped, "But I can't read them…they don't let me…"

With a bit of a groan the rabbi stood up and ruffled the boy's hair gently. Once more he brought the boy's head up to look into his eyes.

"You look pale, boy; perhaps you've been cooped up in the cheder too much. What's your name?"

"David Cohen, rabbi."

"What a wonderful name, David. Did you know; he was our king once? He ruled over the whole of the Israelites." A humorous glint played in the man's eyes under his thick eyebrows, "And though he was a great ruler admired by all his people, he too was a bit of a naughty boy at times. Don't worry, David, you're not a bad boy at all."

He cupped the side of David's face softly, his chubby palm radiating heat, and walked into the room behind the boy.

"Ah, rabbi Titenboim, you've arrived earlier than I expected." David heard his rabbi said. He was amazed at the tone of his mentor's voice; he never heard the man speak in any form other than with the authority of a teacher or that of a rebuke.

"Yes. Hello sir, madam; good evening." Rabbi Titenboim, as David found out, sounded far more humorous and cheerful than David's rabbi. "Tell me, Yitzhak, who is that boy cowering behind the door of your room like he's about to be put against the wall?"

"Your tongue has always been too loose Moishe," David's rabbi sighed, "you find all the wrong words to describe such simple matters. The boy is nothing but a lazy student, he needs a bit of shaking up, and that is all."

"So I heard." There was a pause as Titenboim turned around to observe David's parents better. David's father offered his hand in a shake; rabbi Titenboim was known to be one of Krakow's community's biggest scholars and tutors and was famed as an admirable man.

Thinking back on the talk he heard of the man who spoke to him eye to eye as if they were both equals, David's head grew dizzy, trying to comprehend the miracle of meeting such a praised man as rabbi Titenboim.

"The boy says he cannot read because the letters jump around on the page and stick to one another until he can't read them. He says he knows the alphabet, both Hebrew and Polish, what do you say to that?"

David's rabbi snickered dismissively, "His little sister reads better than this boy. If he knows the alphabets then why make up ridiculous stories about letters jumping around and keeping him from reading? He has an active imagination, but not a brain."

"Now you're the one who uses the wrong words, Yitzhak; the boy's parents are here in the room while you say their boy has no brain!"

David's limbs became rigid with fear, cold sweat dripped down his spine. Here was this great rabbi, arguing with harsh tones with his rabbi, who is also a renowned for his wisdom, and all because of him!

"Please," Titenboim turned to David's parents, "pay no attention to the words you just heard. Yitzhak is merely unfamiliar with methods to teach boys like your son."

David's father gaped at the man before him, still unable to realize what was happening. David's mother, however, finally shook herself out of her gloomy shame and turned humbly to the man before her.

"Then you know of a way to teach our son the Talmud? There's a cheder for children of his kind? Is he not just lazy?"

"Oh no, no." Titenboim's voice sounded like he smiled while talking, "Your son has a very small problem that keeps him from reading, that is all. It's very easy to treat, using a method of reading, and soon your son will be able to read like any other boy. Why, in two years' time he'll have his bar mitzvah, am I correct? He'll be able to stand there and read his parasha with no problem, I guarantee it.

"My cousin, who suffered the same problem when he was a boy, developed this method and has begun taking in students and teaching them this method. He has a small cheder of his own estate and is slowly gaining a name for himself…"

"Oh no…" David's mother shrank before the man humbly, "I'll never dream of bothering you, rabbi Titenboim, like this…"

"Please, it's nothing."

"Ah, t-the tuition…"

"None at all, nothing but help my cousin build himself a reputation. My brother is a wealthy man so my cousin has very little need of money."

David stumbled away from the door until his back hit the wall. His head still swam and the tears were unstoppable. What was happening in there? What was going on?

His world was about to change for the first time in his life.

A week later, with a small case containing his few clothes and some food for the travel, David rode rabbi Titenboim's carriage, sitting next to the man like two pals out on a vacation.

"I have something to tell you, young David." The man turned to David with a childish smile playing on his lips. "I lied to your parents and rabbi. My cousin has no cheder, or even a yeshiva!

"My cousin is a very young man who had just gotten himself a wife and a farm on the land his lovely wife's father owns. It's true that my cousin complained about the same dancing of the letters when he was young, like you, and that he developed a method to help himself with this problem, but he does not teach it to anyone. Well, he will teach it to you, as a favor to me for persuading his father in law to give his daughter to my cousin."

"I-I'm going to a farm, rabbi?"

"Yes, a farm. You've never been out of your little town, have you David?"

"No, rabbi..."

"Well, you could do with a bit of fresh air and good labor to build your body up. Not all of us are made to sit in a room and study all day, you know. There's a whole movement about it lately, a Zionist group, perhaps you'll join them one day. But for now you can stay in my cousin's farm and help him around while he teaches you to read. And if you ever feel like seeing the big city, you can ride to Wilno, it's not very far away from my cousin's farm."

They were approaching the farm and already two figures were seen coming out of a field which surrounded a small but cozy wooden house.

There was a tall and broad young man with a sun scorched face containing a warm and bright smile.

A lovely young woman wrapped in simple soft clothes, her hair loose and blowing on the wind, her belly slightly sticking out with pregnancy and her bright blue eyes sparkling merrily, stood next to the young man.

David gawked at her soft features and her long loose hair and gasped. He never saw a married woman with her hair grown and uncovered; never saw a woman quite so fresh and beautiful as her. Immediately he fell in love with her and immediately he understood what a fool he was.

The cousin was Leon and he gave David a powerful pat to the shoulder, remarking that he needs some months of work in the field and he'll be strong like a bull.

The wife was Lea and she welcomed David to her house with a soft warm voice.

The sun shone down on them through the usual Eastern Europe thick blanket of clouds. The field behind them was green and vital. Titenboim smiled at David before waving goodbye and heading back to his home.

It was all too good.

It will all end in a few years, they all died.

David leaped out of his bed as if out of the dream. He found himself standing, huffing, in the small room on the ship where there were wooden bunks he shared with Death. It took him a while to recover the information of where he was now and what he was a part of.

Shaking his head finally, as if to shake the last fragments of the memory out of his hair, David stumbled clumsily out of the room. He felt too big and inept for the narrow wooden corridors.

He wished to see Victoria, to embrace her soft warm body. He felt impure and his hunger for the vampire girl crushed. How can he touch her with his bloodied hands? How can he think a creature like him deserves her greatness?

Leon and Lea's faces flashed before his eyes, rabbi Titenboim too. David's stomach lurched.

He fled up to the bridge, desperate for fresh air.

As he came crushing into the railing, leaning forward to inhale as much fresh air as he could, David noted Seishiro leaning on the railing smoking silently. The undertaker ignored the assassin and closed his eyes, trying to calm his frail nerves.

* * *

The room was completely dark all around him and cold.

His eyes moved and he noticed lines of light on the floor. White diagonal lines, ten of them, parallel to one another. Stretching slowly, they marked the move of the sun in the sky outside the room. The light of day crept into the room through the iron bars on the window to Seishiro's left.

He was a small boy and already so cold inside he never thought he had warmth once, or could gain it one day.

He could hear the rustling of a fabric, of silk, in the room before him. Someone sat there. It only took a while before his eyes adapted to the dark and saw her.

The woman who was his mother, the woman who always looked like a young girl. The woman with the small suggestive smile painted with dark red lipstick.

She was sitting on the black floor of the room, one leg folded beneath her and one half folded directly towards Seishiro. Her kimono was of a bright color and Seishiro couldn't make out the pattern on it because of the room's darkness.

Her hair spilled forward on her chest, caught in the crook of her pelvis and folding there to spill down to the floor. The intricate ball of hair tied at the top back of her head was getting slowly worn down and Seishiro didn't know why. He only noticed his mother was softly banging her head on the wall behind her later, when he saw the hairdo give under the pressure and collapse. Hair spilled behind her back and reached the floor.

The woman's face did not change. Her large eyes, half lidded, did not open at all or moved to see him. Her lips did not stretch nor twitched to erase the tiny smile. Her head did not move from the slight cocked angle she set it in, it only moved backwards softly.

One of her small, pale palms lay hidden inside the wide sleeve of her kimono, which reseted in her lap. The other held a red comb which it moved through the girlish woman's immaculate hair.

The comb's crimson hue shone brightly in Seishiro's eyes as if digitally enhanced to overcome the room's gloom.

Seishiro's mother did not turn her eyes to her son, did not stop running the comb through her hair.

The white diagonal parallel lines stretched on and on until they reached the small woman's feet. Seishiro wanted to see how long his mother could sit there combing her hair. He wanted to test his patience as he observed the woman.

The lines stretched and moved until they lay full on Seishiro's mother.

Without the light on her Seishiro wouldn't see the paleness of her skin and the fully blazing red of the comb. He wouldn't see the camellia stuck in her hair where the arranged ball was once. If the sun did not illuminate his mother's face, Seishiro would have never seen the light streaming into her large dark grey eyes. He would have never seen how empty they were.

Seishiro tore himself out of the memory and sat up on his bed. An afternoon nap stretched into the evening; the window in his cabin showed him the dark blue sky above and below the black sea of the night.

Subaru, who was sleeping beside him as best Seishiro remembered it before he closed his eyes to sleep, was gone. Perhaps he too had a dream like his.

The source of this dream? Seishiro wondered. He remembered how shaken he was on the ride from his mother's home in Tokyo after that piece of memory. His head was empty yet noisy, and his heart beat in his chest dully.

Will he become like that too? He wondered back then and knew, despite his early age, that he will not be able to ask anyone about it.

Perhaps it was that very moment that marked the first crack in the Sakurazukamori emotion-binding spell. All Subaru had to do was to walk in and shine his light through the crack to break it some more.

Why for him, of all Sakurazukamori, the spell was cracked? The question would loop around his mind, settle down for a while and then suddenly surface again to pester him.

Perhaps the spell was simply too weak for a man of his power level. He is, after all, no ordinary Sakurazukamori; he is a Harbinger possessing enough power to participate in the Battle of the Apocalypse.

Surely they'd know of such a thing in the clan, surely his mother knew something of her son's future emotions.

Maybe she was too crazy to notice, to care.

Or maybe she knew and intentionally did not enhance the spell to fully cover her newborn baby. Maybe she did it deliberately, to give her child hope.

She was crazy enough to do it.

Seishiro needed a cigarette.

* * *

Hokuto bought a new hat and was very excited about it. She yanked Subaru from his work table where he was preparing ofuda, and dragged him to the living room of her apartment where her shopping bags lay in a pile, like loot.

She first yanked out the other items she bought, half of which were for him, a half of those too extravagant and bizarre for Subaru to imagine ever wearing them.

But the hat, the hat was left last so she can brag about it the most. It was for him and it was _M-A-G-N-I-F-I-C-A-N-T! _

However, the box in which the hat came in was empty, which made fourteen year old Hokuto tear it open and gawk into it, blinking her large green eye with amazement, with such an adorable expression Subaru's heart melted.

Her eyes darted to the bag in which held the hat and several other items. The lid of the hat's box was somehow moved open by Hokuto's walk and the swinging of her shopping bags, and the hat spilled out somehow.

Fishing around several other items in the bag which she did not show her twin (underpants, stocking and several boxes of things Subaru was too innocent and ignorant to ever recognize), Hokuto found the hat.

It was a black velvet squared hat with soft wide rims and three immense peacock feathers sticking out its left side. Subaru gagged with fear of ever walking around any populated area with the item the moment he saw the first and smallest feather.

But the hat was slightly crushed by the mess in the girl's bag and had become crumpled. The shiny smooth velvet was now wrinkled and the feathers were mussed.

Hokuto stared at the hat in its poor condition and emitted the longest, most high-pitched scream of frustration Subaru ever heard coming from his sister.

"H-Hokuto-chan? Are you alright?"

"The hat…" his twin was now in tears, her face red with anger, "The beautiful hat I picked for you…it's ruined. Look at the feathers, would you look at the feathers! I can somehow iron the velvet, but the feathers!" She ran her fingers slowly through the crumbled plumes, shaking her head softly, "It's ruined. I'm so sorry, Subaru…"

A smile crept up Subaru's lips. He crawled to sit at his sister's side and gently took the item from her hands. He placed it in his lap and began combing the feathers against the tendrils' direction.

"There's a way to comb a feather back into its former shape, did you know?"

Hokuto sniffled and leaned onto her brother's shoulder, exhausted from the shopping spree and the sudden gush of emotions. "Show me."

Slowly, delicately, dextrally running his thin fingers up and down the tendrils, one feather after the other, Subaru managed to bring the decorations back to their original shape. All the tiny knots were smoothened, each tendril returned to its original location and once again the natural pattern on the feathers became clear to the view.

The hat returned to its full glory.

Staring at the play of the light on the glowing colors, moving the hat softly to make the hues change, Subaru admired Hokuto's purchase.

"Do you like it?" His sister asked softly, her chin on his shoulder, her lips inches from his ear.

"It's lovely. Thank you very much. Did you buy a matching hat for yourself, Hokuto-chan?"

She drew away from him and immediately drew back, wrapping her arms around him and once again laying her head on his shoulder, "No, I only wanted you to have it."

"Why? You'd love running around with something like that."

"Because you're special, Subaru, I wanted to give you something special."

"I-I'm special?" A fiery blush covered his cheeks.

Hokuto let him go and took the hat from his hands. She placed it on his head and turned his face to her. Yanking the rims softly to cover the sides of his face, she brought their foreheads together, smiling sweetly.

"You're special to me, Subaru."

Subaru opened his eyes to see Seishiro lying at his side sleeping. He didn't feel like being near that man at the moment, not when the texture of feather tendrils and velvet was still so clear and sharp at his finger tips.

He threw the blanket off himself violently and dressed as briskly as he could. Walking out of the room, he winced.

"You're special to me, Subaru."

Is he sinful? Is he treacherous?

* * *

"Y-you dreamt about anything?"

The vampire shuddered in his arms and dug her nose into his shoulder.

"Hmm…I did too."

Victoria shot her eyes to her lovers', "Really? What of?"

David looked away. They were all so beautiful and shining and healthy. They all died. They all burned. "N-nothing…"

Her eyes darkened, "You won't tell me…would you…"

"You better not hear, Victoria, it won't do you good. You'll end up hating me…"

"Never!"

"Like I hate myself. Please, enough of this."

"But Da…" Her mouth was sealed with a kiss.

They stood in a storage room at the bottom of the ship, holding on to each other desperately and kissing hotly. The oil lamp above them swung gently as the waves tilted the ship. The soft light shining on them was golden and warm and it filled Victoria's hair with glittering fair diamonds.

Moaning happily, Victoria moved her lover's hands over her body. It didn't help; David was unresponsive, and to add to it he was already with his eyes closed.

Sensing her body stiffen and shake with mild anger, David turned around and reached for the lamp above then. He snuffed it and darkness fell upon them softly. Now he could love his vampire.

His vampire wanted none of it. She pushed hard against his chest and fled through the wall of the room, fighting back the sobs and bloody tears.

"Victoria! Victoria! Where did you go? What's wrong?" David kindled the lamp again and realized that he was alone.

What happened? Is it something he did wrong? Is it was he said earlier, that she'd hate him?

Oh, if only he could better understand women.

Storming through the ship's corridors, Victoria sought her coffin's room and hope for Lestate's sake that he won't be there.

Whatever happened to their love? To their attraction? Is she so ugly that he cannot look at her while they make love?

Every time they lay together the lights were off. No, more than that; it was pitch dark, so dark that David had to grope and she's the only one who could see what was going on.

Why won't he look at her!

A mortal arm reached out and grabbed her arm, firmly at first and then softer. Victoria turned around and glared at Subaru.

Immediately they bother regretted their behavior. Subaru feared his sudden grab for the girl was too rude and too violent, while Victoria kicked herself mentally for glaring at the usually kind and harmless man.

"Is everything alright, Sears-san?"

The vampire giggled sadly, "Calling me by my family name and adding 'san' means you treat me with a lot of respect. I think I like the way Yuzu calls me better. She calls me 'Bicky-chan' she can't say 'v'." Victoria was crying. She looked away, fearing her crimson tears might frighten Subaru.

"Is everything alright, Bictoria-san?"

Wiping at her tears, Victoria nodded first, and then shook her head.

Leading her gently into her room, Subaru sat them both on Lestate's coffin. Waiting patiently for the vampire to cry her fill, Subaru rubbed her back gently. He wondered if there was a connection between her bloody tears and the bloody tears he saw Death cry.

* * *

Pages filled with English alphabet printed on them in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The page he was holding was covered by 'A's and 'B's and 'C's. The next page was 'D' to 'F'. There were too many pages of that sort in his hand.

Alex sighed, rolled his eyes and threw pages away from him. They fluttered in the air, spinning around and swaying madly before they landed on the floor, lushly covered by a soft carpet.

"Why did you do that?" The man sitting where his naked feet lay, his orange eyebrows knotted as he looked at him rebuking, "You know you need to learn how to read."

Alex folded his arms on his chest and sulked, "But it's boring and I don't want to do it anymore." He was thirty years old, looking like he was fifteen and not a year older.

The young man, who handed him these pages and was leafing through the pages of simple text he was about to give Alex to read, was eighteen years old and looked like it too, which is why everyone around them treated him as the adult of the two.

"Your father said that if you didn't learn how to read you're not going to London, don't you want to go?"

Alex, who wasn't Death yet, arched his back and pouted some more, "I don't want to learn how to read. I don't want to learn anything. Can't we go riding?"

"No, we can't. We can't even get out of the house; your dad's sitting in his work room and it's right by the door. He'll see when we leave and start asking you what I taught you today."

The year was 1868, in the large estate belonging to Alex' last adopting family, a few miles east of Rockford, Illinois. Outside it was autumn and the world was dyed orange and red.

The young man named Jack and Alex have been a couple for four years and no one in their unique community of inhuman creatures paid it much attention, if they knew of it at all.

"I don't care, he can't really tell me what to do."

"Well I'm telling you what to do now and I'm telling you that it's a shame that a boy your age can't read!"

Alex stared at the red headed man, his ponytail resting lazily on his jacket's collar, and nibbled on his thumb, "I'm older than you…"

Anger flittered across the man's face and for a moment his dark orange eyes glowed with rage, "Look, just finish covering the pages I gave you," his powers levitated the cast off pages off the floor and sent them flying slowly to Jack's palm in an orderly pile, "and then read this simple text and then we'll be able to go riding."

"I want to make love."

"Not now."

Alex sat up, pushing himself off the couch's armrest on which he was splayed like a cat, "What? You _don't_ want to sleep with me?"

A sneaky smile splayed on Jack's lips, "I do, but not now. Just finish that damn reading already."

Alex slid back to lying and shrugged childishly.

"Alexander, read!"

"No!"

Jack thrust the papers under Alex's nose, poking them to the side whenever Alex turned his head to avoided the parchment. "Read! Read! Read! We're not going to do anything else until you finish this stupid task already! Godammit, how hard can it be to read?"

"Language young man!"

"Bah! You talk dirtier than me. You talk like the negro slaves."

"They're not slaves anymore. And they don't appreciate being called like that."

"Fine, negro servants."

"I meant the 'N' word."

"Ah, so you know the letter 'N'."

"You see! I know alphabet, now let's go riding." Alex tried to leap off the couch and was stopped by Jack who leaned on his knees.

"You will stay right here, young man, until you know the other letters of the alphabet and read this simple text!"

Folding his arms on his chest again, blowing away the soft light brown hairs that fell on his eyes, Alex yanked the papers out of Jack's hand and pretended to resume his studying. "You're no fun anymore."

"Whatever, just read already."

For a while Alex pretended to read, darting his eyes to look at Jack from time to time. When his patience finally ran short on trying to study or pretend to do so, he began thrusting his feet into Jack's face, pressing his toes into the man's orange bangs.

A small fight began, with Jack trying to seize the offending feet and Alex constantly squirming out of his grip, giggling like a child. A charming pink blush tainted Alex's soft plump tanned cheeks and with his bright green eyes, Jack found his lover too beautiful to fight against.

"ENOUGH!"

Alex sank back into the sofa and pouted. He didn't like getting yelled at, especially not by his lover. Insulted, he threw the pages back into the air and shot off the sofa, storming out of the room with a fuss.

"Alexander! Oh for god's sake, why do you have to be such a baby sometimes!"

Alex slammed the door behind him, not before poking his head into the room and sticking his tongue out at Jack.

But jack was gone now, Alex killed him for the crimes he committed later and the world in which the memory happened was lost for Alex, lost for good.

He was no longer the innocent, arrogant, ever rebellious, ever energetic boy that he was back then. His hair was now black as grief and his skin was now white as ice and snow, often bluish as if he was a frozen corpse. His eyes were still the same yet harder, older, crueler.

Alex sighed and discovered that he was not on the bottom bunk but on the floor, beneath the bed. Yes, that is where he always slept where there were wooden bunks like that. Only the bed was slightly different than those bunks, and there were no mattresses at all. Still, Alex moved in his sleep and slipped back to his natural location.

He dragged himself from under the bed and climbed to his feet. He closed his eyes and listened for his men. David was roaming the ship, looking for Victoria. Victoria was sitting in her room with Subaru, the two were talking softly. Seishiro was on the bridge, smoking his third cigarette and was very nervous. Must go and check on Seishiro to see what's going on. Lestate was climbing the ship's mast to look around. Must go and tell Lestate to get the fuck down from there before he falls and breaks something.

Kamui was staring out his room window. Will was leaning over the bridge's edge and vomiting.

Was there something wrong with Kamui? His thoughts were extremely gloomy. His thoughts were of Fuma. Alex withdrew his searching mind from the boy and sighed angrily.

Soon, soon, they'll be back in the city and you'll have your stupid precious Fuma.

He exited the room to go check on Seishiro and yell at Lestate.

* * *

He was nine years old and it was his birthday.

Kyogo bought him clothes. Kamui never saw the man talk so much to anyone who wasn't his child or his wife. Kyogo fumbled with the small shirt and pants and mumbled something about a soccer team (they were soccer uniform) and how it's important to join a sports club. The shirt and pants were blue and, as he placed them by Kamui's small round face, he said the color flattered the boy's eyes.

Saya beamed at Kamui and gave him a lost soft hug. No one, not even his mother, could give hugs like Saya's. It seemed like everything endearing and loving in the world gathered together and became an essence which heated and beamed through the woman's body.

She gave him a camera for children. It was frog shaped.

When Kamui stared confused at the strange ogling black plastic eyes Fuma snatched the toy from his and placed the camera on his head, moving it sideways to look like it was dancing on his sculpt. Fuma pressed the activating button accidentally and the picture he took was that of a bewildered and sweetly amused Kamui through the thin layer of Fuma's untamed hair.

When the pictures came back from developing Fuma snatched that picture from Kamui's hand and hung it in his room.

Kotori gave Kamui a pink bunny plushy he could hug. It had long ears down to its feet and was forever sitting with its loose arms hung at the side of its soft body. Kamui's hug the bunny at night until he reached the age of fourteen and felt it was humiliating to be a boy his age and still cuddle a plushy in his sleep.

Tohru gave her son a soccer ball and a toy small goal post. There was tension in the air while she chatted merrily with Kyogo about how their presents matched and Saya looked nervous.

Fuma gave Kamui a toy car with a remote control that made the car drive around when he pressed its buttons. Kamui took some time to fully grasp all the different ways he can manipulate his car to move in.

He was sitting in his room, on the floor; legs splayed lazily at his sides, tongue sticking out through his small soft pink lips with the effort of trying to work the car, and desperately pushed the remote control's buttons to make the car draw eights on the tatami.

The car would get stuck in the grooves between the tatami and would flip onto its roof or simply stop completely, which frustrated Kamui to no end.

The front door of their house was opened and the dim voice of Saya was heard, saying a merry "Hello!" to his mother. His mother's low voice sounded thick with happiness as she greeted her high school friend.

The sound of mad stomping soon neared Kamui's room and the small boy raised his large eyes (his face was still very small back then that his eyes looked always disproportionably immense in comparison to his other features, which often made people call him 'chibi', which he didn't appreciate) to his room's door.

Fuma stormed in, dressed in their school's basketball team's uniform, and at once caught his toe on a gap between tatami and came crushing face first into the floor.

Kamui stayed where he was and stared at Fuma, blinking.

Usagi (name picked by Kotori, agreed with by Fuma and Kamui and frowned upon by the adults of the family), the Shiro family dog, came rushing into the room. He was barking and leaping on his hind legs with the joy of a child-made mess in the house and was licking Fuma's face as soon as he calmed down.

Slowly pulling himself off the bamboo fiver made mats, Fuma giggled at his own clumsiness and crawled on all fours towards the other boy. "What are you doing, Kamui?"

"I'm playing with the present you gave me." Kamui answered simply, testing Fuma's eagerness to be close to him by pretending to be completely immersed by the play of the small buzzing car.

Fuma reached Kamui and sat, staring at the car. It got caught in another gap and flipped onto its back.

"I'm not very good with it. I'm sorry."

"Don't be silly, Kamui," Fuma ruffled the boy's hairs, giving him a short hug (he was completely incapable of not touching the boy back then, and completely ignorant to what made him do it) and pulling himself to sit behind Kamui, "It's very simple to control."

"I know, and I can't do it." Kamui pouted.

Fuma pushed himself against Kamui's back and placed his legs close to Kamui's. With his larger, more tanned hands on Kamui's small pale ones, he pushed the buttons on the remote control and perked the car into all sorts of magnificent tricks.

Kamui stared at this seeming miracle and giggled, sometimes shrilling out with laughter at the wonderful things Fuma could do with the simple toy.

Upstairs Kamui heard his mother's bedsprings creak and soft laughter he knew was Saya's.

Right now, however, he was more tuned in to the boy behind him. Fuma was almost hugging him and nothing else in the world could have made him feel better.

Fuma was tall enough to be able to lay his chin on the top of Kamui's head. His chest was already wider than Kamui's back, his arms and legs longer. By being so half sunk in the bigger boy, Kamui felt the safest in the world.

He leaned his head to the side to rest of Fuma's shoulder and looked up the older boy's face. Fuma smelt of faint sweat and rubber from playing basketball. Also he smelt faintly of the fabric softened Saya used and of one of Kotori's silly perfumes she got for her birthday and was spraying all over anyone who came near her at the wrong time of the day.

Fuma stopped playing with the car and looked down at the boy. He couldn't help but smile and he couldn't help but feeling extreme joy at looking down at the beautiful face.

"What?"

"Remember when I said I want to become Kotori's bride?"

Fuma frowned a little, "Yeah."

"I lied. Kotori wanted to play husband and wife so I played along."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Fuma…?"

"Yes?"

"I'll be your bride one day."

Fuma jerked his face a little away from Kamui's with the surprise, "You will? Really?"

"I promise."

"Yay!"

"Fuma…?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know what a bride and groom do?"

Fuma blushed and suddenly wished to be somewhere else. The notion that Kamui might be smaller in build than him but his mind was quicker about certain things in life is something Fuma learnt from the moment he first met the boy. Proofs of it always made Fuma a bit uneasy.

Usagi sniffed the toy car and was beginning to bite it to try and pick it up but the boy to which the toy belonged no longer cared.

"N-no, what do they do?"

"They kiss. On the lips. With teeth."

"O-oh….okay…" Fuma was blushing even more. But Kamui was blushing as well and the sight of that lovely face suddenly so vibrant in pink erased any doubt or hindrance from Fuma's heart, "Do you want me to kiss you?"

Kamui rolled his eyes, thinking, "Well….we can't until I'll be your bride, can we?"

Fuma let go of the toy remote and wrapped his arms around Kamui, "But I want to kiss you."

Pushing playfully against the bigger boy, Kamui pretended to fight Fuma, "But it won't be proper; you have to marry me first!"

"No! I want a kiss, now!"

Kamui turned his head to the side as Fuma dipped his head and tried to catch Kamui's lips with his. They struggled like this for a while until Kamui was completely trapped in Fuma's arms and was unable to escape.

Fuma's lips were soft and it felt strange to be kissed like that, unlike the chaste kisses on the cheek he'd get from everyone who ever kissed him before.

Fuma's eyes were also closed, unlike Kamui's which were open and observing the bigger boy blush again.

When Fuma drew away Kamui gaped at him for a moment before squirming out of his arms with a shriek and fled the room.

He ran around the house in a spur of energy the source of which he didn't know, arms flailing and screaming all sorts of things like, "Fuma kissed me! Fuma kissed me!", "Ewwwwww!" and, "I'm impure, I'm impure, I'll never be able to marry, ever ever ever ever!"

As he ran past his mother's room Tohru stuck her head out, brown curls spilling at the sides of her neck, and stopped her son from stomping around some more.

"What's the matter, Kamui?" her eyes were frightened.

Fuma caught up with the smaller boy and was blushing so badly his whole face was red.

Saya stuck her head out as well, her blond bangs mixing with Tohru's chocolate ones, "What have you done, Fuma?" she sounded far more humorous than the slightly worried Tohru.

"Fuma kissed me! Fuma kissed me! Now he'll have to make me his bride because he made me impure!"

Fuma nearly fainted.

The two mothers gaped at the boys with jaws hanging.

Tohru tried to recover, "W-wha…"

"How sweet!" Saya chirped, her face beaming.

Tohru turned her face to Saya, "Sweet! Sweet! Where did you learn such a thing, Kamui? You've been watching soap operas instead of doing your homework after school again, haven't you?"

"Kamui-chan, are you going to marry Fuma?"

"Yes! I'm going to be his bride!"

"Where on earth would he learn such a thing!"

"Don't worry, dear, I heard him say the same thing to Kotori the other day."

"Oh."

Tohru's newly gained calm was broken again as she sent a mellow glare at Saya, "Kotori didn't kiss him, now did she?"

Saya covered her mouth with her small palm and giggled wildly.

Fuma decided he's been humiliated enough and turned to flee. Kamui was after him in no time, screaming at him to get back here and play with him, or with Usagi, or the car, and that mommy made cookies today, would he like some.

Fuma stopped and ate some cookies, avoiding eye contact with Kamui.

Kamui was in a smallish bed and Will was twitching and kicking next to him in one of those doggy dreams of his. Sighing, Kamui climbed out of his bed and walked to the window.

There he plopped down onto the windowsill and stared out into the nighttime sea. So much foreshadowing in one single memory, and so many of destiny's ugly fingerprints.

He missed Fuma's lips and he missed Fuma's arms. He missed his mother and Saya and he missed Kotori. He missed Kyogo, he missed Usagi.

Will's tail beat the mattress powerfully and his legs still kicked the blanket into tight knots around him. Kamui will have to untie him before he'll wake up in hysteria over this strange new binding.

But Fuma was on his mind now, and his old world was on his mind now and everything else seemed trivial and silly and unimportant. He wished to shake his current condition off his shoulders like an impropriate piece of clothing and become pure again, fit for Fuma.

Fuma…

* * *

At first the world was like a large glass bawl filled with noise through which he was looking at things. The noises would bounce off the glass walls and hit his ears until they'd hurt.

That's why for the first few years of his life he'd run away from the company around him and would bite anyone who dared to try and come near, everyone including Doc.

Then they moved to a new place with bigger corridors and above the ground and the walls didn't bounce off noises so badly because they were wider. So he became calmer and started looking around his surrounding.

He'd stumble on his tail a lot and would always close doors on it, which made him immediately start whimpering and crying and gained himself the nickname "Schreihals Schrodinger(4)".

Everyone was so much taller than him and there was no one his age in the whole base. Will was very frustrated.

When he reached the age he'd start craving for something to chew he gained a horrid reputation of a little demon.

He'd sneak into rooms and destroy the precious wooden tables smuggeled with many efforts from the fatherland. He'd appear in the officers' bedroom and steal their fancy leather boots to chew on their soles when he was bored. He'd howl at the moon when all everyone wanted was some sleep.

He was led around the base on a very short leash with a collar around his neck and he hated it. Every time he wanted to run to smell something interesting or chase a mouse or butterfly he's be yanked back to order by Doc and would receive a horrible scolding for misbehaving.

Always Doc threatened to anesthetize him for good if he won't stop it.

But Will had so much energy pent up in him he couldn't help but misbehave.

The moment he realized he could chew his leash and tear it he did and immediately he was off looking for an adventure, or trouble, whatever came first.

He found a room with the tall lean woman with thick long black hair who was cleaning a huge rifle, singing to the sound of opera. If Will hadn't known it was opera from what Doc taught him he'd call it "Lady screaming like someone's pulling her teeth out."

He lingered at the door of the room and barked at the woman inside. The woman glared at him and, used the end of her rifle to shut the door on his nose.

He curled at the feet of the door, rubbing his aching nose and whimpering when a heavy boot moved him aside. The big scary women with doodles all over her right side didn't even look down at him as she opened the door and entered the shrill-filled room.

Will bit down on her boot and immediately regretted it. Before anything could be done to retaliate the damage he's done to the leather of her boot, Will took off and disappeared down the corridors.

He was reported as missing and was immediately caught by one of the officers the Doc said Max called 'the old opera house men' or something.

This man grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and sighed. "You know what you lack, boy? Education, that's what you lack."

Will blinked at him and whimpered.

"Can you talk?"

"Maybe…"

"Hmph. You need education, yes, education." The man put him down until his feet touched the floor and, resting a palm on the back of his head, began guiding him to one of the rooms of the bottom floor.

This was the cinema, Will knew from the map hung on Doc's office wall, and he's never been inside there. They were showing all sorts of films in there sometimes and only the simple soldiers really liked it; they'd overcrowd at nights and fill the room with enough noise of manly cheers and burps that'd wake Will at night.

The room smelt of stale beer, musk, starch and gunpowder. The officer sat Will on one of the front seats and walked off to place a roll in the screener.

A man's face appeared on the screen (if Will was not color blind he'd know it was a black and white film, unlike several films in color archived in the cinema's small storage room) with many officers much like the one who guided Will here, sitting in rows behind the man.

The man stood behind a tall box with microphones on it and was yapping away at the crowds cheering before him. The crowds cheered and saluted the man and the man yapped on. He was jerking around so much and with such sharp movements that Will had to laugh. The man looked ridiculous.

Of course Will saw that man before; there was not a single room (save for bathrooms and toilets) that didn't have at least one picture of that man in them, may it be a photo or a drawn picture. Several officers had pictures of themselves with the man.

But Will never saw the man moving and never heard his voice and he never heard the speech the man was saying, though bits of it were often repeated by many people around him, sometimes even chanted.

Will giggled, holding his stomach which soon ached with laughter.

The officer poked his head through the gap between Will's seat and the one next to it and glared at the werewolf cub, "What's so funny!"

"Hitler, he's funny. I never knew he's funny."

"Funny!"

"Yeah, he's crazy, he moves like his wearing itchy underpants. Why is he so mad? He's so funny!"

The officer huffed and stormed off to turn the volume up so Will's giggles would be lost in the blaring speech.

But the man's voice was already intolerably high pitched without the volume increasing and the cheers of the crown made Will's temples hurt with the noise.

He covered his large ears and snarled at the officer who returned to his seat, crossing his legs elegantly, "Turn it down! I can't stand it, it's too loud!"

"So stop laughing at the fuehrer! It's unacceptable! This is your punishment."

Will's head spun with rage. He's had enough of everyone kicking him around and laughing at him and now this pompous idiot was trying to punish him, something that only Doc was allowed to do (and even Doc got a bitten hand if he ever tired to outdo a punishment).

"**TURN IT DOWN! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS SCREECHING IDIOT! TURN IT DOWN! NOW! NOW! NOW! NO….**"

The officer slapped him hard across the face, "How dare you call our leader like that?"

Will was knocked to lie on his back on the floor, "He's not our leader anymore, Doc said he's dead, how can he lead like that?"

The officer was trembling with rage. But Will didn't want to run away, he wanted to stay and annoy the officer even more. His head hurt and the noise in the cinema kept beating at his sensitive ears.

"H-h-how….**_dare_** you!"

Will was caught again and slapped again and slapped so hard his head spun. It took him a while to realize that he can fight back and that he should.

But by the time the officer's palm was in his mouth, bleeding onto his tongue from the cuts his sharp canines punctured in the man's flesh, the door to the cinema was opened with a small slow creak.

Both Will and the officer turned around the moment they realized that whomever it was who opened the door was not going to say anything about the strange scene before him.

The tall man who stepped into the cinema was someone Will never saw before, though he smelled him alright. There was another one of his kind here, a fully grown one, who was serving the Major ever since The War.

He did not wear his ears and tail out, he was completely human-looking. Also, he didn't talk; either he didn't want to or couldn't, Will didn't know.

They called him the Captain, and though they gave him much respect, they also called him "Max' lapdog" and Will didn't know why.

So far their paths did not cross because Will was mostly kept locked in a room or caught and taken back to said room in Doc's laboratory. Also, Major was a very busy person and would run around a lot, accompanied by his Captain.

Now the Captain walked slowly, with wide steps, towards the officer who held Will by his shirt collar, and placed his large palm on the Officer's wrist. With what looked like an innocent twitch of his long fingers, the bigger man snapped the officer's bones and forced him to let Will go.

Landing on the floor in a heap, Will stared up at the man towering above him. He wore a simple cap hat, a long coat and an unimaginably long mauser to her belt. Will could smell the road dirt on his clothes and the exhaust gas clinging to his gloves and boots.

The man winced, frowning angrily at the screen still flickering with sights of the man and his crowd, and walked to the screener. With a single blow he punched through the machine and plunged the room into silence and darkness.

Will opened his mouth to say something but found he had nothing to say that would befit this strange creature.

Instead he climbed to his feet and began sniffing through the Captain's clothes, often burying his nose in the fabric to better examine the scents.

The Captain allowed this and was raising his arms a bit whenever they'd be in the way of Will's sniffing.

Whatever messages he picked up from the personal scents clinging to the man's uniform, Will was unable to translate. The man filled him with awe and slight dread, yet it sparked such curiosity in him that Will couldn't wish for anything other than to tag along to the man and see and hear and smell all that he could to learn about the man.

Fingering the loose bit of chewed leash, The Captain scrutinized the cub at his feet. Then he grabbed the loose end and began gently guiding Will out of the room, out of the building.

Will woke up and found that he was on a pirate ship in a world where he was forced to forget everything about the place where he was created and the people he knew there.

Doesn't matter, they were all dead; Alex showed their death to him when he was punished.

Will pulled himself off the bed slowly and shuffled around the room to the table where a bowl of water stood. He poured himself a cup and gulped it down in one go.

Kamui, who was sitting on the windowsill all this time didn't even look towards him.

Will's heart ached in deep longing. He knew everyone in his birthplace were evil and wrong but he will not acknowledge this on one person; the Captain. No, he will net be able to believe such a thing about the man who…

But there was something missing about his memory, about the Captain and those around him back then. What was it? Whenever he tried to remember it he'd once again feel like he was standing on a cliff edge and below a cruel wind blew madly, coldly up at him.

His stomach turned suddenly, as he pressed himself to remember. Before he'll soil their room, Will shot out of the cabin to the bridge and threw his head as far from the ship as possible, hurling out his lunch.

* * *

"So, you've all had dreams of memories from your life? Hmmm." Lestate rubbed his chin thoughtfully. They gathered in the Onmyoujis' room, which was the biggest, to discuss what they all experienced after what they thought to be an innocent afternoon nap after the heavy lunch the pirates shared with them.

Kamui and Will remained in their room and only those of Death gathered to this discussion.

"I'm beginning to think the Forget Stones have something to do with it." Alex said.

"What makes you think that?" Subaru was slightly ignoring Seishiro and it hurt the assassin. He tried edging towards his lover and though Subaru did not edge away he avoided eye contact insistently.

"Well, the Forget Stones suck your memories into themselves, so I thought anything to do with memories might be associated to them."

"Hmm…"

"Alex," David spoke up, he was in desperate need to not think of why Victoria placed herself at the furthest corner of the room, away from him as well as from Death, "Do you think the Forget Stones have to do with the Tramfaldores?"

Alex's brows soared up his forehead, "Uh…well…I've never thought of that. A mean of stimulating memories in their victims so they'll experience emotions from which the Tramfaldores feed? This is an option I never considered before.

"But then again, the Tramfaldores still managed to play with Pelican's memories…"

Subaru coughed politely, "…Who?"

"Ah, the Dragon Valley's Noter officer who was lured into the craters and became their prisoner when the Tramfaldores just arrived. So if the Forget Stones are here and not with the Tramfaldores, how were they able to force Pelican to remember things?"

"Perhaps they have not only the stones but technology to stimulate memories?" David suggested.

"Yes, haven't thought of that."

"Look," Seishiro became impatient, "how much more of these flashes do you think we're going to have to go through?"

Alex shrugged, "I have no idea. I guess we can ask the pirates, but since they lost most of their memories they might not suffer these effects."

"A memory can be that of the day you've experienced before you fell asleep." Subaru suggested, "Perhaps they go to sleep every day and dream of this."

"Let's hope it won't be every day…" Seishiro sighed.

Subaru stared up at his lover thoughtfully, his face completely unreadable to the assassin. After a moment of staring Subaru cocked his head a little and a smile spread on his lips.

Seishiro was taken aback, but not without a great deal of relief. Perhaps Subaru didn't dream of something _that_ bad after all.

"So what do we do now? We just go to sleep and hope we won't dream about memories!" David grumbled, feeling extremely uneasy.

"What else can we do? Not go to sleep at all through the whole two weeks? It's ridiculous!" Death sighed.

"Some of us have no choice but to sleep." Lestate mentioned, pointedly staring at Alex.

"Well what do you want me to do! Take all the Forget Stones and hurl them out to the sea! The pirates will kill us."

"Surely, just as you created the carriages and the tents for our journey so far, you can create a ship?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Any of you know how to sail a ship by any chance?"

The room became silent.

"We should have never boarded this stupid boat anyway." Seishiro folded his arms on his chest. Already the late hour of the night and dinner's load in his stomach was making him sleepy, a feeling he did not wish to give into at the moment.

Alex pulled himself out of the chair he sat on and began walking out of the room, "That's a bit too late now, ne?" he left his men alone.

"Hmph, great answer."

"Seishiro," Lestate's voice rang sweetly like a bell, "Have you thought of what kind of memory might have played in Alex's sleep?"

The room fell silent again. Subaru covered his mouth, his eyes twitching with worry. David stiffened and wished very much for Victoria to be by his side.

His point made, Lestate left to go after Death and get a drink of blood. Perhaps he'll be able to peek into Death's soul through the blood and see what he dreamt of, though he doubted he'd see something he never saw before in his previous drinks.

The onmyoujis were left alone in their room and the atmosphere began to tense.

Swallowing his pride and fighting back his fear, Seishiro turned to his lover, "Subaru-kun…what did you dream of?"

Subaru's voice was calm, his features unchanged, "I dreamt of Hokuto-chan. She bought me a hat and said I was precious to her."

"…."

"What did you dream of, Seishiro-san?"

"Uh…nothing important."

Subaru fixed his lover with a straightforward, powerful gaze, "Tell me."

"I-It's not…proper…I-I…godammit!" He turned away violently and walked to the other end of the room. His palms on his sides, Seishiro tried to rein his storming emotions and stop fearing for one moment, at least to stop himself from behaving like an idiot and then feeling humiliated along with fearful.

Subaru's voice was still calm and patient, though a taint of authority was clear in it, "I won't be angry. Tell me."

Seishiro sighed, "I dreamt of my mother and how for almost five hours straight I stared at her and she didn't move an inch besides combing her hair. I remembered how crazy she was and I remembered how, as a child, I realized it and feared for my future."

Subaru took a moment to comprehend the words of his lover. "Y-you worried for your future, as a child? You mean you realized the damage of the Sakurazukamori spell back then already?"

His lover's curious, harmless air coaxed Seishiro to dare and turn to face Subaru, "Kind of, yes. I didn't know the one placed on me was cracked, only realized it's effects and worried for my sake."

"Ah…"

"When I woke up I realized that there must have been something flawed in the spell cast on me from the beginning. Without this flaw, I think, I would have never been able to love you."

Subaru blinked in silence, waiting for the dark onmyouji's words.

"And I wondered what might have caused this flaw. I think I prefer the explanation that my mother placed a weak spell on me on purpose."

Subaru frowned and sat on their bed.

"She was mad, and maybe not just because she was a complete Sakurazukamori. Later, when I received her house as heritage, I discovered that the iron bars in the windows of the room she'd always be in were not from the same date as the windowsill and wall. They were added in, perhaps by my grandmother, or grandfather."

"You don't know who came before your mother?"

Seishiro shook his head. He felt exhausted and wanted to finish this conversation already, preferably with his arms around Subaru, preferably after making love to the man.

When he settled on the bed by his side, Subaru wrapped his arms around Seishiro tightly, leaning his head on the bigger man's shoulder. "Let's go to sleep."

"Mmm…"

* * *

A week past them on the gentle waves. A week with only one mild storm and rain for a whole day. A week of roaming the ship, staring out at the sun playing on the water, a week of being trapped in the wooden cabinets, fearing the time they'll go to sleep.

Around them the pirates continued their routine, careless for their guests, making very little contact with the riders.

A week passed and not one of them dreamt of memories. Slowly, as each memory-less night passed by, they unwound and feared sleep less and less.

Yet, each night, they'd close their eyes wondering what they might dream of, if they'd dream memories. Some of them had very short life and so the topics of their dreams were very few, but some had lived for many centuries and had to wonder for a long time about the night's fate.

With each day and every hour and every minute they were drawing closer to the shore nearest to the City, which was another subject to ponder about.

Victoria longed for Yuzuriha as she did her best to avoid David's presence. She wanted her good friend to talk to her, to share with her everything they've been through in these past crazy six months.

Lestate wanted to see Tara and Charlie again, and hear their laughter as he told them his version of their adventures.

Kamui longed for Fuma. Will wondered how the City might look.

Subaru wondered what became of Arashi and if she gave birth yet.

Seishiro thought about Kazuki and how much she must have learned from months of having only Anthony as company. He wondered about Anthony and realized he was worried about the aging man's health.

Alex preferred not to think about the time they'll arrive at the shore. Instead he made as many maps as he could from his memory of the Light Side and set to correct the first maps he made, before he perfected the skills of map making to the level they were today.

One night, he picked up Grim Reaper singing and began banging his head into the nearest wall in morn for having to meet the woman-like thing when they get back to the City.

* * *

He was living his hundredth and third year, that fateful spring, yet he didn't look any older than eighteen or nineteen. The only change in his features that aged him was perhaps his slightly sunken eyes, a result of many sleepless nights in Paris' underground cafes and late night parties with his husband, as scarce as they were these past few years.

His husband wasn't at home when Alex unlocked their cozy little Parisian apartment and entered, pushing before him whatever food he managed to buy in the wartime shops. 1942 Paris might have been completely infested by German troops and officers, but it was still a west European city with too much pride to become strained and starved like its eastern Europe sisters.

Realizing he's home and safe, Alex placed the bags on the kitchen table, thus exposing the pink triangle badge sewn on the front of his jacket. He didn't fully realize the true meaning of this marking, but he was made uncomfortable by the looks he was getting when it was exposed and so he took up hiding it with whatever he could, whenever he could.

The time was one in the afternoon and his husband was only due back from his shop in four hours' time, so Alex had spare time to kill.

He cleaned the house a bit, watering the plants and dusting the furniture. He tidied their bed and disinfected the toilets and bath. He put some order in his husband's work table and dusted the carpet through the window, picking up the sight of two Nazi officers enjoying a cup of coffee in the tiny café across the street to his house.

Realizing he did not unpack his shopping yet, Alex hurried to the kitchen to deal with that. He put the milk and cheeses in the ice box. He sliced the fresh bread he bought and made himself a tomato and cheese sandwich.

Glancing at the clock, he realized he has two hours before his husband returns home and set to work on dinner.

Donning an apron, Alex began chopping vegetable and boiling water. Today he'll make spaghetti with cooked vegetables and minced meat. He'll add some cheese too, to make it extra tasty. His husband loved his cooking. His husband loved the way he kept the house tidy and homely. He told Alex he was a perfect housewife and if only Alex was able to give him children he would be completely content.

Young Alex sighed and turned the gas in the cooker a little lower to keep the spaghetti from cooking too fast.

An hour and a half before his husband returns home. Alex had nothing better to do than to wait for the meat and the vegetables to finish cooking.

In the meantime he sat to the table in the living room and rummaged through old prewar leaflets about vacation resorts.

Before the war, he and his husband went to Venice and enjoyed themselves much. They wanted to go to Berlin but it was no longer a place his husband preferred to go to. Then the war came and they couldn't even leave their own country, let alone their city.

He was fingering a leaflet about Dublin, which's English text he was completely ignorant to, when a violent knock came from the front door. Alex had only time to look up in wonder at the intensity of the knock before the door was kicked open.

Three officers barged into the small two room apartment, their hard boots landing too hard on the delicately designed tiled floor.

Behind them, cowering by the doorframe, Alex's neighbor from the floor above observed the scene before him, glaring at Alex through his thick eyebrows with tiny piggish eyes.

Alex got up and opened his mouth to say something. He received a left hook which knocked him onto the table before he was yanked off of it again by the collar of his soft bright green shirt.

The officer who struck him was yelling at him to pack his things and come with them because he's arrested for homosexuality. The sentence was laced with several words Alex preferred not to relate to himself. He wondered where he learned German to understand the shouts he heard.

The two other officers were rummaging through his and his husband's belongings with the metal clubs they held; often knocking something down it was made of glass or porcelain and was could be broken.

Alex nodded, still very much baffled by this sudden intrusion to his little sanctuary, and mumbled that he needs to go pack his things and turn the fire off under the spaghetti. Where will he be held, he asked, he needs to leave a note to his husband?

The officer informed him that it's none of his business and kicked him towards the bedroom.

Alex noted his hands were shaking and his head was swimming and thought that maybe, while cooking and running around the city in direct sunshine, he forgot to drink and was dehydrated.

He stuffed as many shirts, pants and underwear's into the nearest suitcase he could find and hoped the mess and lack of clothes would somehow explain his husband the reason why he wasn't in the apartment when he gets back, if a note was not something he could leave.

At the doorway to the room one of the officers stood, making sure Alex didn't try anything funny.

Alex didn't try anything funny; he was most obediently packing clothes for a week's time (how long would they be able to keep him in prison before his husband would come and bail him out? Couldn't be more than a week, right?)

Then his large, clear and innocent eyes lay on a picture standing on his small toilette table. It was a picture of mentor of his who taught him about Marx and his theories, the man who later got him his first spying gig.

That mentor, when did he meet him? Was it not back in his first visit to London, in the winter of 1869? Yes, it was.

But the year was 1942 now, and he is no more than twenty, though he orphan and didn't know his exact birthday.

Surely he couldn't have met that mentor in 1869….surely that means he's older than twenty… that he's…

Not human…

He's not human and whatever they may do to him will not be a real danger to him. Alex straightened his back, a new light shining in his eyes, and calmly closed the suitcase on his few belongings. Calmly, he walked out of the room, and followed the officers who surround him like he was a dangerous convict.

Alex shook himself out of the memory, shot out of the bed, out of the room, through the corridor and up to the bridge where he hurled the content of his inhuman stomach down into the sea.

They did harm him, though he was not human, and they made him forget his inhumanity. As he arrived _there_ he went through such horrors that his mind erased all the memories of his past, even his name. He became nothing but the number the carved into his skin, when his skin finally allowed the ink to sink in.

Alex shuddered again, convulsing and vomiting again. His hands shook badly as they clawed the wooden railing hard enough to carve ten holes into it. He laid his forehead on the salt filmed cool wood and tried to put some calm into his mind but the shudders won't end.

A palm landed at the center of his back, above the scars _that_ place gave him. Immediately he straightened his back and turned around to see who dared to sneak up on him and touch him.

It was David, and his eyes were bulging, bloodshot, his face was carved with pain. He too dreamt tonight.

Still shuddering, Alex reached out slowly and embraced the other man. The wind blew around them gently, cooling their feverish mind.

* * *

"Please hang your clothes on one of the hangers and remember the number of hanger you put your cloths on so when you step out of the shower there won't be any confusion." The most bitter, vile, treacherous, poisonous lie he ever told.

But what else could he say? "Run away! They're going to kill you!" where would they run! "Kiss your husband and children goodbye, miss, you will never see them again." That will only create panic. What can you say in a situation like that?

A cruel thought crossed David's mind, he could say "Don't grab for your dears, when you'll be dead and rigid I'll have to yank you apart." But he won't say it; he wanted to throw himself into the fire for even thinking of saying it.

The floor was slowly covered by jackets, skirts, underwear, shirts, and shoes, cast off casually or accidentally. David looked at socked feet, shoe covered feet, naked feet, children's feet, men's feet, women's feet with varnished nails. Looking at the floor is the only thing he could do; he was completely unable to look these people in the eye, just like with every delivery ever to decent the deadly steps to the hall where David and his coworkers waited.

After a year of the horror of being a Sonderkommando(2), David was sure his emotions were worn to the ground and completely gone. After recognizing your brothers and sisters on the elevator leading up to the crematoriums, after seeing your father and mother a moment before they were shoved into the fire, what emotions could have been left in his hollowed chest?

After meeting Lea's gaze in that damned hall, another face in the group of unimaginably thin women, with her beautiful head shaven and her face terror stricken, her eyes so empty from her ordeals in that hell…

Leon met a slightly different fate; he was one of those who leaped at the fences to end their suffering and was only brought in the truck, ironically marked with the sign of the Red Cross like David's shirt, with a whole heap of other corpses. David recognized him still and pushed the other inmates away so that no one would handle the man who taught him how to read and how to hunt and how to work the earth into giving fruit.

During the long nights above the whole compound, as David lay on his bed and tried to not think while his neighbor at the bed to the left rummaged through his mattress to make sure the grenades he hid there were not discovered, he wondered if he of all the people in the room was meant to arrive in this particular group.

After all, he had the power to start fire, and fire is what he condemned his people to.

When he was a young boy of no more than thirteen and first discovered that sparks came out of his fingers when he was cold and that he could ignite anything he wished to.

He fell in love with the roaring flames and the dancing bright red colors.

He never thought he'd learn to hate fire and smoke so much, to hate himself so much.

"…David…" a familiar voice tore him out of his thoughts and brought him back to the men and women slowly stripping all around him.

Daring to look up, on a mere instinct he immediately regretted.

Before him stood rabbi Titenboim, though it took David a while to recognize the man. The rabbi grew infinitely thinner and much older. His beard was bright white now, though it was half as long as it used to be; he must have been pestered by Germans and to taunt him they cut off his beard and dreadlocks. His jacket, which hung loosely on his body carried the yellow star badge and informed David that before he arrived here, rabbi Titenboim was in a ghetto.

"R-rabbi Titenboim…" David's voice came out choked with shame and regret, how he hated himself now. His throat was dry as he bent his head again and hunched his shoulders, clutching his fists like in that long forgotten day which seemed like centuries away, when the two men first met.

The man did not have to reach out and bring David's head up to look at him now because by then David grew and was two heads taller than the rabbi. Titenboim merely gazed deep into the hollow eyes which immediately escape his gaze. He began removing his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt.

David looked away, biting his lower lip until it split open. No blood came out of the wound for he was not human, but David was not in a state of mind to remember that, nor was he ever aware of why he never suffered any human affliction.

"You grew to be a big boy, David, a healthy boy; I knew the farm was the right thing for you."

No, the farm was in an area which got 'cleaned' and sent to death earlier than his hometown, so that David had to be rid of his family's remains after enough months of his new surrounding and have the horror play itself more furiously and painfully all over again just when he thought he became cold and hard as stone from Lea and Leon's death.

And if he was not such a big strong boy from all the farm work then he would never be chosen for a work like this, to which only the fittest of the men were taken.

But he couldn't say anything to this man now, or say anything at all.

The rabbi was now ready to walk into the seemingly harmless sanitary room, already heading towards it. With a sigh, the older man stopped and turned his head to look at David who was still staring at the floor trying to make himself die.

"Goodbye, David, say Kaddish(5) for me."

David choked on a sob and fought back the shudder through his limbs. He cannot have the people still in the hall see him like this or they might suspect, if they do not already know as the rabbi knows.

That evening, as he climbed to the sleeping hall, David did not turn immediately to his bed to try and sleep away the day's events like he and many other did. He walked to the small group of men who still clung to their belief and were performing the evening prayers.

"Let me in," he whispered at the group who huddled around a torah scroll they smuggled from Kanada(2), "I need to say Kaddish…" he needed no more words than that, he was not the first to do this.

David gave up his religion a long time ago, when he first saw the doors of the gas chamber open and the corpses inside spill out, but the rabbi asked him to say Kaddish and there were very little people other than the man for which he'll say the prayer.

David woke with a scream, grabbing the sides of his head as if he was trying to tear the skin and break the skull so the images flee out of his mind and never return to haunt him again. His body was shaking, covered with a thin film of cold sweat.

He leaped off the bed and fled to the bridge, grabbing the mast violently to stop himself when he realized he was going to hurl himself off the deck.

He clawed at the wooden pillar powerfully, gluing his body to it.

He was beyond thoughts of wishing to embrace Victoria until the visions stopped playing before his eyes whenever he blinked; he was still too immersed in the memory to think about it.

The cool sea breeze blew on his feverish forehead and calmed him, reminding him that he's in a world where that hell never existed. Fire here was never so harmful, so destructive.

David inhaled a lungful of sea air and exhaled slowly, repeating the process until his chest stopped beating and his hands stopped sweating as they clawed the mast.

Then he spotted Alex shoot to the railing, leaning over it with convulsions and shudders. He must have had a similar dream. David's head cleared completely; someone here was in need of his presence.

He walked up to Alex and waited for the man to finish what he was doing. They were brothers, in a sense, and they needed one another.

* * *

Outside the base a jungle lay. It was teeming with life, buzzing and vibrating with it even. There was not a moment of silence between the thick trees, shrubs and climbers. There were flowers everywhere and bugs in such immense numbers that Will's head almost ached with their noise.

He could not get enough of the jungle, couldn't find a single spot to look at and not find something he must investigate with his nose and fingers. This was an enchanted land and he never explored it, never knew it was there; he was trapped in that building full of sever frowning men all the time.

The Captain removed the collar from around the boy's neck and Will was off like a rocket, zooming from tree to shrub, to small animal he scared out of it's perching. He chasted the large parrots, the shapes of which he never saw in the ancient books about birds of Europe he always leafed through while he was still confined inside the base.

Behind him the Captain settled on a rock, took out a wooden stick and began carving something into it. While he sat there calmly, Will was all over the jungle running and jumping and babbling endlessly about everything he saw.

When he barked at a monkey was the only time the Captain got up to place a palm on his head and silence him. Other than that Will was mostly unguarded.

He realized this as he ran deep into the jungle, chasing after a strange gazelle, and realized he lost his way back. No one stopped him; there was no leash to limit his movement. He was lost and completely cut off from his home.

The sun was starting to set through the thick foliage of the jungle above him. Will sat down on the soft ground covered in rot, fallen leafs and moss. He gathered his legs to him, wrapping his arms around them to curl up into a ball and gazed around, frightened. There were predators in this jungle, Will could smell them and the blood they spilled, everywhere he roamed.

He shivered as cold began surrounding him and was whimpering like a frightened puppy. But who will hear him in the very heart of this jungle so thick he couldn't smell traces of people ever penetrating it?

His clothes were dirty with mud and the green goo of crushed leafs, small branches and flower petals caught in his hair. Will was on the verge of tears. He was hungry and thirsty and lost and miserable. He should have never walked out of the small cleaning the Captain lead the two of them to play in.

Sounds of footsteps and crushing, rustling branches came to the left of Will and the boy cringed, fearing a jaguar might emerge from the thick foliage. Instead Will picked up the scent of exhaust smoke and men's cologne which belonged to no one but the large and silent Captain.

Will leaped to his feet and as soon as the grown werewolf emerged from the wall of trees and greenery, holding a branch of the three to his right to his nose, Will ran towards him and crushed into the man.

The wide arms wrapped around him, picking him up from the forest floor and curling him close to his chest.

Will snuggled into the brown fabric of the Captain's coat and closed his eyes to sleep. He was exhausted from the day's adventures and his fear.

Slowly, with long sways of his wide steps, the Captain carried him out of the jungle and back to the base.

Will only woke when the guard at the gate told Captain the Major was looking for them, especially the young one in his arms. He didn't feel like unfurling himself out of the embrace; he was warm and safe here, he never wanted to leave the Captain's side.

But the Major called him, wanted something from him. What was it?

He was standing above an abyss and below, where the wind blew hard and cold, were layers on layers of corpses. The wind howled in his ears, voices trying to form words; his old name.

He knew the voice carried on the wind, the same voice that bid him and the Captain welcome back as the werewolf with the cub in his arms stepped into the wide, lushly decorated office.

Reluctantly, Will poked his head out of his curled limbs and the Captain's arms and looked around with sleep-dazed eyes. The Doc was in the office as well, looking agitated beyond what was usual.

What happened? Was it a rumor of the Jewish detectives who wanted to kidnap him that frightened Doc so? Why was he holding a chrome trey in his hand with a small glass bottle and a syringe by it?

"Thank you for bringing the little one here, you're dismissed." The Major had a nasal, slightly shrilly voice though his thick fat neck should have meant his voice would be deeper, "Were you out in the jungle playing all day, little Schro?"

Will cowered a bit, though from whenever he'd meet the Major the short chubby man was always infinitely nice to him. He just never liked that smile of the man's, like a ball of dough split in half by a row of small teeth.

Back then Will was too small to have the overflowing confidence that would later lead him to make remarks about the Major's piggish appearance.

The officer ruffled Will's hair with his small glove covered chubby palm and reached to rub at his soft black ear. The touch was pleasant, but there was something in the strain of the man's plump fingers that made Will tense.

"C-come here, Schrodinger, you need to get a vaccination." The Doc ordered Will, his face starting to sweat, his small brown eyes shooting nervously from Will to the fat man standing by him.

After placing the boy on his own feet, Captain lingered at the door, staring wordlessly at the scene before him. The two men inside the office noticed him and for a moment stared awkwardly at him.

The bottle danced softly on the chrome trey and the syringe rolled to its other side, "Y-yes, just a simple vaccination, nothing more. You don't want to get sick, do you?"

Looking deep into little Will's eyes, the Captain finally took his leave, giving the Major a long leveled look.

The Major huffed and plopped onto a wide deep oak sofa, crossing his legs in patience.

"What is a vaccination?"

"It's not really a vaccination, Schrodinger…"

The man behind Will coughed and the Doc's hands shook a little more.

"I-it's your genes, little one, t-they don't get along very well with one another…"

"….Huh?..."

"You know, boy, you were not created a werewolf; you were made as one by forging a wolf's genes with a human boy's."

"….!"

"So they don't get along very well, this is why you've been getting those headaches lately."

"You said it's because they're building the zeppelin hangers and the metal roof creaking is straining my ears."

"Yes, but I'm suspecting it's not only this so I'm going to give you this shot so your genes will stop fighting."

"…And what if it is the hangers' metal roof and not the gene thing? Won't the shot harm me?"

The major laughed, slapping the armrest delightfully, "You're such a clever boy, Schrodinger, maybe you'll become an officer one day."

"Yes, very smart. But I'm smarter," he sounded impatient and angry now, and was not bending down to talk to Will eye to eye, "and I say you need this shot so you'll be getting this shot, alright?"

Will shrugged.

"Come; sit on this couch here where you can lay and rest afterwards." The Major indicated to a sofa to his left.

"Rest! Will it hurt?"

"N-no, it won't hurt a bit. I've taken blood samples from you that hurt you more, sit still now, roll up your sleeve."

"You hand is shaking! You'll poke me too deeply."

"Ach! I should have brought a rolled newspaper to beat you with, rude boy!"

"**Ouch!**"

"Enough, enough complaining, take it like a man. It doesn't hurt, it won't hurt, you won't feel a thing…I promise…"

"…Doc…"

"…Yes?"

Will yawned instead of saying that he's sleepy.

"Sleep now….r-rest it off now boy…"

Before his heavy eyelids shut and black empty sleep took him over, Will noticed a somewhat blurry Major rising from his chair and the Doc leaving with his shoulders hunched.

Will opened his eyes and his head was clear. The abyss was gone and the wind stopped speaking to him. Yet he knew it wasn't everything; the dark night around the abyss and him hid yet one last trace of buried memory, too deep to dig up on his own.

"Ze shots…I hafen't got any in a very long time…how long, I do not know, it cannot be good to not get these shots…" Will sat up in his bed.

"Will? What are you talking about?" Kamui's soft voice came from his side; he had woken the boy up just when Kamui was starting to doze off.

"The shots…b-back in my world…" Will lowered his eyes, too sheepish to look Justice in the eye and speak of his birthplace, "Can ve go and speak to Seishiro…I know you hate him but I sink I need to get these shots or I get sick."

Kamui's worried face told him his doppelganger was not holding it against him that he might have to tolerate Kamui's arch enemy.

"Of course, right away."

They climbed out of their bed.

* * *

"Y-you just drank that man's blood, didn't you?"

Lestate let the man's lifeless corpse go and stared, stunned, at the mortal who caught him in the act of feeding.

"You're a vampire, am I right?" the Tramp asked, taking small cautious steps towards Lestate.

The vampire backed away from the Charlie Chaplin who was smiling at him, softly for some reason.

"Yes, I am. Will you hurt me for it?"

The man seemed to be taken aback. He looked away, musing. "I don't know…"

"Will you answer me something before you pass your judgment on me?"

"Yes, I'd love to."

"Where am I?"

A smile broke across the Tramp's face. He took a few more steps towards Lestate who backed away no more.

"You landed from the sky just now?"

"…Yes, how did you know?"

"We all do. Rather, we all did, each in their own time. We do not know how this came to be and why we were the ones to arrive here, but we did. You better move now."

"Why is that?"

"You hear that crackling noise from the ground?"

Lestate moved away from the spot where he stood just in time to avoid a tall column of fire which erupted from the earth at his feet.

"Mon deou..."

"Ah, you're French! You wouldn't happen to be the vampire Lestate, would you?"

Lestate straightened his jacket, flickering a stray bang of his blond hair away from his face, "The very same. Have you read my books?"

"I watched the movie based on the book telling your story. You wrote that book where you came from?"

"…They made a movie out of my books? How exciting! When did this happen? How was I not informed? Was it good? Who played my role? Was it Jonathan Rhys-Meyers(6), he's the only one close enough to my looks to play my part."

"A-actually, it was Tom Cruise…"

"Who?"

"You don't know Tom Cruise?" Lestate shook his head, "Never heard of him before?" shook his head again, "Really? He's very famous, wherever he is now…"

"Hmm, no, never heard of him. Does he look anything like me?" Lestate struck a pose, turning his good side to the Chaplin.

"Well, he's nothing like you now that I meet the real you."

"Oh…is he handsome at all?"

The Chaplin chuckled, "He's got your style in the movie…maybe he even undertoned it."

"Oh."

"And Brad Pitt played Louis, Antonio Banderas plays Armand…"

"**_WHAT!_** Brad Pitt is far too ape-ish and too short to play Louis, and Antonio Banderas is too old to play Armand! What were those movie makers had in their mind I know not! Honestly!" Lestate kept his scuffing and hissing, folding his arms on his chest angrily.

"Oh yeah, yeah, yeah!" the Tramp clicked his fingers, pointing at Lestate with a beaming smile, "Now I know the other books you're talking about! I had a friend who really liked the books."

Lestate stopped being angry and scanned Charlie from the corner of his eyes, waiting for the warm and smooth flattery to come from the man.

"You mean The Vampire Lestate, and Queen of The Damned," Lestate nodded proudly, "and Taltos and Blood and Gold," Lestate was not nodding anymore, "and Tales of The Body Thief and…"

"No, no, no, no, no! I never wrote any of those!"

"No, 'you' didn't 'write' them, you pretended you were a woman called Anne Rice and published it as fiction…I see, clever!"

"Anne who! You're raving, you mad Charlie Chaplin imposter."

"Ah yes...I am an imposter…" a suddenly dark mood landed on the Tramp and at once his whole body language slumped, "But I try my best to be funny, to look at life with an air of humor…you better move again…"

Lestate didn't have to wait for the cracking; he leaped to Charlie's side without effort.

"Would you look at that; you really do have such powers."

"Yes…I do…and they were not written about by no Anne Rice! Tssk, what a simple name to choose, of all things!"

"Can you really set things aflame?"

Lestate scrutinized Charlie carefully.

"And explode things with you mind, move them too? Surely you can leap more than you just did…am I right?"

Lestate took some time to search Charlie's mind to seek out traces of that dangerous curiosity mortals have that eventually gets them to hate him and see him as a monster. He found none.

"Yes…Why?"

Charlie's eyes glittered with excitement. He reached out and grabbed Lestate by the lapels of his jacket. "Because I'm thinking…I'm thinking we need people like you here; with special powers and stuff like that, who can fight things and save people…"

"Who are 'we'?"

"Well…the people of this wretched settlement…and me. I'm a doctor, you see, and I try to run around this place and help as many of the sick and injured as I can but, as you saw, the danger here are enough as they are and that's just the fire coming from the ground we're talking about. There are more dangers, oh so many more dangers…"

"And you want _me_, a vampire who feeds on mortals, to rescue these same mortals from death?"

"There's no one else who could do it." Charlie's eyes were full of hope and compassion and Lestate couldn't help but fall in love with this frank and energetic man, "I cannot do it all by myself."

Gently, Lestate removed Charlie's hands from his jacked and took them in his, "Alright, I'll help you. And I'll have you know that I do not feed simply upon any mortal who comes my way; that man was an Evil Doer who slew a whole family because they discovered him sacking their larder…"

"Yes, yes, no one will call you evil after the first time you'll rescue them from a monster's grip, believe me." Suddenly Charlie withdrew from his new friend with a jerk. He gasped and covered his mouth with his hands.

"That's it! That's exactly it: rescue! And there are two of us now, so we're a team! We'll call ourselves…" he paused dramatically, checking to see if Lestate was paying him attention still, "The Rescue Team! How does it sound?"

"Corny."

"Oh, you're too cynical for me. Come; let's get you to my little dump of a shack."

"Sounds delightful…" Lestate sighed as Charlie grabbed him by the hand and began dragging him out of the small dark and muddy alley where they stood and towards a gathering of filthy, shaky huts.

Lestate smiled as he rose from his coffin. Yes, Charlie was ever so energetic and happy back in those days. Mostly because he saw enough horrors to force him to pretend he took it all lightly and because he didn't see half of the horrors yet to befall them.

Oh, the adventures the two of them saw through together, Lestate couldn't help but recall them with joy and longing. He'll give Charlie a good tight hug when he sees him again.

Two similar footsteps passed the door of his storage room; the little snake of a boy and the wolf cub. They were heading towards the room of the magician lovers. Not good; Death was there, something good will not come of it.

Sighing, Lestate pulled himself out of his resting place and walked to open the door. Victoria was already stirring inside her coffin as she woke.

* * *

The headmaster in her orphanage was always a man who made her fill with fear. Her homeroom teacher was not any nicer than him. The two of them combined, and sitting behind that large heavy oak table in the dimly lit dusty office was something Victoria wanted to see as little as she could.

Sadly, she saw it too much, too often. She was not a very well behaved girl, never was really, no matter how much her caretaker in the orphanage's lodging said she's the sweetest girl she ever saw.

Standing in the office waiting for her deeming from the ominous adults before her, Victoria wanted nothing more than that nice woman's embrace.

"Has Victoria caused some problem again?" the man boomed, his thick floppy neck shaking with the vibration of sound.

"Yes headmaster." her teacher screeched, "A boy snatched a toy away from her, and she thrashed him with a rock."

Victoria cringed, the picture of the young boy crying with his head bleeding flashed before her child's eyes.

"None of the other teachers take kindly to her, either." The man spoke, his thin slimy lips snarling a bit, "I suppose the effect of the incident are still potent. But if she continues to cause problem we will not be able to continue caring for her at this orphanage."

They didn't, they sent her to a boarding school with lots of kids far tougher than what Victoria ever met before. Still she lingered somehow, clinging to the goodness in her, the innocence in her small girl's heart.

"Why do you want to become a policewoman?" Her boarding school's headmaster was a lot thinner than the orphanage's, though he was just as cold and patronizing, "Can't you think of any other path?"

"No." she will become a copper, a good copper, even if she'll get too deep and be 'offed' like father.

"You're too stubborn. Your father certainly was a good policeman."

Victoria could see he was looking at the wall to his side where a picture of him and Victoria's father, holding a fish rod and a gigantic fish dangling from a hook, hung amongst many other pictures. If it weren't for that friendship her father shared with the man, Victoria would have never gotten to this boarding school, the third she's been through, and get the high leveled education she received now.

"But you _do_ have bit of potential. It seemed that you yourself are wasting that."

She became a policewoman. Then she became Police Girl. Then she became a Rescue Team member, and Yuzuriha's best friend.

Then she became an orphan again.

Victoria stirred in her coffin and woke.

There was a man she wished to receive a hug from and suddenly, after avoiding his presence for a week already, every bit in her No Life flesh longed for David. Even if he can't love her because he doesn't like her body, even if he has to close his eyes and pretend she's not herself; she longs for him to hold her and sooth her pain.

Victoria climbed out of her coffin and shuffled out of the room. She couldn't hear David anywhere and all she saw walking the corridors and inhabiting the rooms she passed by were these strange huge young men dressed as pirates, donning the hungry jewels of forgetfulness.

Perhaps she wished to forget all these things in her mind; to erase everything that ever hurt her. To forget about her mother's blood tainted hair, her father's pierced forehead, the fork in the murderer's eye. She will let go of kids who abused her and teased her because she cried when they did, forget cruel teachers, demeaning headmasters and teachers. She'll erase the Cheddar forest filled with ghouls, who were once her closest comrades, the freak vampire priest who threatened to rape her before he'll kill her, the unfathomable pain of that shot to the chest.

She'll forget her poor aloof master, the one who's flaming crimson coat she was wrapping tighter and tighter around her as she walked closer and closer to the cool evening air in the bridge. Forget that he's dead and gone.

"You're the girl he's with now." The voice of a man cut her train of thoughts.

Victoria blinked at the thin, fair young man who leaned on the doorframe of a room to her right, his arms folded on his narrow chest, his small blue eyes digging deep into her eyes as if to search her soul.

"P-'parden?"

"You're the girl who's with him, with David. He's with you now, am I right?" The young man's voice came out half mocking, his english carrying a Russian accent to it.

At once she remembered the story Subaru told her of pirates' princess, and straightened her back proudly, sticking her breasts out as if to taunt the man. "Yes, what of it?"

The pirate's eyes grew dim and tired, his composition softened as if he ran completely out of energy. "I have something for you. Come in." he turned to enter the room, gesturing for her to follow him.

"Ei!"

The young man did not wait for her to follow him. He walked up to a large wooden chest in the room and threw the latch open. Slowly he brought the lid up, stopping for a moment to stare at the chest's content.

Overcome by curiosity, Victoria entered the room to peek into the box. She only stopped herself from standing by the lean man's side due to the lesson she learned from the ship's original owners.

Instead of a huge jewel, the pirate pulled something equally precious; a dress.

It was made of bright blue silk, embroided by diamond-laced cream colored lace. The sleeves were thin at first, and then they grew wide where the lace ending was tied upon by cream colored silk ribbons. The skirt of the magnificent garment was wide, sprayed with small imbedded diamonds and golden threads, lined as well by lace.

Victoria gasped, ogling at the amazing dress, "Oh…" she exhaled, placing a gloved palm on her chest, "T-this dress is _breathtaking_…simply breathtaking….oh…it's fit for a queen, this…"

"It's yours." The young man thrust the garment at Victoria, surprised she didn't reach for it immediately.

"O-oh no! No, no, I-I could never wear something so posh….I couldn't."

"Wear it, it's yours." The pirate's voice was bitter now, his eyes hard and sad, "You're his princess now."

Victoria forced her eyes from the dress to the man. "Thank you…"

Shrugging angrily, the man walked out of the room, the dress slipping out of his grip and into Victoria's cherishing hands, "Wear it; he'll love you in it."

Love her in it.

Was he? Could he? Is he still in love with this man's image as a princess? Is that it? Is that why he cannot look at her? Is this who he imagines when they lay together?

The dress might have been what her newly discovered enemy wore for the man she loved, but Victoria didn't want it to be stained by her bloody tears still. She placed it gently on the wooden chest and collapsed into a nearby chair, covering her eyes with her palm wrapped in her master's oversized glove.

She wept bitterly.

* * *

"Pick a card, any card, pick a card. Pick a card, any card, any card, pick a card. Pick a…"

"Aright, alright, alright already." Subaru reached out and lowered Death's hands which were holding up a brand new flush of ofuda mere inches from his face, "You make so much noise sometimes when you're in a silly mood."

Alex's eyes dimmed a bit, "I'm not in a silly mood; I'm only pretending to be."

Subaru studied Death's face, waiting for signs from the man that would tell him he could ask what was bothering him.

Seishiro snickered. He was sitting with his back to the two, rolling neat thin cigarettes cylinders.

"Seishiro, care for a game of chess?"

"Hell no. I won't suffer another scorching defeat by you."

"Aww, you're a sore loser."

Seishiro shot Alex a glare across his shoulder, "I am _not_ a sore loser. I just can't stand that smug grin you have on your face whenever you so casually win."

Alex beamed that very same grin, only with a touch of innocent sweetness and a whole lot more gleeful smugness.

"Bastard."

The grin was quickly wiped off Alex's face, his jade orbs sharpening into cold cruelty as they hung on the room's closed door.

Worried, Subaru turned his eyes to where Alex was staring.

The door swung open and Will's head poked through. Immediately he recognized Alex and withdrew.

"Why did you back up?" Kamui's voice came into the room, muffled by the wooden door.

"A-Alex ist zere…"

"So what? You need those shots, don't you?"

"Y-yes…but…"

"Then come on in already and let's be over with it. If he tries anything nasty or snappy I'll deal with him, okay? You deal with Sei-bastard."

"I heard that." Seishiro growled through his teeth.

Again the door creaked open, much slower this time, until Kamui pushed Will in and it swung ajar.

Daring to take only a few shy and short steps into the room, Will stood with his head bowed, daring only to cast a few glances at Seishiro. Kamui stood by his side, arms folded on his chest irritably.

"That mutt is the last thing I need now." Alex hissed, looking out of the room's window to try and limit his exposure to the werewolf cub as much as he can.

"Uh….umm…Z-zere….I-I need….Umm….back in my…I-I mean…I need to get vaccinations, and I haven't gotten zem since I came here…"

"Vaccinations?" Seishiro put aside the last cigarette he made, paying complete attention to his patient, "You mean for rabies and the likes? I'm not sure these diseases exist in this world, perhaps you don't have to get them at all."

"Nei…I mean, no. Zey veren't for rabies but for my genes…"

"Your genes?"

"Yes, Doc…uh…zey said my genes fought one another and I had to get shots to make zem not fight or I vould get zese headaches…"

"That's bullshit," Alex' growl boomed across the room. He was still avoiding eye contact with the cub, "the monster who created you would have destroyed you at the first sign of something flawed in you."

"Also," Seishiro added, "genes do not fight one another. If you mean that your body's wolf parts and human parts fight then it'd take on the form of an allergy and headaches are not a symptom of allergies I know of in dogs. These headaches, how often would you get them? When did they start?"

Will dared to straighten his gaze to Seishiro, "Vhen I became fourteen. My ears vould ache first, zen my head. I thought it vas the hangers zey vere building for ze zeppelins and the construction noises vere too loud for me, but Doc said it vas my genes…"

Seishiro shook his head gently, trying to talk as kindly and softly as he can to the confused boy, "If it was something as sever as your human and wolf parts fighting then it'd appear much earlier…however, there is a possibility that puberty began this process, which would explain why your headaches started at the age of fourteen. What puzzles me still is why it is headaches and not something more specific such as your ears or tail hurting; your wolf parts being rejected by your human body.

"Try to remember; what color was the shot's fluid?"

"…Uh….transparent?"

"I see. Did it hurt you when it was injected? Did it burn or numb you in any way?"

"It didn't burn, only the needle hurt. But after I'd get the shot I vould become immediately sleepy and vould vake up hours later vith some parts of my body very aching."

This made Alex jerk a bit and shoot his eyes to the werewolf, "Sleepy…?" he seemed to mumble to himself, "What parts of your body hurt exactly?"

The room became silent. No one could comprehend that Alex spoke to Will without a single hint of hostility in his tone, and was looking at the boy with eyes devoid of anger or scorn.

Will gaped a bit, before cowering a little, looking away and wrapping his arms around himself, "…Uh…m-my neck sometimes…and my thighs…a-and….ummm…." a powerful blush burst across his face and he burying his eyes in the floor to hide his face, "I-it vas a bit painful to sit after…"

Kamui frowned. Subaru stopped himself from gasping. Seishiro frowned and leaned back into the chair, at a loss of what to do. Alex was almost burning with rage.

"And when you would receive these shots, where would you get them? Was there anyone else in the room other than you and that monster?" Death hissed, his fists clutched tightly and shaking.

Now daring to look directly at Alex, though still terrified of the man's inraged condition, Will frowned in innocent puzzlement, "V-vhat do you mean? How do you know? Vhy? Vhat does it matter?"

He was standing at the edge of the abyss again and the wish was calling him, the voice of the sneering man on the wind which now caressed him with white-gloved hands.

"Who else was with you in the room?"

Will looked away, sweat slowly covering his blushing face. The wind was not wind anymore; it was only the hands, hands which touched him all over. Touched him all over. And the voice, praising his thin frame and his fair hair, who did it belong to?

"…Major…"

He was not at the cliff edge anymore; he was in the realm of memories again. He was lying on the sofa on the Major's room.

He had accidentally woken up from his slumber for a fragment of a second. He heard that voice say those things and, with drug-blurry vision, managed to make out the plump face and the light reflecting off the surface of the Major's glasses. The man above him was swaying up and down and the pain….the pain was there, concentrated between his…

No. He shook his head slowely, as if this would change history. NO!

Will crushed to the wooden floor, kneeling there as he covered his head with his hands, whimpering, "Nein, nein, das ist ausgeschlossen…ich glaube kein…..ich glaube kein hiernach

davon….(7)" He continued to shake his head, shaking with sobs.

Kamui gasped, taking a frightened step back. He wanted to do something to aid Will but didn't know how he could help. What could he say? What could he do? What did he understand anyway!

Seishiro stared at the boy and blinked. He too was at a complete loss as to what to do. He felt obliged to help Will; the more small treatments he gave the boy as a vet is the more he began feeling some kind of an inkling to the cub, which was bordering parental worry.

If he is feeling some kind of a parental responsibility towards Will, then isn't he supposed to do something now and aid the boy with his shock?

But how?

Seishiro cast a glance at Subaru across his shoulder, hoping to see the man get up to comfort the boy.

Subaru sat still on the bed, staring at the small ball of weeping, whimpering werewolf. In his heart he felt that pull of someone's need for comfort and warmth, but he wasn't sure he was able to provide such a thing. For such a long time he considered Will as something to ignore as a way to show loyalty to Alex, now gathering enough care in him to tend to this creature was something difficult to achieve.

The bed on which Subaru sat groaned as Alex moved off of it. The floorboards creaked as his soft boots slid-stepped on it. Alex was walking towards the youth on the floor. Would he deem him more anger and scorn; kick him while he's down?

Alex knelt by the ball of a boy and placed a soft palm on the cub's head.

Will froze under the touch, knowing full well whose palm it was on his head.

Alex moved the hand off Will's head and around his shoulder, down his side, under his shin, and pulled the boy to his chest. He sat Will on his leg and warped his arms around the boy to steady him, pressing Will's head to his chest with his other hand.

Slowly, the notion that this was not Death's almighty wrath given to him but the comfort the creature was capable of giving. The same comfort he observed given to Kamui that night, was now aimed at him, given to him.

His whimpers now came short and rapid, but definitely more hushed. His tears never stopped flowing, nor did his head stop to shake in eternal denial. He dared to reach and cling to Death's black vest, to warp an arm around the man's wide and powerful waste.

He was not denied these comforts. Finally Will allowed himself to hurl himself full force into the sheer horror, disgust and pain of it. To cry as hard as he could, to rage inside as much as he could; to be one with his emotions until he'll run out of them and be rid of them for good.

"Cry as much as you can, boy," Alex's voice was soft and thick, almost velvety with how comforting and warm it was.

Kamui's jaw hung as he stared at what he thought is the complete impossible. Seishiro and Subaru did pretty much the same. All were staring at these two arch enemies finding comfort in the other.

"It's over now, it ended, it won't happen again. You're far away from those evil people, oh so far away; they're dead, they can't reach you anymore."

Memories pulled Will out of the storm of woe in his mind. Alex killed them all. They were dead. _He_ was dead. Alex killed them.

He thought back to Kamui's request of him to run away quickly when Alex was slaughtering the real pirates. He remembered the look in Alex' eyes; so crazed and angry. He understood.

_He_ did that to him. _He_ was not punished. Not until Alex came to Will's world and _he_ was dead. Alex killed _him_, taking revenge without knowing the full extensity of said revenge.

_He_ is gone now and _he_ is not coming back. _He_ is far away, _he_ cannot reach him anyone. _He_ is dead. Alex killed _him_.

"…Goddamn them…" Alex's loose hand, the one stabilizing Will, clenched its fist and shook. Alex' whole body shook with anger, "God**_damn_** them! No matter where they are, no matter who they are, they're always the same. Same symbols, same believes, same techniques, same **_fucking_** crimes. They don't even mind hurting their own men…**_goddamn them_**…"

Two victims of the same crime.

Subaru's eyes filled with tears which spilled quickly down his cheeks then stopped. Though the hurt in the room was immense, it was beyond his help. They had each other, for as long as this strange pact could last, and they needed no more. They needed no one else to look upon them, to talk to them, to make their existence known.

Seishiro retreated from his chair, and sat by Subaru.

As the light onmyouji looked at the dark one, he came to realize that Seishiro was like a child; clinging to the only figure of authority he knew for knowledge and explanation. Subaru smiled and placed his warm hand on Seishiro's.

Kamui stared at the two men and wondered. Is he to feel jealous, if only for this great comforting force shared with someone other than him? Or should he be happy for Will? Of course he should. But what to feel about Alex?

After thinking it through, Kamui decided that what he feels is hope that the long and scorching grudge Alex felt towards the werewolf would be over. May it be.

Noticing the cub in his arms have cried himself to sleep, Alex climbed to his feet slowly as to not wake the boy with his movements, and turned to Kamui.

"He's asleep. I'm taking him to your room."

Staring deep into those suddenly unreadable and blank emerald eyes, Kamui could only nod and follow Alex down the corridor to their room.

There, Alex placed the cub softly on the bed, tucking him deep under the mantle. He tightened the thick blanket under Will to best insulate the warm cocoon he created for the boy and did this with such concentration and graveness. Kamui thought Death suddenly looked like a loving father, tucking his child to sleep.

Will's sleeping face never looked this clear and calm. The tears have brought a soft pink gentle swallowing to the circles under his eyes and his cheekbones. His lips, which he bit into so nervously before, were now puffy and bright crimson.

Softly, Alex ran his fingers through the boy's blond hair and brushed a few stray bangs from above the boy's closed eyes. Then his fingers moved to the boy's ear, testing its fur's softness with the tips of his fingers.

Arching his eyebrows suddenly, Alex removed his hand from the cub and straightened his back. He looked thoughtful, aloof, detached from reality.

Kamui dared not move.

As Death passed by him on the way out of the room, his head slightly bowed and his eyes half closed, he whispered, "This will not happen again. Ever."

"Thank you."

The door creaked shut behind him.

Inhaling slowly, letting the air out again, Kamui walked up to his bed. He settled at the head of the furniture, legs crossed, and placed Will's sleeping head in his lap. He continued the soft touch started by Death, running his fingers through Will's hair and over his ears the way he learned pleased the young werewolf.

* * *

The scene was not missed by the undertaker amongst the Death Riders, and it made his blood boil.

There, it finally happened. David always knew that one day Alex' unexplained and crazed love for Kamui will lead him to love anything that has to do with the boy and accept everything the boy threw at him.

After all, he watched as Alex hurled himself into a time and energy consuming task that was finding Kamui in the whole dizzying variety of dimensions out there.

Then he watched Kamui lead Alex to chase after him like a desperate puppy, always keeping him guessing whether the boy loves him or not.

He watched as Alex's heart was broken by the boy, crushed and shattered and splintered and destroyed. And Alex even allowed that Fuma kid to live.

Then keeping the boy in a luxurious tent when the boy should be in a prison cell, letting the boy rid on a horse, as free to run away as any man when he should be chained down and restrained.

Letting the boy step all over him, letting the boy land another blow on him, and another, and another.

Then came that blasted werewolf brat, this filthy remnant of a regime both he and Alex despised more than anything. The werewolf even came in clothes most fitting for the immediate and bloody slaughter of that wretched mutt.

But no! Oh, no! Kamui asked and the wretch was allowed to live. _TO LIVE!_ And ride with them; be around them, live near them! How….why!

All because Kamui asked Alex, because Kamui looked deep into Alex's love-crazed eyes and said, "Pretty please, Alex, maybe I'll love you if you did."

This is not the Alex David knew, oh no. This is not the short tempered warrior David knew Alex to be. The man who pulled his sword out faster than his enemy's eye could even register it, the man who passed his judgment upon people as quick as lightening and executed their verdict just as quickly. The man who fought through the fog of his strange love for Mouse and dared to speak up to the man, even killed him eventually for what Mouse did to him.

Mouse never gave Alex half the misery Kamui did, why can't Alex just take up arms again and destroy the boy!

It's not like he never eliminated the ones who dared to approach anyone he loved; David saw Alex do that before, for merely flirting with someone he was with. Why didn't he rid Kamui of Fuma, that righteous version of him?

Didn't Fuma disturb him; this existence of himself that did not suffer as much as him, allowed to live? Why did he not remove the disturbance from Kamui's life and claimed the boy his again? Why didn't he destroy the both the moment Kamui showed the first sign of unfaithfulness?

Kamui was like poison; running through Alex' veins, slowly destroying him, tissue by tissue. Now his brain's gone. What will come next?

Well, David decided, he's not going to let it happen. This evening, as they both woke from their nightmares, they clung to each other like only two of their kind could, for support and comfort. He will not let that comfort be given to something as vile and impure as that wretched dog!

If Alex is too blind to realize Kamui spells his own death, then David will eliminate the boy before more damage will be done. If Death is taken in by a false spell that the wretch has anything in common with Kamui and becomes suddenly soft and forgiving for the wretch's sins, then David will burn the thing to a crisp so that no more crimes against their brotherhood can be committed.

Alex might hate him, his wrath might be turned against him, but David didn't care. Death might try to kill him, but David knew better than that; Alex will not hurt his brother, could not hurt his brother. Eventually, when the rage and the grief are gone, that noxious love will be finally drained from Alex and the man will finally be free.

Then he'll thank him, he'll realize what a great favor David did for him. And they will be brothers again; looking out for one another, free again.

David was not afraid of what punishment he might be given before that happens; he already hurt Kamui to try and get Alex to realize that blood is thicker than water before.

And blood is what he'll spill tonight. Tonight, the nightmare that is Alex's love for Kamui imprisoning him will be over for good.

David's bare feet softened their step on the wooden floor as he neared Kamui's door. He will step in and speak to Kamui, explain to him his emotions and as soon as Kamui starts preaching him of justice and how Alex did all this to himself he'll burn the boy down.

Yes, burn him down, burn the wretch too. He hadn't done it in more than a hundred years, and the thought of smelling that sweet stench again sickened him, but for Alex he'll do it. For his brother's freedom.

His large palm landed flat and open of Kamui's door, pushing gently. His heart was racing, his head was dizzy. His vision was blackened randomly, with sheer emotion and flashes of memory. He will eliminate the boy and may god help him rein his emotions enough to not make a blundering mess of it.

Kamui was on the bed, cradling the wretch's head in his lap.

'Oh, sweet beautiful poison in the shape of two identical bodies. Soon Alex will love the both of you and nothing will stop him from becoming your slaves, beauty. Treacherous, venomous beauty. I will not be fooled by your mask of exquisiteness. I can see the black core of your evil inside.'

He remembered, that night in the Men's city, as Alex exited Victoria's room and found David to tell him of Victoria's ache. How his eyes were heavy and clouded, and ever so old. David hated it when Alex was like that.

"What's the matter?"

Death's brow creased, his eyes looking deep into the past of another world, "When I asked him why he allowed himself this imprisonment, why he let himself be caught and manipulated by mortals," David learned enough by then to know Death referred to Victoria's master, "why he was made to kill his own kind….he said…"

David will never forget it, Alex's eyes turned to the room where Kamui slept, "He said 'I was bored, eternal life does that to you, I was merely bored.'," his eyes were tearing again; new blood drops flowing down the red path earlier drawn on Death's marble white cheeks.

"'It will happen to you too', he said, 'as soon as you've lived for long enough it will happen to you too. Everything you once were, the exact opposite of that you'll become. If once you were an admired hero, a hated monster you will become. If you were once moral and righteous, a wrongful criminal you'll be.'"

Now the jade orbs filled with horror as they stared at Kamui's door, "'And if once you were a master of your domain and reigned supreme over all, a slave you will become. One day, mark my words, one day,' he said 'you too will become a Bird of Hermes; you will eat your own wings to make you tame.'"

Then Alex' eyes turned to David, to the only man who will ever fully understand him, and they were filled with terror, "He looked away and said, 'As I drank from you, I saw the boy, this Kamui you remembered suddenly. He was sitting on you and you were on the floor in your prisoner's uniform of stripes and pain. He turned to look at me and scowled and said that you are his and I am to leave.' He looked at me, he said, 'Perhaps you've already accomplished the latter of the changes, perhaps you are already a Bird of Hermes.'."

'Ah, Alex, you should have listened to that vampire. You are no longer a master of your domain, no longer reigning supreme over all. You ate your own wings.

And the boy who made you do it, he will die now because I will put an end to it.'

Kamui raised his eyes slowly, as if in a dream, to the fire handler on his doorstep and saw the man in his condition.

"David."

"You, what have you made Alex do now? How low did you pull his leash to make him kneel and grovel before you?"

"I did no such thing."

"Ah, the age old excuse; he did it to himself, I have nothing to do with it. You didn't give him direct order; you just made a cute face and he danced to your tune. You lascivious wretch, you treacherous brat!"

Kamui blinked. Most of the words coming from David's mouth were beyond the English he knew. He needn't understand the man's words, the hostility and wrath oozed out of David's body like hot oil.

"You saw everything that happened in Subaru's room, or did you just see Alex bring Will here?"

"It doesn't matter what I saw; I saw enough of it. You're not going to have Alex break down the last law of morality he built for himself just because it might start some kind of a warm emotion in you."

"But I don't want any warm emotions from Alex, and I'll never have any of them towards him."

David took a few powerful steps towards Kamui. His eyes shot across Kamui and the sleeping Will, the pupils were tiny and the irises were crazed. The air around the undertaker was hot, as if he'll soon set the whole room afire.

Just like Seishiro in the tunnel; Kamui needs to pay for his wrongdoings now as he faces Alex's most loyal men. One already took his vengeance, now the other will. What Lestate would do, Kamui wondered for a fleeting moment.

Doesn't matter. He must keep his cool and stand with his head high before this man's deeming, before this man's rage. He deserves every ounce of it, every hurt his body will suffer.

"I decided something," David's voice grew hushed now, yet it still bore that energy so possessed with wrath, "I will kill you and that mutt and then there will be no more of you to poison Alex until he rots from the inside."

Kamui bit back a gasp. David meant business; he will kill him if Alex won't come here and stop him.

But no, he will not rely on Alex to save him, not again. He faced Seishiro, who could have killed him just as easily as David can, he can do it again.

He must rely on his own wit, on his own intelligence to save him from this pinch.

Must think calmly, must ignore this horrid heat in the room. Oh, David draws ever so nearer.

What makes the man angry? What makes him so hateful? And now of all times, of all the times Kamui did bad things to Alex before.

He's not angry at the harm Kamui inflicted on Alex directly; it's the sudden warmth Alex showed towards Will that was the last straw for the undertaker.

Will was once Schrödinger, once brought to David and Alex dressed in that outfit, he once was _what_ he once was. Alex then condemned the werewolf, and David agreed to it, agreed for Will to suffer as greatly as they did. Now Alex reached out to snuff some of Will's suffering and David was in a rage.

Will's suffering was David's suffering, shown to the boy as his punishment. That is what David is angry about; his own suffering.

That's it!

And the heat in the room; David was going to set fire to the both of them. But he will not look at them as he does that; he will not be able to, even after all.

That will be his chance, his chance to defend himself with his own powers.

Kamui grew calm.

Stopping suddenly, David moved to turn around. He took a few steps away from the bed, gathering his powers and slowly unleashing them towards the boy and the cub.

The heat was not coming from the undertaker anymore; it was coming from the mattress under Kamui and the boy knew that it's now or never. The edges of his bed sheets began smoldering, smoke curled up from the edges of his pillowcase and the wood of the headboard blackened.

Terror; fear beyond his wildest imagining. Impossible grief, crushing frustration at his own impotence. These emotions, where were they coming from! Kamui was suddenly so taken by them that he could not see or hear anything around him.

Instead he saw blackness all around him, and small flames licking at his blanket and pillow, at the four posts of his bed, at the veil of his bed's draperies.

Someone lay in the bed next to him, his head severed from his neck. It was Fuma and not Fuma at all. Someone stood on the bed, in full armor of black and orange in the shape of flames. A mask was on his face but Kamui knew that underneath that was Alex, and not Alex. From the mask's eyes tears came, tears of fire, fire that increased the burning of his bed.

No! It's not him! It doesn't happen now! Must snap out of it, must get back to reality and deal with what's before him or he'll really burn alive.

Kamui shook his head, and saw his room in the ship again. The sheets were hot beyond what was comfortable, the mattress and the headboard too. Sweat broke out all over his body. Will moaned and frowned in his sleep.

David was with his back to them and Kamui could see, from the man's face reflecting from a small mirror hung on the wall by Kamui's door, that his face was crazed with resolution and hate.

The undertaker was prepared to set him completely ablaze. Must speak now or he will die, or David will truly go mad.

Inhaling as much air as he could, the smell of ironing and fire in his nose, Kamui reined in his calmest, cleared tone and cried, "You're innocent!"

The heat did not stop, nor did it increase or die down, and David's shoulders jerked a bit.

"You're innocent of all those crimes you relate to yourself. All the things they made you do, they are not your fault. I am Justice, I can see a man's crimes on his hands and in his heart like they were blood. You may scorn and doubt my skills as Justice due to the events that lead us to where we are now, but believe me or not; you are completely innocent."

The heat stopped; his bed cooled down as if a wind swept whatever fire David started around Kamui.

The fire keeper was shaking all over, so violently that it seemed he was going to lose balance and crush to the floor at any given moment.

Will opened his eyes and stared around. Choosing to stay down and silent for now.

"They sent you there; you had no control over that. Then…you wanted to survive, like everyone did, you had no other choice. And you took place in the rebellion, did you not, you fought them back.

"You think I don't know anything about it, that I've never even laid eyes upon a single picture taken there, but I did. When I was a vampire and drank from Alex, I dug deep into his soul and observed it, observed it all. I saw it, and though I'll never be able to fully understand, I know at least some of it."

David's shoulders hunched, his head dropped nearly down to his chest. He was standing still, his arms to his sides, his fists powerfully clenched. The light from the window behind Kamui's back reflected off David's white knuckles and the budging veins all over the man's skin.

Kamui's tone was no longer that of soft reassuring plea, it was strong and full of authority, "They were the ones to pour the poison into those rooms, they were those who chose who will die and they delivered the condemned to the halls. They are to blame, they are guilty. But you, David, you are innocent; that is the deeming of Justice."

The undertaker left Justice's room. The door hung ajar behind him.

Suddenly, Kamui realized that all his muscles were clenched and that he was powerfully grabbing the sheets under him. He was saved, and beyond that; he was complete with his new destiny and role. He passed a completely perfect and true judgment.

Noting the werewolf in his lap was awake, Kamui looked down at him gravely, "Remember what happened now, Will, and remember what was overcome to bring you to comfort in this bed."

Will nodded.

* * *

He did not know where he was going for he could not see a thing, as if his eyes no longer functioned. Somewhere at the back of his mind something very primitive told him to turn right here, open the door there, and turn left now.

He arrived at the bridge as his body was burning like the ovens of the long lost dreadfulness. He stepped onto the railing and cast himself into the great sea beneath, to cool the tormenting heat in his inhuman flesh.

The water was cold and soothing, but they did not satisfy anything beyond his body; his soul still needed release.

As he fell down to the side of the ship a view sparkled before his haunted eyes for a fragment of a second; a dress of bright blue and cream, glittering with diamonds.

The princess. No. he did not love the princess anymore. He loved Victoria.

It was Victoria in that dress.

Victoria. He must have her in his arms or his head will explode, or he'll set himself aflame and wait until the fire consumes his body's energy to extinct him.

He stepped into the wooden room, his ancient stripy trousers dripping saltwater all around him. Fat water droplets slid from his shaved head, down the back of his sun scorched neck, down his powerful back between the black wet wings which could not fly now, over the Red Cross mark, to soak into the wretched pants.

He stood at the door, looking at Victoria who stood, just as stiffly in the room.

He stood like a brainless zombie; mind so full of buzzing thoughts it was a vacuum, his eyes still crazed.

She stood in the room stiff with fear and pain, trying not to move might she ruin something or do the wrong thing.

The dress did not fit her perfectly; the sides of its corset were hanging loosely on her waist and the skirt was blissfully wider over her hips and behind or it would never be able to hold her body's fat reserves perfectly. The upper part of the corset, where a modest but revealing neckline was supposed to be laced together with a cream colored silk ribbon, Victoria's ample breasts broke through, tearing the delicate silk and opening an impossibly promiscuous full neckline. The only thing the pieces of fine silk were able to hide from David's eyes were her nipples.

Yet she looked more than magnificent in that dress, more than royal and beautiful and amazing and elegant. She looked like a heavenly creature, still innocent and staring, who landed in this ship before David's damned eyes to torment them with her glow and magnificence.

Like an idiot, he stumbled towards her, extracting a frightened whimper from between her undead lips. She did not feed that night and was pale and weak from the lack of blood.

Her large red eyes scanned over his wretched appearance and wondered what on earth happened to him. It was definitely a bad thing. It was definitely another horrid memory.

But if he here for comfort from her, or is he here for comfort from this new embodiment of that damned princess he loves so much?

"…Victoria…" David's voice was so hoarse it sounded like it came from the depth of some pit dark pit.

It was her name he called.

"…Victoria…so beautiful…" he stumbled towards her some more until they were nearly pressed one against the other.

Victoria dared not even breathe.

He reached out to her, placing his roughened palms on her bare white shoulders, "So beautiful. And pure, so, so pure…You are innocent…."

He was staring directly into the tiny squeezed valley between her breasts. Then he raised his eyes to hers and they were filled with watery tears, and so much sincere pain that she was first unable to recognize it.

"It is complete, all the wounds are prepared to heal….Will you heal me? Will you help me, Victoria?"

She choked on her answer, bloody tears running from her eyes as freely as his watery ones, "…Of course…" she whimpered poorly.

"You see…" he was looking down on her body again, "You're so enticing in that dress, and so sexy in your normal clothes. Your master's clothes, your original blue clothes, this dress, it doesn't matter. You think I can't be aroused by your natural body, when I am, as soon as I can't look at it.

"It hurts you and you don't want to be with me, when being with me is the one thing you could do to heal me.

"I cannot ever think of telling you my sorrow; I will never hurt you this much, the knowledge will burn you from the inside as it burnt so many others. All I need is you at my side, to hold me, dressed or not.

"But you think I'm not attracted to you, and you're so unconfident that it breaks your heart and you think I don't love you. Because I don't tell you. Because I don't look at you."

She clung to his shoulders, hoping he'll stabilize her before she'll collapse backwards and faint on the wooden floors. He read her so openly that she felt like he was reaching into his heart and opening it, and it hurt so badly.

But David was not the one who was going to keep them both on their feet because he himself came crushing to his knees at her feet and she sat down on a chair before they both tumble on one another.

His hands were deep inside her dress, cupping her. His head he buried in her lap, in the deep soft pillow of blue and cream silk and her strange vampiric cold warmness.

"I love you and only you but I cannot look upon you because…because of my sorrow, because of what I saw. I saw so many, men and women, naked and broken. You have no idea what that gas does to human bodies – no! I won't tell you, I won't break your mind!

"You don't know, Victoria, but I grew so cold inside. Like a stone in winter, I grew tight and cold and hard, until nothing I looked upon meant anything. Not even my own mother and father, my sisters or my brother. I saw nothing as valuable, nothing as meaningful, because it all met the same end; the fire. The human body, it still means nothing to me, nothing without emotions within me to make it warm and meaningful.

"You fill me with warmth, Victoria, and you chase away the horrors that play before my eyes at night. You heal me. You must heal me, you must stay with me. I have no one else and I am so cold…so very cold…

"Please….stay with me, tolerate this wretched, smoky firebrand and all his quirks in your company, because he loves you…and needs your company so very, very much."

He raised his eyes to meet hers and they were warm and red with blood. She nodded, biting her lower lip to stop herself from sobbing loudly. "I will," she managed to whimper through her fangs, "I promise…"

Finally relieved of the last dam keeping him from flowing completely, David buried his face in her lap again and hooked his arms powerfully around her waist. He cried then like he never cried in a long time, since he was a child, and he cried for it all.

* * *

The Sakura rained pink petals all over the grass beneath the gigantic tree. Seishiro watched the green change its color, dotted with pink until it was completely bright, cruel crimson.

The little girl hooked on his arm, was growing cold. The blood on his fingers caked and Seishiro wished to rub his palms against one another to shake the red layer off.

One day he'll be big enough to hunt bigger prey. Despite his already towering size, way over the average Japanese boy of sixteen, Seishiro was too small to pick on adult victims. So he killed this little girl, this teen idol who saw her agent buy drugs from the wrong people and earned her death.

Seishiro stared at the ribbons in the girl's hair, her short shining black hair, as they were caught by the wind and danced happily. The girl will never be able to dance. It's a shame because she danced so prettily. Oh well. Seishiro untied the ribbon and set it free in the wind.

Something picked on his mind and Seishiro, who was brought to the vicinity of a Sumeragi before as training by his mother, knew that a powerful onmyouji of the cult opposite to his was nearing him.

He watched silently as the boy, who couldn't be more than nine or eight years old, chanted his ofuda to create a circle around the Sakura and began working his magic. Seishiro's flesh crawled, every cell, every sinew suddenly scotching softly. When the Sakura is attacked it alarms him to make sure he defends it.

No need to act against the child's charm; the Sakura was far too powerful for this kid to act against it. The ofudas tore to pieces and the boy was hit by sakanagi.

Ah, sakanagi, the child did not yet learn how to channel it away from him. How silly of him to try and not only charge head on against _The Sakura_ but to also do it without preparing a proper channel to deflect the sakanagi away from him with.

This child was so inexperienced it was painful to watch. Seishiro wanted to laugh at the boy. He wanted to leap off the Sakura's branch, like a frightening big cat, and attack the boy.

This is, after all, the next Sumeragi clan head, and killing the boy will be an achievement no one will ever expect of Seishiro.

The world would shake, destiny would quake. This boy, who will one day fight him for the earth in that far off, unimaginable Battle of the Apocalypse, will die before his time. Oh, the havoc Seishiro could create by snuffing out this petty, defenseless candle.

But first, let us toy with the boy. He reached out the arm on which the girl was hooked and shook the light corpse a bit until drops of blood landed on the boy's chubby face.

"Rain?" the child said with a clear squeaky voice, "But…It's red…" then the boy looked up and saw Seishiro, saw the dead girl as well.

From the shock in the boy's eyes Seishiro knew the child noticed the hole in the girl's chest, the bright red exposed flesh, and the protruding white bones.

Seishiro smiled kindly and shook the girl off his arm. The blood kept dripping n the child's face and he, stupidly, reached for the sticky drops to touch them. His eyes were empty with shock.

The girl plopped down to the ground. The sound of smashing flesh and breaking bones.

The child reached to cover his face and hide his innocent mind from the horror.

Seishiro leaped to the ground and threw an erasing spell on the boy's memory. No more of that.

A beautiful boy, this little thing, now lying limp in his arms, like a beautiful doll. Seishiro felt something in his chest, but decided to ignore it, push it away. Heresy.

Instead, he'll be coldhearted as he was taught, and speak like a villain, like the core of wickedness that he is.

"No one has ever witnessed me in the act of killing," remove that hand with which you brush the boy's blood tainted soft cheek with, at once! "and on top of that, this boy is in the same trade as me. Hmmm…what to do?"

Kill him; he saw you kill. Kill him, end it all.

But the boy is so beautiful and so interesting! Something is moving in his chest.

Maybe…just maybe…oh, but he'll do it harmfully, all in malevolence, yes, malevolence. He will not be kind.

The boy, that delicate and precious, fragile, young body moved in his arms. The eyes opened, that unique color was revealed to Seishiro more closely.

At once he leaped away from Seishiro's arms, shaking his head and glancing around like a confused faun.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I…did I faint…?"

Innocence. So much innocence. And there's pain now in Seishiro's chest, like something inside is struggling to break through his ribs and join the child, to attach itself to him.

The boy bowed deeply, his tiny hands disappearing in the sleeves of his oversized shikifuku, "I'm sorry to have troubled you. Thank you for rescuing me."

The thing in his chest struggled more but Seishiro pushed it back. He was truly curious now, like a leopard is curious of the moved of the gazelle it's stalking.

"These cherry blossoms are beautiful." The boy chirps. The trap shuts tight on his small gentle body.

"You like cherry blossoms, do you?"

"Yes!"

The boy smiled and the sun broke through the clouds that never covered it. The boy smiled and the Sakura was gone. Leaving only the petals, the colors of which so flattered the boy's healthy complexion and his charming blush of an excited child. The boy smiled and the grass, so pampered and well watered, which so far glittered in magnificent green in the sun's rays, paled and bowed humbly before the boy's emerald orbs.

What is this? This light coming from the boy? This warmth in Seishiro's chest? The world shakes, destiny quakes, for him. Because the boy was beautiful and the boy was perfect. Because the boy was full of light and innocence the likes of which Seishiro never saw.

The boy was anything but Seishiro. He wore a bright white shikifuku, as if to match his purity and, his unblemished soul.

And Seishiro? Seishiro was as black as his uniform, as black as his dark soul, as black as frozen blood. Seishiro was sin incarnated in a human body, he was so unclean and wrongful and evil.

This boy, this boy…what was this boy? Was he a messenger from the world to remind Seishiro of what he will never be? Was he a hint, a message? You are _different_, you are evil, you are bad.

And why this boy? Was the young and innocent girl he just killed not enough of a reminder? Were his classmates not a reminder, and everyone he ever passed by in the street, were they not enough of a hint to that point?

Why this boy?

Because the boy was beautiful and the boy was perfect and more than anything in the world right now, Seishiro wanted to embrace the boy and pick him up and hug him and own him completely.

He wanted to take the child, like a toy, like a stray kitten, and take him home. To feed him, and care for him and watch him grow. He wanted to play with the boy like he never played with anyone, and be happy. He wanted to have the boy snuggle up next to his in bed at night.

Yes, at night, and reach his blood-tainted fingers to touch the boy's innocence and taste it, touch it. He wanted to consume the boy, body and soul, and own him so completely, like an adopted pet, like a slave.

Why this boy? Why these needs and wants?

Because his mother sat like a broken doll in her semi prison cell and slowly brushed her hair. Because Seishiro, more than anything right now, wanted to not become like her one day.

This boy, this boy will bring him warmth and chase away the dark madness that one day will surely consume each and very Sakurazukamori. Just like those breathtaking jade eyes catch within them the rays of the sun.

Seishiro did not want to kill the next Sumeragi clan head and did not want to eliminate this future enemy in a war too far in the future for him to care about now.

He wanted to touch the boy and take him. Then, maybe, he'll one day grow to become as warm and emotional as this boy who was so sure he could help the tormented spirits trapped within the Sakura.

He will never be able to do that. It landed on Seishiro like a crumbling building. He will never be able to have the boy to himself and the boy will never be able to free him.

He will be like his mother one day; trapped in his room and in his madness, the stripes of light penetrating through the bars on the window illuminating him.

Suddenly Seishiro hated this boy more than anything. Why can't he be saved? Why can't he be free? He longed to be free, to let the thing in his chest carry him to the boy, to become one with the light and warmth and that wonderful body. Those magnificent eyes.

Seishiro hated Subaru. Has been hating him for a long time, still hates him a little for that pit between them; the chasm they'll never be able to cross to truly be with one another.

Because one was Sumeragi and forever righteous, pure and true and the other was Sakurazukamori and forever wrongful, evil and murderous.

That's why young Seishiro wanted to hurt Subaru; that is why he did what he did.

"But did you know? They say, buried underneath every cherry tree, is a corpse."

Shock in the boy's eyes, the emptiness of recognizing human suffering, "A…corpse?"

"Yes. The reason cherry trees bloom so beautifully every year is because of the corpse buried underneath. You see, cherry blossoms start out white. White like snow. So do you know why cherry blossom petals turn a pale red?"

The boy shook his head. He looked up at Seishiro like the teen was a tour guide explaining some fascinating and harmless fact of nature.

Oh, how Seishiro hated that innocent trust in people, knowing you'll never have to reach into those people's chests and kill them.

"Because they drink the blood of the corpse beneath."

The boy is in tears. Yes! He's suffering!

"But isn't that person in pain?"

Perfect. So perfect. So hateful. So wonderful.

"I'll make a bet with you." The wind blew around them; destiny was moving to the next stage.

"If you and I should ever meet again let us live together for a year. My heart is the direct inverse of yours: you are kind, and pure, and honest," and I hate you and love you for it, and those are emotions, "and I'm sure that is how you will continue to grow up. Your heart will remain pure.

"So, if we should ever meet again I will try my hardest to learn to love you." Or learn to be human, like you, to get used to a normal life where I'm not bound to sacrifice humans like me to a tree and kill cold-heartedly and fear the madness that will one day meet me too. I will try my hardest to settle in the hot water and become relaxed and warm like you, "Just for one year.

"And after that year, if I can consider you as 'special' you will have won, and I will not kill you. But if I decide that I cannot consider you special to me, if I cannot distinguish the difference between you and that corpse….

"…Then I will kill you.

"And so, today I will let you go. But so that I may recognize you when we meet again I will carve a symbol onto you."

Despite the hate, despite the horrible way he was widening the chasm between them, Seishiro still wanted to touch the boy so desperately.

Tenderly, he took the tiny soft palms in his hands and touched the perfect skin to his bloodthirsty lips.

"A symbol to show that you are the prey of the Sakurazukamori."

The boy fainted again. Seishiro walked away.

They met again, years later, in a train station. Subaru was chasing his shiki. Seishiro was reading a newspaper and so bored with his life that he wanted to start pushing the people near him onto the railing, just to see what happens.

The madness, that dawning madness; it was nearing.

And once again, as if Subaru knew he was calling him, the boy walked into his life.

So fresh he was, and full of youthful energy. And so heartbreakingly beautiful, yes, even more beautiful than he was as a boy.

Seishiro's hunger rose in him and he knew; now is the time.

Seishiro tore himself out of the dream and woke in his room, on his bed, in the ship, in the Lost Dimension.

He was no longer as bitter, lonely, angry and frightened as he was back then. He now feels emotions all the more powerful than back then, but at least they are not _those_ emotions. Not the emotions that led him to destroy the only thing that could have ever cured him.

He hurt Subaru because he hated Subaru. He hated Subaru because Subaru was so good and pure and kind. He loved Subaru because Subaru was so good and pure and kind. It was a circle Seishiro was trapped in and the more he thought about it the more he wanted to break out of that circle by destroying Subaru.

Subaru clung to him despite the ruin Seishiro brought about him. Perhaps Subaru, somewhere in his unconsciousness, picked up Seishiro's call for help and followed him everywhere, relentless to let go until Seishiro is cured.

_'S.O.S. Help me. Deliver me. Liberate me. Love me. Show me better. There is something wrong with me and I cannot handle it. Help me. S.O.S' _

Subaru homed in on that signal loyally and he didn't let go.

Subaru was not beside him on the bed; Subaru was above him on the ship's bridge. Subaru must have dreamt about something as well and if he's not here then it's something bad. If it's something bad then it's something Seishiro did.

Maybe, when he'll come back to their room, Subaru will carry in his heart a resolution to leave Seishiro and stop this gift he's been giving Seishiro since that strange night where destiny was shattered by Death.

If so, then Seishiro will not be angry. He will not seek out revenge or any kind of agreement with Subaru to give the two of them another chance. Seishiro will accept it if Subaru would want to break up with him now.

Because he deserves it. Because he shouldn't have tried to break out of that circle by violent means. Because he should have lied to Subaru whenever he wanted to tell him that he loves him, instead of filling the boy's heart with lies to make his sixteen year old head dizzy with promises. Because he shouldn't have lied to Subaru in that hospital room.

That was his crime. That was his wrongdoing. That was what he should pay for. If he will pay for it he will agree to it and suffer as much as the punishment makes him.

The time he spent with Subaru in his strange world is enough to last Seishiro a lifetime of joy, even if Subaru comes into the room now and dumps him. He has enough sweet memories to live with, happily.

He needs to say this to Subaru if the man comes into the room and acts like nothing happened. If Subaru chose to stay with him he'll tell him all those things.

Why? Because Seishiro wanted to pour all those emotions out of him. Because his love is making him lightheaded and silly.

* * *

What he saw that night was brought to him by Kakyou, and he didn't know it. When he woke up and frightened Obaa-san, he tore himself out of a dreamscape and not out of hiding within his soul. A dreamscape Kakyou wove for him, so that he'd know what happened.

This time, as he watched the dream again, Kakyou was there too. This time his eyes looked at it different, from a more nostalgic view point; looking at something that meant a great deal to him a very long time ago. Ages ago. But Kakyou doesn't matter.

Subaru appeared in Ueno Park. He knew it was Ueno Park because only Ueno Park contains that immense, cursed cherry tree. The Sakura.

Seishiro-san was there, the bandage off his face, with a brand new white-irised glass eye.

Who was it walking towards Seishiro-san in white shikifuku? It was his shikifuku, but it wrapped Hokuto's body.

Hokuto, Hokuto-chan, it was Hokuto-chan! What was she doing in Ueno Park, under the Sakura, when Seishiro-san was there!

The wind blew madly, as madly as it blew whenever it hid Seishiro-san's words of the bet in his short snippets of confused memory he saw. It blew the small petals all around the man and the girl at the bottom of the tree.

Hokuto-chan's feet were naked save for the one finger socks, they crushed soft petals beneath them.

Hokuto-chan's eyes, so hard and resilient as they settled calmly on Seishiro-san.

Seishiro-san's eyes, so cold and uncaring as they lay on the approaching girl.

"Finally," Hokuto-chan says with a smile, "I found you."

She squares her shoulders, frowning a bit, and gazing at Seishiro-san so powerfully, so uncharacteristically of her. Subaru, young Subaru, wondered if this is true or if it's a dream; he never saw Hokuto-chan so intense around Seishiro-san.

They were always such a crazy pair, the two of them, always harassing him and joking around. Seishiro-san would throw a joke and Hokuto-chan would give him an audience of giggles and that trademark "OHOHOHO!" of hers.

Sometimes Subaru wondered what Seishiro-san found in him, when he got along with Hokuto-chan so well.

It was all over now. Seishiro-san was the Sakurazukamori who kicked him around like a stone on the hot day's pavement and broke his arm. Hokuto-chan didn't look like she could giggle anymore.

"I won't let you…I will never let you kill Subaru!" She says, almost shouting against the fierce wind.

The Sakura must be nervous; a Sumeragi of some power in its vicinity, with obvious harmful intentions.

"I will never let you kill him."

Seishiro-san's so calm but the more Subaru looked at him the more he saw the hidden cruelty, the bloodlust of his cold-heartedness.

He closes his eyes – never do this when facing the enemy, it's like letting your guards down – as if to enjoy the wind like it was some refreshing cool sea breeze. "But you don't have the power to kill me…Hokuto-chan."

His precious twin lowers her head and voice, "I know."

He called her in his dream, he pounding the transparent layer of the dreamscape created between him and reality with his fists, "Hokuto-chan! Hokuto-chan!"

Please stop! What are you doing? You're shattering the last pieces of that soft, warm illusion I liked to bask in, to believe in.

All the old pacts are falling apart and a wonderland, a heaven of exactly one year is ruined.

"I know I cannot beat you. There are certain spells that only I have the power to cast."

Seishiro-san looks different; his eyes lose that mask of calm and become sharper. He doesn't look surprised or frightens, oh no, he looks observant. Forever the predator observing his prey.

"Only you?"

Hokuto-chan! Don't do it! Hokuto-chan!

She didn't hear him. This was reality and he was in a dream, inside himself, in a coma. Far away, in his bed in the apartment he and his twin once shared. Hokuto-chan was not bustling around in the kitchen, nor was she fussing over his and hers outfits. She was in Ueno Park, facing Seishiro-san alone.

"That's why…I want you…to kill **me** instead."

He was too shocked to even call her name.

Seishiro-san closed his eyes again, as if to think, and his face was blank.

Then he opened his eyes and smiled. That small, kind smile of his that Subaru learned now to identify as 'fake', 'cruel', 'a mask'.

"I shall."

Hokuto-chan!

The Sakurazukamori raised two fingers to prepare for the act.

HOKUTO-CHAN!

The Sumeragi raised two fingers and chanted, preparing to cast the spell.

**HOKUTO-CHAN! **

Blocked, he cannot run to her to save her, she is beyond his reach.

That long, strong hand penetrated the chest he was embraced into so many times before. The blood flowed through the sickeningly huge wound. Hokuto-chan fell backwards from the sheer force of the blow she received.

Falling backwards, arms swapped upwards in a circle, shikifuku sleeves flailing in the wind dramatically. The blood spilling out her chest created a semi circle above her before landing on the white fabric and staining it.

Her head tilting back, her eyes closed now forever, she called his name.

"Su…

"Ba…

"Ru…"

The spell came out of her like a gush of water, circling in the air and embracing Seishiro-san, hiding him from Subaru for a moment.

Glass shattered before him, but that was just the embodiment of his coma breaking apart as he wrenched himself to reality.

What he saw last before he yanked himself out to reality was Seishiro-san's face, the blind side lit as if to remind Subaru of that fateful day when Seishiro-san saved his life. The smile on Seishiro-san's face a cruel reminded of the coldness of the man's heart, as cold as the white glass iris.

Subaru opened his eyes. He knew Seishiro lay beside him on the bed but didn't feel obliged to even look at the man in order to better think of the memory he just watched.

He climbed out of his bed, dressed, and walked up to the bridge to smoke a much needed cigarette.

The air was cool and sweet and the random showers of sea spray delighted Subaru. For some reason, a smile spread on his lips.

'Am I cruel to smile after that memory, Hokuto-chan?'

He folded himself at the feet of the smaller mast at the front of the ship and looked up to the starless night sky.

'You know I still love you, still miss you, still long for your company daily. But, I'm with Seishiro-san now, and that's something you wanted, right?

'You're not angry now, are you? Your soul, is it even here with me in this world? I'll never know.

'Seishiro-san's so different these days, Hokuto-chan, that you'd never recognize him. He's all emotional and confused and sweet and loving. Don't get me wrong, he's still of stuck in his 'tough aloof man' attitude, but he's much…softer.

'He sang to me, Hokuto-chan, even if it was under a spell, and he said such sweet things.

'The more I learn about him, the more I compare it to our lives as Sumeragi, the more I realize what puppets on Destiny's strings we were. We all were, even you, Hokuto-chan.

'We're together now, Hokuto-chan, and we're so happy.

'He's so tentative about your death, Hokuto-chan, that he's scared of ever taking up the subject. I'm sure that if I'll ever bring it up to him he'll either turn completely silent and angry at himself, or apologize. I think I prefer the first. I don't know why.

'Kamui, I think I told you about him, he tried charging Seishiro with murder for you. I don't know about that. I am the one who will decide if this crime is forgiven or not.

'Is it a crime? You told him to kill you. He could have refused. But you wanted to die.

'What for, Hokuto-chan? Didn't you know that of all the people, you're the one who could really pull me out of myself back then? Obaa-san never could, Seishiro-san wasn't even around, and who else did we know?

'You pulled me out, back then, but in the wrong way.

'I'm so lonely without you, Hokuto-chan. Still so lonely. What else would one half feel when the other is forever denied of him?

'For now I'm satisfied in the fact that I'm still a half of something else, which completes a circle with another half. Together, me and Seishiro-san are whole. Ying and Yang.

'But without you, Hokuto-chan, we're still incomplete. That is our bane.

'I love you, Hokuto-chan, and I miss you. Forever, my beloved bigger sister.'

* * *

When he was a child everything was simple and painless. Since one last cold and rainy night, the night when he found Usagi, Kamui the child never knew sorrow for a long time.

When he was a child Kotori and Fuma were there, his mother and Saya were there, Kyogo was there. They were neighbors, they were friends; they were one big family.

When he was a child there was never a time of peace and quiet; someone was always turning on the TV or radio, always stomping down corridors in socks or slippers, always dropping a book to the floor or washing the dishes, or saying prayers or cleaning the house or sleeping and snoring.

When he was a child he was never alone and never without someone who loved him nearby. When his mother was at work he'd be at the Monous and if Kotori and Fuma weren't there then Saya was there, and even if Saya wasn't there then Kyogo was there.

Until Saya died, her body torn to shreds as much as the lives of the two families were now, and he and his mother moved to Okinawa, Kamui knew no pain and no suffering.

That's why, when he saw and felt things beyond what his mind could comprehend and accept, he hid within himself and took on the shape of a child.

Event this infantile shape did not save him from running around within his own sanctuary of a heart and watching one horror after the other play before him.

The first moment the Dragon possessed Fuma fully. For one silly moment Kamui thought that by bringing his hand to his lips, Fuma was going to kiss them and then kiss him. He was wrong.

Fuma killed Kotori. Fuma wounded him so badly he needed physiotherapy for months later.

This was unacceptable.

Child Fuma cracked in the middle and torn apart. A grown Fuma, wielding the shinken, reared up from him. The big Fuma impaled child Kotori with his sword and killed her. Oh, how clear and innocent Kotori's babyish face looked in her death.

Kotori died, sliced to pieces like cheese. Fuma was mad. Mad. Bloodthirsty and mad. Fuma wants to kill him. Fuma was about to kill him.

No! No! It can't be true!

"Heed me boy!"

That's true; someone else is here. He's tall and his shoulders are broad, not as broad as Fuma's, but definitely broad in that adult-male kind of way that made Kamui immediately tune in to the man's voice. The man had deep, sad eyes, so green it fascinated Kamui. His hair was black and his skin was white and his face was shaped so well, Kamui thought that, save for Fuma, this man must be the most beautiful thing he ever saw.

This was Sumeragi Subaru and he was here to help him, to pull him out.

"You are in the depths of your soul right now."

"The depth of my soul?"

"Yes, and I'm here too. Something awful happened and you refused to keep living and thinking in the world of 'reality', refused to choose yourself a path." Subaru closed his eyes for a moment, musing, "you ran away and this is how you are avoiding reality – by staying here, deep inside."

That's right! Sumeragi Subaru was here to help him back to reality. But Kamui didn't want reality. Right now, he was constantly running away from the things Subaru told him. He was drawing his hand away; trying to flee from the cold hard words Subaru was handling him.

Sumeragi Subaru showed him his sister's death. Kamui cried. Sumeragi Subaru told him his story, of how he too withdrew into himself one day. How it didn't help. What happened when he was inside himself, how he was unable to stop it.

Kamui was beginning to understand something. It made him want to cry for Subaru.

Sumeragi Subaru was kneeling before him, to look him eye to eye, and held the sides of his face gently.

"You can stay here forever if you think it would make you happy." Sumeragi Subaru's eyes were so soft, "but here…there can be no beginnings and no endings. There is no change, no flow of time in this part of the soul."

Kamui didn't want Sumeragi Subaru to look him in the eye, so he bowed his head a bit and squared his shoulders. But Sumeragi Subaru's fingers still ran softly through the hair at the sides of his head, so softly.

"Here, you can only watch, over and over and over…a mere bystander in your life's most crucial moments! And each time you dream it anew…another part of you will **die** – barren, impotent, hopeless, cold…

"I'm so cold, Kamui."

How can you look at the man as he says such things? Though Kamui's hear was filled with pain for Sumeragi Subaru, and he wished to crush into the man's arms and cry for him, he remained standing still and merely stared deep into those painful emerald orbs.

"One I loved dearly was killed – by one I loved equally.

"Just like you.

"But the pain I feel and the pain you feel…they are not the same. Yes, I lost my dear sister… but that pain made me come _back_ to 'reality', not avoid it, run from it.

"I did not give up.

"I _can't_. I _must_ continue to live…to create the future _I_ want. There is still a chance that I may be happy."

He looked away from Kamui's all-searching eyes, "and yes…that's probably going to sadden the people who love me. They may even hate me for it. But if _I_ don't follow my heart's true path…no one else will."

Kamui understood everything. Kamui understood Sumeragi Subaru. Kamui understood his heart's path to Fuma. Kamui no longer felt the need to be a child.

"So you want to live on…since he's the one who's 'special' to you?"

"I guess that's why." Back then, Sumeragi Subaru's eyes hurt and dimmed when he thought of that man.

"And you, you have the same choice to make. Whether to live in your memories, blaming yourself forever…or to awaken from this dream, and choose a path – a path to your heart's desire.

"I know what _I_ want. In my heart, I want to get Fuma back."

To get Fuma back. Fuma.

Kamui woke up.

Where's Subaru?

Sumeragi Subaru sat leaning on the second mast, smoking a cigarette and looking up at the sky with a faint smile on his lips.

Kamui sat down at Subaru's side, the one to which the wind does not blow the smoke from the onmyouji's cigarette.

"Good evening, Kamui."

"Good evening, Subaru-san."

"San? Is everything alright?"

"I dreamt a memory." Kamui noticed Subaru flinched and frowned in worry at him. He looked away, angry at himself. "Please, don't look worried about me. Don't be worried about me at all, I'm not worth it."

"Kamui! I wo…"

"Don't, please." Kamui folded his legs towards him, laying his arm on his knees absentmindedly, brows crossed, "you saved my life at the risk of your own. What did I ever do for you?"

"Ka-Kamui! What on earth do you mean?"

If his anger wouldn't make him turn his gaze to the Sumeragi, Kamui would be too ashamed to do it on his own.

"I tried to kill Seishiro, Subaru! The man who is special to you, the man you hunted all you life to try and capture the heart of, the man the path to your heart's desire led. I tried to take him away from you, Subaru, to take him away forever."

Subaru opened his mouth to say something, but Kamui shot his hand before the man, as if to physically block whatever he was about to say.

"Worse than that, Subaru…I never told you but…for a while, during those first days when I was kidnapped, and was so desperate to leave and run away back to Fuma, and I noticed how you were always at my side and so tentative…I…" he was crying, but his tears were hot with rage, "I wondered if I can somehow persuade you…or seduce you…to help me escape."

He kicked the wooden floor powerfully, grabbing at his hair, shutting his eyes tight, "I'm so horrible, Subaru, I was such a horrible conniving bitch! I was so horrible!"

"Kamui…surely…it isn't that bad…"

"No, Subaru, it **_is_** that bad." Kamui turned his big tear eyes to the onmyouji, "I look myself in the mirror and see crime, _crime_, Subaru! And I'm afraid I'll never be able to wash myself of it." He was shivering with sobs.

"How will I ever be able to get back to Fuma with all these horrible things clinging to my hands like spilled blood? How is he ever going to take me back in when I'm so filthy with bad things? How will he ever love me?

"Oh, Subaru, we're so close to him that I can _feel_ it; his power beckoning mine to reunite and be one again. But I'm so wrong and so evil, so _dirty_…what am I going to do!" he was curling into a ball again.

Subaru grabbed the youth by his wrists and shook him until Kamui looked into his face again with clear eyes, "Kamui! You're getting hysterical, calm down."

"B-but…"

"Listen to me…"

"'Heed me boy'" Kamui giggled, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Subaru blinked, ruffled, "What?"

"When I was inside my soul, I was hysterical like I was now and you grabbed me and screamed at me. You said 'listen to me, Kamui!' you said 'heed me boy!' and I didn't know what 'heed' was." He giggled again.

Subaru gawked a bit, darting his eyes sideways a bit as if to look for a dictionary in which to show Kamui the meaning of 'heed'. "It means 'listen', in fancy language."

Kamui collapsed into Subaru's lap in giggles, laying his arms softly on his belly, looking up into the empty night sky.

The onmyouji brought his cigarette hand as far away from Kamui as possible.

His giggling fit ended, Kamui stared at Subaru's hand, extended sideways in an awkward angle, "Don't be mean, I can take the smoke." He sighed.

" You always said it made you dizzy and sick."

"I lied. I was full of opinions my mother had about cigarettes."

Slowly, suspiciously, Subaru moved his cigarette hand to where it was before.

Kamui stared at the burning cylinder thoughtfully. "Give me a draft."

"**_What!_**"

Kamui leaped off Subaru, settling himself on all fours, staring at Subaru with glittering excited eyes, "Let me have a try at it, come one, what do you mind? You can have as many cigarettes as you want from Alex, one cigarette less won't harm you."

"**K-A-M-U-I!** I can't believe I'm hearing this from you!"

"Oh pah-lease, stop pretending you're my mother. Here, one draft won't hurt me."

He was reaching for the cigarette and Subaru kept moving it away from him until they were shuffling across the bridge, one on all fours and the other butting himself backwards.

"Stop it, Kamui! You're making them look at us funny." Subaru was referring to the two night watchmen behind them, who were really looking at them funny.

Kamui knelt up, folding his arms on his chest stubbornly, "What do you think I did in junior school, Subaru, during all those classes I skipped? Sitting under a bridge reading books!"

Subaru blinked angrily, butting himself back to the mast while strictly keeping the cigarette out of Kamui's reach, "I-I don't believe you one bit."

Kamui pouted, then erased the pout immediately and placed a more mature expression on. He leaned back on the mast and stared at the sky, blankly musing in silence.

Subaru stared at the boy. Kamui could have easily pouted and whined enough to nag him for the cigarette, but he didn't. He stopped in the middle, he forced himself to behave like a mature grown man and stopped the princessly behavior. Subaru was so proud of him.

Trying to fight back the moral arguments still going in his mind, Subaru dug into his coat pocket and pulled his cigarette box. He poked a cylinder at Kamui's direction.

Kamui stared at the cigarette, amazed. He sat up, staring at Subaru with excited giddiness, "Really? Really, Subaru? You're really letting me have one?"

Subaru shrugged, "You said so yourself; I'm not your mother. More like an older sister, I'd like to think."

Kamui placed the cigarette between his lips, his finger shaking with exhilaration, "Nah, more like the cool aunt who slips in condoms and pot behind your mother's back and tells you everything about life."

"…."

"Can I have a lighter?"

"I can't believe you, Kamui, you're turning into a real teen delinquent; talking about condoms and drugs."

"You smoked pot in the hippies' tent, Subaru, I saw you! Now give me the lighter already…please…"

Subaru handed the lighter to the boy, turning his head away so that he won't have to see the youth light the cigarette.

"And I'm not turning into a teen delinquent; I'm merely revealing my delinquent side to you. This thing won't light up."

"Suck on the cigarette a bit, draw the fire into the tobacco."

Kamui did and for five minutes straight was choking and coughing hard enough to wake the whole ship.

"If you keep coughing like that Alex would be here to cure you and then he'll kill me for giving you a cigarette in the first place."

Kamui, who finally managed to rein his breath into some kind of a sane function, took a deep draft from the cigarette, inhaled the smoke, held it in as much as he could, and then exhaled it out in a long column towards Subaru, "probably."

"Don't blow it at me!" Subaru was waving his hands madly, and then pulled at the hair above Kamui's ear.

"Ouch!...Subaru…Are you sure you're not angry at me?"

"I rather not talk about it."

"You _are_ still mad at me."

"No, I'd rather not think about it."

"The Lady of Light told me that I was meant to do it, so that I can learn my lesson and become true Justice."

Subaru turned to look at Kamui thoughtfully.

The boy was holding the cigarette strangely between his middle finger and forefinger and was slowly tapping it to remove necessary layers of ash which gathered on the burning end.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"I do."

Kamui's eyes were tearful again as they turned to look at Subaru, and not because he was coughing for his life a moment ago, "Really?"

The onmyouji smiled softly, "Yes, Kamui, really. I believe in you. You're changing, you're growing mature and I'm so proud to see you at it. You're doing it on your own, on your own accord. That must be what I'm proud of the most. You're becoming a good person, Kamui, a really good person."

Kamui frowned, "Really?" his voice came out cracked with emotion.

"Yes, and don't worry about the things you did once. I think you've paid for them. Am I right?"

Kamui nodded silently, pouting uncontrollably. He reached to Subaru and pulled the bigger man into a tight embrace.

"Subaru…I want you to know…that if you're ever in pain, or angry at something, or in trouble…I want you to come to me and tell me about it. I want to be there for you, to be the one on you'll lean on. For once, I want to be the one to help you."

Subaru laughed softly and rubbed the boy's back, "Alright."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

Kamui drew away from the man, offering his hand with its little finger up, "Pinky promise?"

They shook pinkies. The pirates behind them looked at them even more oddly.

"Is this pot?"

"What!"

"It makes me dizzy…Is it?"

"Kamui, I'll never, ever smoke pot, ever again. No, that is not pot and you're dizzy because you've haven't consumed nicotine before."

" …What….never?"

"**_Never!_**"

"Okay, okay, no need to b so anal about it."

"Language, young man!"

"Yes mother."

They burst into giggles a moment later.

A thoughtful silence later, Kamui turned to look at Subaru. The bigger man was drawing inverted pentacles on the back of his palm with the butt of his second cigarette.

"Subaru…do you think you can remove that."

The onmyouji had to shake himself out of his daydreams before he could focus on Kamui's question. He looked down at the back of his hands and wondered.

"I'm sure Seishiro can do something about it. Or Alex. Or something."

Subaru frowned at the black sky above them. The torch on the mast behind him cast golden light on the smoke their cigarettes created.

"No, I don't think I'd want that. I think…I think it's like a reminder to what happened. And whether one day I'll look at it with love or rage or sadness, it'll still remind me of what happened so that I'll never be able to forget. May it be for good or for bad."

Subaru reached for Kamui's palm, the one nearest to him and the one holding the now half burnt cigarette, gently turning it up and down.

It took Kamui a while to realize the onmyouji meant to draw his attention to the ling thin lines of scar on his palm. Where Fuma pinned him to the concrete slab with glass and the shinken.

Yes, a reminder. A connection to the painful past that both of them and their loved ones would always want to forget. The reminder of the difficulties and hard times they had to overcome to be together with their loved ones.

Oh, how alike the two of them were.

The ship sailed on. The sea was calm, rocking the boat gently with soft low waves. The wind blew gently in the sails.

(tbc)

* * *

(1) Yes, yes, I know the original version said Vicky's mother called her 'Seras', but I think it's downright stupid to have a British girl called 'Seras' when there's the far more Anglo-Saxon-sounding name 'Victoria' is right there to use.

And if you don't like that explanation then just think that from the dimension that _this _Vicky came from, she's Victoria Seras but out there are many other dimensions where a Seras Victoria lives, okay?

And Anderson is four-dimensional XD.

(2) Look it up in Wikipedia or something.

(3) Scheigetz; a gentile boy, usually used to describe a boy who's behaving badly.

(4) Crybaby Schrodinger. If you don't remember that Schrodinger is Will's original name then shame on you. Go read Hellsing! At once!...or just re-read Kamui's Companion.

(5) Referring here to The Mourner's Kaddish, a prayer which is part of a mourning ritual.

(6) He he he, a little inside joke for me and my pathetic little lifeless self. I imagine this version of Lestate to be Jonathan Rhys-Meyers-looking, though Tom Cruise was just as handsome in his role as Lestate.

(7) "No, no, I don't believe it, boo hoo, angst, angst EMO EMO"

**A.N: **Good god that was ghastly. And tediously long. And sappy. Yuck. But this is what my brain fermented and this is what you'll have to deal with, ne?


	38. Welcome Back

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: ** To Cocoke5 from (I'm so happy I made you enjoy the fic so much, hope you'll enjoy the rest of the chapters as well!), To my most beloved Kakyou-chan2 (Oh, come on, it can't be that perfect, there's got to be something you don't like or would like to see different. I hope you know the hobbits are all your fault, I wrote them in for you . . I love your reviews, thank you SO much!), To Ruth who commented on my LJ (I'm still amused by your definition of ANW. Hope you'll keep enjoying this epic )

Also many thanks to Cait-hime-sama-dono, my beta, for working so hard on making A New World a better fic.

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN IT'S CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!**

**Author's request: **Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

**Last announcement, really: **Next week's independence day here, which means that A New World is going to celebrate its 2nd birthday! Yay! Happy birthday to ANW! Here's another chapter of Everything and the Kitchen Sink!

And this time, in Everything and the Kitchen Sink; a cliffhanger.

Also, jump wings to anyone who figures the orphanage scene out.

* * *

**Chapter 38 – Welcome Back**

"Dry land! Laaaaaaaaaaaaand up aheeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaad!"

The roars woke Kamui up one clear, wave-shaken morning. He pulled his head slowly off the pillow and blinked around his room.

The air last night was chilly and ocean spray kept making Kamui's cabin's floor slippery so him and Will shut the window, fighting against years of sea salt induced rust which clung to the hinges.

The new day's weather was hot and now, with the only way for fresh air to get into the small wooden room blocked, the room was growing even hotter.

Kamui rubbed at his eyes, sitting up on the bed, and noticed he was sweating. What a wonderful thing to wake up to; covered in sweat he can't wash off because there's only precious drinking water and the ocean to wash yourself with. He's going to stink even more now. Oh, great.

"Land up ahead, captain, dry land up ahead!"

Thoughts of nasty body odor and how much he grew tired of this constantly bobbing, swaying ship, vanished from Kamui's mind completely; There was land up ahead. The only land that could be up ahead, something Alex made sure to inform everyone of, was the shore closest to the City.

The City. And Fuma. Up ahead, captain.

Kamui leaped off the bed, landing on the spot in the floor where the ocean spray left a thin layer of salt. He sensed the jab of salt crystals and, in an instant, pulled back (he always had sensitive skin on his feet and palms), which tilted his body's height to the other foot just when it was still landing on the floor.

Kamui saw his arms stretched forward, reaching first to the wall before him, then to the ceiling, then to the bed behind him. His ankle hurt, his leg was folded under him. His knee now exploded with pain.

"Aw, fuck."

"Kamui?" Will's voice was always slightly cracked when he woke up, "Are you alright? I heard a bang."

Kamui tried getting up, but his hurt leg refused to do anything but shoot pain through his body. Instead of moving it, Kamui swung himself forward and stretched himself on the floor, dragging his body with his arms.

Will was by his side in a minute, grabbing his arms and pulling him up, supporting him as his master tried to stand up.

"Vhat happened? Are you in pain?"

Kamui inspected his leg and cursed again.

He used to be so agile, so light on his feet. Other than not being able to leap from the ground to the top of a tree and stay at its edge, perfectly balanced, perhaps this was the strongest proof Kamui ever experienced of his powers leaving his body.

He would have never landed so ungracefully if he still had his Kamui powers; he'd never damage himself so badly nor tried to leap that way from one spot to another. Now the only thing left of that ancient role he had to play in some dusty, far off dimension was his name; Kamui.

"I think I sprained my ankle, goddamnit, and probably did some damage to my knee. Shit."

Will mouthed for a moment, "M-maybe ve should go to Seishiro, he ist a doctor?"

Kamui glared at the werewolf, then looked away angrily, "No, the only person we can go to is Alex. God-fucking-_damnit_!"

"Land up ahead! Land up ahead."

Kamui jerked his head upwards, staring at the wooden ceiling as if he can see the pirate who was roaring the message, standing on the mast. The youth's face brightened, a smile beaming across it, "That's right; I was going to run up to the bridge and see what they're shouting about."

"Land ahead? You mean the shore?"

Kamui grabbed the cub by the shoulders, "Yes, the shore!" he gave Will a shake, "The shore we're nearing is none other then the one closest to the City."

Will blinked, frowning gently, "…Ze City…"

"We're coming back home!"

"…Ah…But your leg, it's wounded…"

Kamui waved it off and limped towards the door, still in his boxers.

"Uh…Kamui…"

"Come with me, Will, come see the shore!"

"Kamui…clothes…" It was too late; Kamui was already out of the room.

He clung to the staircase's railing forcefully, using all his strength to drag himself up with his hurt leg. The fresh air of the new day hit his face softly, blowing his untamed hair away from his face.

Kamui closed his eyes and savored the fresh breeze; he wanted to enjoy and remember every moment in this magnificent new day, the day they truly began nearing the City.

Kamui wasn't the only one who ran to the bridge as soon as they heard the pirate's call; Subaru and Seishiro were also there, their nighttime robes flapping in the wind.

Subaru, his hand fastening his robe closed on his chest, turned to Kamui with a dreamy smile, "Good morning, Kamui." He felt the boy either didn't really hear his words or didn't need to hear anymore than when he already heard.

Kamui limped his way to the bridge railing, leaning himself as far forward as he could, fingers gripping at the rough wood.

At first he couldn't see anything in the misty far off, above the slightly bumpy sea; there was a thin layer of mist covering whatever it was before them. For a moment, Kamui's heart sank and a dark thought tugged at his hopeful mind; What if the pirate made a mistake and thought something to be land when it wasn't? What if whatever that is before them _is_ land, but not the land Kamui wants to see?

Ah, but look! The wind blew the mist away, like curtains drawn from the stage, and a shore became clearly visible before them.

A flat shore, darkish yellow in color and spotted by small dots of grey rocks. The Dark Side's shore was not as brilliant and glittering with pure, clean sand as in the Light Side. Like everything else in the Dark Side, the shore too was far more grim, ugly and despairing than that of the Light Side's.

The clouds covering the sun grew thicker, not only blocking some of its warmth, but now also obscuring some of its light.

Suddenly the men on the bridge, who were riding through the Light Side for these past three months, felt the full force of the difference between the Light and the Dark.

"My god…" Subaru exhaled, "This place really is built to depress you…"

"As if it was programmed to be that way." The dark onmyouji completed his lover's words.

Inside Kamui's heart, however, the grey cloud of realizing what it meant to be in the Dark Side again blew away quickly. Before his eyes, not the view of the dark yellow and grey shore played, but Fuma's face.

Fuma's face smiling at him. Fuma's dark red eyes flaring with warmth of joy and love. Fuma's thin lips stretching with a huge, beaming smile. Fuma will be so happy to see him again.

They'll run towards each other like mad and crush into each other, throwing their arms around each other.

Oh, the last time Kamui saw him Fuma couldn't do that; his arms were still broken. But that was half a year ago, surely Fuma healed by now.

So, before that, when was the last time Fuma's arms were around him?

In Seishiro's execution. The execution that started all of this.

He won't think about that now. Before that, think before that event.

That morning, ages ago, just before they got out of bed and Kakyou burst into the room looking like he saw a ghost or something.

They were sleeping, Kamui had his head on Fuma's shoulder and half his chest on Fuma's and his right arm was spread across that tight, muscular chest of Fuma's and Fuma's arms were around him, even though sometimes it'd wake Fuma up in the middle of the night because his arms went numb.

That's the last time Fuma's arms were around Kamui, the last time they slept together, the last time they made love, the last time they felt each other's skin, almost the last time they kissed, almost the last time they spoke to each other.

Kamui's head swooned as he realized how long ago that was, and how long ago it felt like. Was it only six months? It felt like six years.

Six years he's been in Okinawa; from Saya's death to his mother's death.

How long ago _that_ felt?

What was he almost a year ago? What was he almost seven years ago? A different person, a different creature even.

Something warm was streaming down his cheeks. His ears picked up the sound of someone's soft whimpering. He was crying, he was whimpering.

A soft arms wrapped around his shoulder and Kamui didn't need to smell faint cigarette smoke to know it was Subaru who was hugging him.

"Oh god, Subaru...Subaru, I'm going to see him again soon…"

The onmyouji's arms grew tighter around him, his palms rubbing his back between his pointy shoulder blades.

"I-I can't comprehend it….I-I can't….I'm going to see him again, Subaru, I'm going to see Fuma again!"

Subaru was gently swaying them sideways, placing his cheek on the top of Kamui's head, "Yes, Kamui, and you know what? You've earned it."

Kamui drew away from his friend. His heart was already pounding madly in his narrow chest, but now it felt like it was trying to pound itself a way out of there.

He hung huge tearful eyes in Subaru's tearful jade eyes, "Really? Y-you think I-I've been good enough now to earn it…."

Subaru nodded and pulled Kamui into another strong embrace.

* * *

When David and Alex walked up to the bridge, Kamui and Subaru were still there, talking happily.

David waked up to the railing and inhaled slowly, closing his eyes to best enjoy the fresh morning air.

Alex stopped in his stride halfway through the bridge and stared forward to the land before him, blinking and frowning. He looked disheveled and confused; his awakening was a rude one.

At once his eyes caught the sight of Kamui in his scantly clad form and his beaming smiles and looked away instinctively. When his drowsy mind awoke enough to realize the reason for Kamui's brilliant smile he snapped his gaze back to the boy. It only mad him more confused.

So many things to think about these days. These crazy, crazy days.

He turned his eyes to Seishiro who was hanging a powerful stare at him and looked away from the dark onmyouji.

"Better go put something on, Kamui, you'll catch a cold like this." Subaru whispered in the youth's ear after reading the expressions changing on Alex's face like colors in a rainbow.

Kamui stared down at his boxers and sniggered, "Guess I should."

He took one step forward, with his bad leg, and came crushing into the bridge.

Alex appeared by his side like he was shot there, grabbing Kamui and steadying him to sit down upright.

"What happened? Your leg looks funny."

"I leaped off bed and landed on the floor the wrong way. My knee hurts and my ankle's screwed." Kamui did his best to avoid eye contact with Death. He didn't want to see the intense green orbs scan his exposed body. He didn't want to see those eyes at all, unless they were dark crimson shaded.

Alex placed his palm softly on Kamui's leg and the boy felt numbness spread through his kneecap. Next Death numbed Kamui's ankle, then pulled out his sword and carefully carved two horizontal lines in Kamui's skin; one above each damaged part of the boy's leg.

Alex bit down into his wrist and, pulling the new wounds' edges apart with his thumb, poured the healing blood into them.

Kamui arched his back a little, throwing his head back as if trying to detach himself from the sensation the Dark Trick played in his body as much as he can.

He was healed completely soon, and the blood stopped flowing into him.

He opened his eyes and scanned Alex's face for a moment, accidentally making short eye contact with the man, and quickly leaped to his feet.

"Thank you." He threw across his shoulder before running down back to his room.

Alex stayed behind, still crouching with his sword unsheathed, staring after the boy. "…You're welcome, Kamui…"

Subaru frowned at the sound of his Death's voice. There was something strange about him this morning; he seemed to be shrouded in a dark cloud, ever since he laid eyes on the approaching shore.

Was it the understanding that soon there will be very few places to run to in order to avoid the City? Was it the inner resolution Subaru saw in Alex; to return to the City and finish this voyage, and its consequences? Or was something else going through Death's mind that's making him so distraught?

Maybe it's something else? Maybe it's the ships' way of stirring old ghosts from everyone's pasts that's haunting Alex?

A week had passed since the last memory wave that washed over them all, maybe another wave crushed on Death. If so, then what did he dream of, was it troubling?

Subaru's heart tightened, his eyes tingling with upcoming tears. He wished to take Alex aside and hug him; comfort him and ease away from him whatever tension that's making him so troubled.

"So, we're going back, huh?" Seishiro fumbled with a cigarette between his long, strong fingers. He was intentionally digging his eyes into the twirling white cylinder, quite intent on avoiding eye contact with Death.

Alex shook his head gently, as if to remove the hood of clouding thoughts from his head, and climbed to his feet.

"Yes. We're returning to the City. When exactly, I don't know."

Seishiro shot his eyes to Death, "You mean we're not going directly to the City?"

Alex turned his head towards the terrain before them. A slightly blurry, grayish land bobbing gently with each wave hitting the ship's nose.

"The distance between this shore and the City, with the cliffs to climb, the old City's ruins and the fire monsters' river to cross, can be covered in a variety of times. It can take a few hours in hasty ride and it can take a week; if we take our time and make sure to work on our meals and lodging conditions real good it can even be three weeks."

Seishiro awaited Alex to give him his final answer. Subaru drew nearer to him, darting his eyes from one man to the other nervously.

When the Sakurazukamori noted Death was probably sunk in his thoughts his patience ran completely short. "So, how long are we going to take to get to the City?"

Alex kept his eyes fixed on the approaching bobbing landscape.

"_Alex!_"

The jerk running through Death's body started in his shoulders, like an involuntary shudder caused by cold, and shook the hard white figure gently all the way down to his feet.

His eyes, when he snapped them to Seishiro, were blurry and alarmed. He was caught with his guards down in front of his men, for the first time.

It was such a surprise for Seishiro to see Death like that, that for a moment he was unsure of whether he should bother Alex with his petty nagging. Something was obviously disturbing Alex and Seishiro kicked himself mentally for not being aware enough of his own feelings to know what emotions might be troubling someone else.

Alex blinked rapidly, rubbing his thumb across his forehead for a moment, hand on his waist. He looked completely human; completely devoid of the commanding, powerful aura his Men and Creatures usually read off of him, standing like that making such human gestures.

He leveled his gaze to Seishiro's and nodded briefly, still looking disturbed. "I-I think we'll stretch it over three days, but not more. More would be…awkward…and…unfair.

"We all want to go back to the City, Seishiro, even I miss people and a place to be in…I…I'm sorry, Seishiro, but just trust me when I say this won't repeat itself. Unless you'll commit a crime now, you'll never have to set foot in the court."

He hung his eyes at Seishiro and they looked begging, vulnerable, "Trust me."

Seishiro mouthed a moment, feeling a flush creeping up his neckline. There was something about Death's other side – the soft, human, susceptible side – that disarmed Seishiro with the sheer surprise of witnessing the man in it.

"I-it's okay…three days is okay. You don't have to stretch it that long, too. I trust you…"

He was edging closer to Subaru again, as if to hide behind the man.

Alex nodded, frowning softly, and looked down to the floor as if to find something he lost there. He stared down at the floor like that for a moment before snapping his head up again and this time his eyes were clear; the clouds completely gone.

"Well, guess I have to start packing, don't I? We all need to. I have Lestate's precious's velvet to rearrange back into the box they came in," he sighed theatrically, "so much to do, so little time. There's also…."

"Alex, may I have a word with you?" The pirate captain's deep voice cut into Alex words and thoughts.

Death's face became a rainbow of emotions again, his eyes glazing over once more. He stared off at the heavy man, as if trying to focus his vision on him.

"Y-yes?"

The pirate scanned Seishiro and Subaru for a moment, suspicion tracing lines in his forehead, "It's finished. Thought you'd like to take a look before we land and you leave."

The look on Alex's face turned from confused and fazed to sharp and cold. "Yes." His voice came out deep and sharp, "I'm coming."

He walked off the bridge with the pirate, leaving the onmyoujis behind clueless and curious.

"What….do you think that was about?" Subaru mumbled, turning to his lover.

Seishiro stared at the spot where the captain and Alex stood a moment ago, musing, "I don't know. Though I have a vague idea of what it might be…." He frowned, then a smile tugged at his lips.

"What? What is it? You're hiding something from me, I can tell. What do you think they've got there done for Alex?"

Seishiro tried erasing the smile but his emotions were still too out of his control to pull such a thing off. If he tells Subaru he might ruin something he very much wanted to happen.

"Seishiro-san, _answer me_!"

"I think the ship's captain made a map of the shores they've visited so far for Alex."

Subaru glared at his lover untrustingly.

Seishiro pulled his biggest effort to place the mask which once came so naturally to him when the roots of the Sakura were wrapped around his ankles, and turned clear innocent eyes to Subaru, "You know how Alex always complains about his poor map making skills. I think he just doesn't want anyone else to know he had to ask someone to help him with something."

It took Subaru a while of staring deep into the Sakurazukamori's eyes before feeling completely confident that his lover was speaking the truth.

As they walked down to their room to pack a doubt still tugged at the back of his mind and Subaru had to wonder, worriedly, what Seishiro and Alex were plotting.

* * *

The small workshop was warm, the fabric covering its walls trapping the day's heat inside. The heat coming from the small melting pot did not help make the room temperature any more bearable.

The pirates bent over their delicate artwork were sweating, reaching for small mucky fabric tissues to wipe their brows every few minutes. On each table a large clay jug sat with a cluster of matching clay glasses at its round bottom, which the men took from time to time and filled with cool water. And still the work carried on relentlessly.

The ship captain lead Alex to the front table and gingerly picked up a narrow black leather-bound box, opening it gently for Alex to observe its contents.

Jade rims turned turquoise for a fragment of a second and glowed, the pupil shrinking into pinheads.

The moment passes.

White fingers reach for the box and press it closed. The digits curled around the smooth cover and collected the box into the strong palm.

"Thank you, it's perfect."

The pirate nodded, respectfully awaiting the deal's end.

Alex concentrated his powers and created five gold bars in the fist of his other palm.

The sailor's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he ogled at the glinting yellow metal, "Gold? That was not our deal, this is too much."

Alex shook his head softly, placing four of the bars in the pirate's large palm and waving the fifth at the side of his face so the bigger man's eyes would lock on his resolute ones.

"This is to make sure you won't stay in this shore after you drop us off. Go from here to the other ports you missed out on by shipping us here and come back later. I don't want anyone from the City to spot us. Is the gold enough to cover that?"

The pirate frowned at Alex for a moment, the wrinkles in his sun-beaten forehead matching those he etched into his face earlier when looking at Subaru and Seishiro.

"Yes, it's enough gold." He turned to gesture Alex to leave the workshop, walking towards the door for Death to mimic him and carry it on until he's out of his workshop.

Alex did. The black box tightly encircled by palm and fingers.

The large man thought he said his last words to Alex, when a thought he had to express pressed itself out through his lips, "Why do I get the feeling you will use this as a weapon?"

Death walked on, leaving the question hanging in the air, unanswered.

Outside the workshop the corridor had no windows to let in the sunlight and so its lighting was dim.

Looking sideways, trying to trace his buzzing thoughts with his eyes, Alex cast two bright turquoise circles of light beams on the wooden walls.

Alex stopped, closed his eyes, tilted his head backwards and took a deep breath. He needed a cigarette and he needed to smoke it somewhere other than the bridge and its ominous view of the upcoming shore.

* * *

"What's that in your hand?"

"Shouldn't you be catching some shut eye after last night? If you'll keep passing your days sleepless you'll run out on energy."

"I'd rather run out of energy and become human than closing my eyes and seeing the crematoriums."

"Ah. Oh well."

"I said, what's that in your hand."

"…."

"You bought something from the pirates' workshop, didn't you?"

"….."

"….He….the brat….I mean, he…."

"I know. I've noticed you're letting your hair grow."

"Yeah. Grows kind of fast too. I can't remember if that's how it used to be before it got shaven off."

"That's unimportant. I need you behind me in this."

"Yeah. You know I'm behind you in everything, brother."

"Thank you."

"What about the others?"

"What others? Seishiro knows, somehow. I don't think I need to ask him if he cares or not. Lestate might grumble a bit but eventually, I'm sure he'll like to see…."

"….?"

"…."

"….and the rest?"

"What rest? Victoria doesn't care about him so, no matter how much she hates me she won't be bothered by trying to do anything about it."

"And if she'll try to I'll talk her out of it."

"You don't have to. I won't dare tell you what to do with your girlfriend."

"Then leave it for me to decide what to do with her. I decide to tell her to either back off or take my side."

"Be nice, she deserves nothing of your rough side."

"The first thing she knew of me was my rough side…See, that's the beauty of….Shit, listen to me, rambling on like some lovesick kid…"

"You are one."

"I'm not a kid, I'm…"

"You're what, Sixty, seventy years old tops? I'm nearly a hundred times older."

"……"

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to insult you."

"You didn't insult me. You scared me."

"I'm sorry."

"Not like that. I mean…your eyes glow, that's all…"

"I know. I can't seem to get a hold on that."

"Well, maybe if you won't think about it so much…"

"Subaru."

"Eh?"

"Subaru's the only person we have to worry about."

"What about the mutt? No, never mind, stupid question."

"What will I do with Subaru?"

"Beats me, I hardly know the guy."

"….I'm sorry…."

"What about…hey…y-your eyes they're bleeding."

"Please leave."

"O-okay…you sure you're alright though?"

"I'm sorry….I'm so sorry…."

"It's okay, just…uh….get better okay? Just don't think about it so much, okay?"

"...Yes…."

* * *

Sorata frowned, staring at the frying eggs so hard it seemed he was trying to prepare them with his eyes.

The flat round mass of bright orange and yellow swirls that was scrambled eggs shifted in its pan slightly as the monk jerked his wrist involuntarily. He was forming the plan of how he'll pull his next move, imagining how it aught to look and how he aught to move, his wrist jerking was inevitable.

Back in his temple there was a monk who was a specialist in martial arts and had always told Sorata that this jerking of his limbs is his shortcoming in battle; any experienced enemy could learn from them what Sorata's next move will be.

Wait, did he just think 'back in my temple' instead of 'back in….' 'back in….'

"Babe?"

"Hmm?" Arashi rubbed at her eyes gently, trying to reduce her signs of sleepy gracelessness from Yuuto who just walked into the kitchen.

"My shrine, what was its name?"

Arashi blinked at her husband's back and frowned a little. Her palms drew instinctive circles on her round belly, "I'm from Ise shrine, Yuzuriha's from Mitsumine shrine, you're from Koyasan….you forgot?"

Sorata made his move and it was perfect. The flat egg mix flew up into the air and descended, flipping perfectly, right back to the pan into the exact same position and location where it lay a moment ago.

"Yessssss! Soon you'll have your special breakfast scrambled eggs and chocolate crepe, just like you love it."

Arashi edged forward on her chair, an involuntary move on her behalf.

The miko was no longer in the stage of pregnancy when women find scrambled eggs with chocolate spread a delicacy, is she?

Yuuto wondered.

"Arashi-san, how far into the pregnancy are you?"

The monk and miko hung their eyes on Love; Arashi shifting hers politely almost immediately, Sorata lingering his beaming eyes on and on.

"Charlie-sensei says the baby's due any time now."

This startled Yuuto much. Where was his head all those days? Was he still stuck in his worries over Arashi's pregnancy from the famine's days? Must be so.

"Well…that's…amazing!"

"Isn't it just?" Sorata's voice was a little too loud with joy.

"It seems too good to be true, too good to be so soon, eh?" Love could see the light he was emitting reflecting off Sorata's orbs and on the semi-silver cutlery on the table by Arashi's plate.

He noted the empty jar of pickled water chestnuts which stood ajar by Arashi's plate. Yuuto clearly remembered that jar half filled last night when he took a few as a midnight snack. Arashi and Sorata were the first to wake up this morning and; no one else could have eaten from that jar.

Perhaps he is not the only one still stuck with famine time worries. Arashi's face was rounder than before and her rump had grown to a shape as round as her belly.

Oh well, if it makes her happy, let her eat. Her husband is not the sort to give up on love or lovemaking because of a few extra kilograms.

The living room's screen door swung open and a rapid, livid footstep sounded, heading towards the kitchen.

When Fuma entered his step was light and springy, his right arm swinging to his moves while his left one grabbed the wall at the kitchen's entry to swing himself into the room. His dark scarlet eyes scanned the kitchen inhabitants before emitting a chirpy, "Good morning everybody!"

"Good morning, Monou-kun!" Sorata returned the chirpy tone with an extra tinge of happiness.

"Good morning, Fuma-kun. How's the weather outside?" Yuuto beamed at the young man whose completely changed personality he atoned for.

Without sensing Kamui's love returning into his range, existing and as strong as ever, Fuma would have still been the zombie he spent the last six months being.

"Good morning, Monou-san." Even Arashi's voice sounded soft and warm in an extra happy way.

No one was left unaware of the change in Fuma's mood and personality. No one was left unhappy about it. From Lion who'd drop in more often, as if to make sure his eyes do not deceive him whenever Fuma breaks out in a wide smile, to Fuma's house members; all were delighted and extremely relieved to finally see that dark cloud lift off Fuma's life.

Fuma tended to his wounds, volunteered to do more house work (and actually paid attention enough to learn how to do it properly), helped out with small furnishing projects Karen and Yuuto tried to pull without complaining about all the effort gone to waste when the new designed proved uncomfortable and useless, smiled more, talked more, moved around more. He played basketball with Sorata and Vash and kicked both their asses in the game, jumping up and down and yelling his own victory hoots whenever he scored.

It was like they had a completely new tenant in the house, the ghost of a man they once lived with completely vanished.

Fuma no longer worked in the cemetery, since the death toll dropped to zero, and even if he did it wouldn't swing his mood one bit towards darkness; no matter how many bodies he'd bury or how horrific their condition would be, no matter how much Jacob would bitch and snarl at him.

These days Fuma worked the harvest season away in various fields. The corn fields needed harvesting, as well as the sunflower ones, the cotton fields and vineyards were always in need of more working hands.

Fuma came back to dinner with dirty hands, skin carved with brand new scratches and blisters, but he smelled of sunshine and freshly turned earth and smiled so widely no one could bare to ask him why he's not wearing gloves, weary even of the mentioning of wounds might murk the young man's mood.

Fuma had grown to be a real man now; fully level headed and responsible, He no longer shut himself in his shy silence, fearful of the Dragon's lingering impression on his co-inhabitants. He was in too far a good mood to care about things like that; his Kamui's on his way here and when he's home again a better lover and mate will wait for him, new and improved.

An image of Kamui played before Fuma's eyes as he dashed out of the house towards the corn field he was to work in that day, as the sun's light surprised his still sleepy eyes and his chest exploded with warmth.

Karen, walking into the yard of the City orphanage where she spent her days off volunteering, spotted Fuma nearly skip-hopping his way to the field next door to the orphanage.

Mrs. Mammy (real name unknown, since the moment she wretched herself out of grief for the large estate the Lost Dimension tore her out of, and decided to devote her life to the orphanage) walked towards the fire mistress, beaming her usual warm smile.

"Why, hello Ms. Watling! You sure seem chipper on this morning. Mr.s Butler been sweet on you last night?"

"Yes, they have, they always are. It's not that, though…" Karen was too busy following Fuma with her eyes to pay much attention to Mammy's teasing.

She let the usual screams of playing children and the chatter of Mammy's deep and thick-with-sweetness voice become a background noise.

"Aunty Kareeeeeeeen!" A child collided with her leg, wrapping his small arms around it and burying his face in her side, weeping.

"What is it, Webster dear?" Karen tried sounding like she was paying the child attention, while her eyebrows climbed higher and higher up her forehead as she noted Fuma delivering friendly pats on the backs of today's coworkers, cracking jokes with them as much as he could with his poor English and theirs.

"Gavroche kicked me in the shin." The blue eyed boy whimpered, rubbing his slightly grubby face into Karen's dark red dress.

The fire mistress ruffled the boy's soft hair gently.

Fuma was just bowing politely before the field manager, immediately breaking out of the formal air and grabbing for his work tools.

"Gavroche! Gavroche! You get yo' li'le scrawny ass here right now!" Mammy billowed somewhere behind Karen and the boy clutching her leg cringed, sobbing miserably.

"Whoa!"

"Are you hitting Webster again? Why!"

"'E truied t'kiss mei!"

"…."

Fuma rid himself of his shirt and took his time to examine his torso.

Karen knew Fuma must have been quite nicely built before they arrived here, something about him being in the basketball team of his high school back in their home world, but was he trying to become even more toned now?

"You apologize to Webster and you do it now, boy."

"NO!"

"'Ah said, you apologize to Webster, boy, _NOW!_"

Karen heard a small foot stomp the ground in anger just when she realized what Fuma was doing.

Today wasn't really hot. In fact, lately the wind carried a strange cold tinge to it, tainted by the faint odor of snow. Surely, in this weather, no matter how hard he worked Fuma won't be hot enough to need the removal of his shirt.

But the sun beat down relatively strong today, through the thin layer of clouds as usual, but beat stronger it did.

Fuma was trying to catch a tan to match his well shaped torso. She realized this and immediately realized who he was doing this for. She almost burst into a fit of "Ohohohoho!" as realization hit her.

Instead she turned her head away from the strapping young man just in time to see little shark-ish faced Gavroche close the distance between the weeping Webster and himself and landed a quick kiss on the other boy's cheek before running off quickly.

Young Webster stared blankly after the slightly shorter boy, his large blue eyes ogling, before emitting an excited giggle and running after the other child.

"Well…." Mammy exhaled, large plump fists stuck deep into the healthy layer of fat at her hips, "Did you see that? Did you see that!"

Karen was just as taken aback as Mammy, only from less prejudice-based reasons, "I did…"

"Tssk. Kids these days. It 'aint fittin'." The large black lady shook her head, "And if it 'aint fittin', it 'aint fittin'!"

Karen found she was smiling as broadly as she could, her heart filling with warmth, her head with the vision of a suntanned burly young man spreading his arms in welcome for a shorter, thinner, paler yet strikingly beautiful youth she once knew as her Kamui.

"Yes, kids these days…"

* * *

The night was thick and charged.

The air blowing around the campsite Death's riders set up for the night, under the cliffs beyond which is the desolated field where the City before this one once existed the only thing separating Justice from one another, was icy cold.

"My god…soon it'll snow, I'm sure of it." Subaru shivered, tightening his heavy coat around him. He hadn't used this coat since their climb up the mountains separating the Dark Side from the Light one.

"Hmn."

"Seishiro-san, is something the matter? You seem tense."

Seishiro, who didn't notice his thoughts let him drift out of paying attention to his lover, snapped his eyes to Subaru, reining the mask back on his face.

"Tense? No…well…maybe…I guess I'm still a little nervous about this whole going back to the City stuff."

Subaru was too cold and too distracted by something he knew he has to remember yet forgot to notice his lover was lying to his face. Instead he wrapped his arm around Seishiro's waist and rubbed the dark onmyouji's back to try and keep him warm.

Warm against the cold, the cold that brings with it the smell of surely coming snow. Snow…

"Oh, damn! Snow! That's what I was trying to remember; snow makes Alex edgy, I must go check if he's not too jumpy."

And before the Sakurazukamori could try to come up with an excuse to keep the Sumeragi away from Alex's tent, his lover had already crossed half the distance to Death's tent.

"Ah, well. If I'd try to tell you any more lies you'd suspect me."

When Subaru stormed into Alex' tent he found Death looming over his desk, holding an open box in his hands, staring down at it strangely. His shoulders had that tense angle to them yet his head was bowed over the box limply, a combination Subaru found most strange.

He couldn't make out what was in the box, save for a delicate silvery glint.

"Alex?"

Death jerked himself straight and snapped the box shut, hiding it behind his back and glaring at Subaru before his eyes softened.

His eyes were soft turquoise.

"Is everything alright?"

"Perfectly alright. Is it cold outside?"

"Yes, very cold…I-it might snow tonight….just thought I might warn you…I'm sorry if I sound pitiful."

Death's features softened, but only a bit. He was scanning Subaru's face in a way that unnerved the light onmyouji slightly.

"Thank you. You don't sound pitiful at all; I thank you for your concern. I thank you for every time you were there for me to comfort me when I was down, both you and Seishiro. I…I'm sure I don't deserve such kindness…" Alex looked away, pain in his large green eyes.

Subaru walked to a pace away from Alex, "Of course you deserve it, you…you saved us, twice already. We are the ones who owe you for being there when we were facing danger."

Alex shook his head, his stark white brow furrowing, "No…I'm such a bad person…a-and….I can't think of any other way to be….oh Subaru…I'm sorry…"

Subaru reached out to embrace Death and found the bigger man was stiff and tense in his arms. He tried to rub the tension out of the powerful, hard muscles and instead found the thin bulge of the man's scars under his fingers.

"You're not a bad person, Alex; you're a very good person."

"Am I? Am I really? I-I can be such a monster…no, I _am_ a monster…"

Subaru drew himself away from Death so he could grab the man's face to look into orbs a shade darker than his. "I don't want to hear any more of that talk from you, ever! You're not a monster for us; you're not a monster at all. Your behavior, when it's eccentric….you can change it, you can prevent it, you can learn to control it."

Alex' eyes widened, crimson tears gathering at the rims of the already bloodshot eyes. His breath hitched, coming out in short retching gasps, "Y-you think I can stop it? Before I do something stupid?"

Subaru brought his forehead to Death's, smiling softly, "Yes. I believe in you."

Death reached for Subaru's wrists, grabbing them faintly at first, then more firmly. He detached the onmyouji from him, looking into his eyes and smiling firmly.

"Thank you, Subaru, I needed to hear that right now…so much…"

Subaru watched as Death turned around to stare around his tent absentmindedly, "I'll be going now; you need to get your rest."

Death snapped his eyes to the Sumeragi, "Yes, we all need our rest. Please, go to your tent, go to bed."

The turquoise flash in Subaru's orbs rendered him completely compliant.

As soon as the onmyouji exited the tent Death followed him, turning to walk to Kamui's tent.

Outside, standing in the freezing air, Seishiro and David stood, tensely watching Alex enter Kamui's domain. They exchanged glances before retreating each to their own affairs.

* * *

There was something different about the air with which Alex stepped into his tent that night, Kamui noticed.

His eyes did not dart all over the tent in search of something to look at intensely, like a piece of discarded clothing or a personal item. Alex didn't even try to locate Will.

He stepped in with a small bow to avoid the curtains obscuring his eyesight then he simply straightened his back, eyes strong but not too intense, as he looked directly at Kamui.

Alex found Kamui sitting on the bed sorting out his clothes.

Landing on solid ground did not bring with it the happiness and calm Kamui thought it would. In fact, it only brought dark, gloomy, troubling ideas into his frantic young mind.

He noticed Alex avoiding eye contact with him, no matter what, and saw this as an ominous sign.

Nothing guaranteed him when they're going back to the City. This Kamui realized when, after only a short ride to the cliffs' feet, the riders stopped and began pitching their tents. It was not even noon yet, and still they stopped until the next day.

Are they trying to stall their arrival at the City as much as they can? Are they planning to, Kamui preferred not to think of it but found it was inevitable, stay _here_ of all places and wait for him to redeem Seishiro?

Noting the rest of the riders, Subaru included, had the same habit of avoiding eye contact and conversation with him; Kamui's worries took to the worse possible case scenario.

They will be staying here till kingdom comes. They chose this spot of all places because it was so close to the City, so close to Fuma.

They paid off the pirates to leave this shore immediately and not try to reach the City, which might alarm the Noters and Fuma of Kamui's arrival.

They chose to stay at the foot of the cliffs where the Noters in the watchtowers can't see them so they won't be spotted.

They are going to stay here, so close yet so far, and torment him with the short distance between him and Fuma.

Kamui preferred not to think about it, preferred not to comprehend it, or his mind would once more cave in and only Subaru would be able to pull him out of his unconscious denial of reality.

No, this time he won't come out, not even for Subaru. He won't come out unless he hears Fuma's voice calling him.

Then he'll make them see that even cruelty and punishment have their limits, that there's only so much they can try to push him against True Justice.

Kamui's hands shook badly as he tried to find things to do to occupy his mind that nothing he tried doing went well. His palms were so sweaty that his fingers left thin parallel lines on the fabrics of the clothes he was trying to unfold and fold again.

Will sat at the head of the bed, his legs folded to his chest, staring miserably at Kamui. There was very little he could say to his master and very little he could think of saying in the first place.

As Death walked into the tent, the werewolf could smell something was strange. Or maybe the smell of snow awoke something deeply buried in his unconsciousness, the smell of winter in the continent he heard much about but never saw. Snow never fell in Brazil, and yet it alerted something in him.

"Kamui, I need to speak to you. Do you mind stepping outside with me for a moment?" Death's voice was cool, relaxed and only slightly assertive.

Kamui chose not to look up from the clothes he so preciously chose to take due to how they might fit him nicely for Fuma's eyes to bask on.

"….Alright…" he whispered when he realized there wasn't anything much he could do other than to obey Death.

He had to pull all the strength in his body and heart to get off the bed and walk towards Alex, his head still bowed, his fingers still involuntarily fidgeting.

"Oh, and take your coat with you; it's cold outside and I'd like to take a short walk…I have something to tell you that is very important."

Kamui's shoulders shook as he fought back a powerful fit of sobbing, "Yes…" he reached for his coat faintly, only to have it brought to his hands by Death.

"Let's go."

Kamui followed, wondering if this is how a prisoner on death row felt as he walked towards the execution site.

The only criminal he ever sent to execution was Seishiro.

Only then did Kamui catch a glimpse of what he had brought about the Sakurazukamori.

Oh god….and how Subaru might have felt! His poor Subaru, so nerve wrecked, so worried he looked crazy.

Was it worth it? His pride, was it worth it? The pride wounded by the man who brought so much pain over one of Kamui's dearest friends, back in a world so far away from them now that it seemed irrelevant?

Was it worth it? The six months' loneliness, night by freezing night with only a body of some half-accused doppelganger from a different world so much different and blood drenched than his for company in his bed?

Was it worth it? Watching Fuma with his broken arms in bandages, running for his life from a monster far too strong for him to ever think of overcoming?

Was it worth it? All the stress and pain and loneliness these six months caused Fuma?

When Kamui raised his eyes from the ground and the view of his shuffling feet walking on the dim grey and white land underneath him, they already arrived where their conversation was to take place.

They were facing the shore, the water glittering in the moonbeams at the distance, staring out at the ocean on which they rode to this wretched place and the wretched decisions it had to bring upon them all.

Death stood with his back to Kamui, one leg on a rock, palms resting at his sides. His black hair billowed in the chilly wind. His cape danced on the cold breeze, often flapping so the blue and white stripes on it's inside flashed before Kamui like a finger pointing at him with guilt.

Oh, Shiro Kamui, you sure know whose head to fuck with.

"Kamui, I've made a very important decision about this….trip."

Kamui inhaled as much cold air as he could, hoping it will wrap his aching heart with frost to fend off the throbbing pain Death's following words will bring upon him.

Death did not go on for a while; instead he tensed his shoulders, folding his arms on his chest.

This was not something he will enjoy saying, Kamui knew. After all, Alex never liked bringing him bad news.

Because Alex loves him, and Kamui hurt him so much in return.

Oh, Shiro Kamui, no matter how many undertakers you'll redeem and how much punches you take from people you condemned to death, for your biggest crime you still have to pay.

'Bring it on, I know I deserve it.'

"Tomorrow we're scaling these cliffs and heading directly towards the City as fast as we can. Hopefully we'll be there by noon."

Kamui opened his mouth to say something but found he had no breath in him to say it. He inhaled but there was no strength in him left to do anything but to stand there and try to comprehend.

At the City by tomorrow noon…

That is…

"But we have to agree on something, Kamui; you will never try to lay your hand on a Man or Creature of Death. If you see something offensive you turn to me and solve it with me. I will not have my men do anything wrong and I know them best to fit them with a proper punishment.

"I know you're Justice, I know you're more Justice now than when we left the City half a year ago, and I trust your power of judgment. But my men are mine and I'd like to keep them from harm of the outside world. If anyone is to hurt them I'd rather have it me, and bare the consequences of it."

For a brief moment Death turned to look Kamui across his shoulder, to make sure the boy was listening.

His eyes glowed turquoise in the moonlight.

"I need you to promise me, no, to vow to me that this is how things will be from now on. Let's end this, Kamui, I'm too weary of brawling with you…I want peace."

Kamui let his tears roll down his cheeks unnoticed. He nodded before finally speaking, "Yes, I want peace as well…I want forgiveness… I'll stop this here. I'm sorry Alex."

Death no longer looked at him, instead he moved even more nervously, changing standing positions a few times before stopping completely, head bowed lowly.

"Kamui…You're going back to Fuma, to be happy with the man you love. I understand that, I agree to it. I…I agreed to it back then as well…I know you know this was not about you and me…."

The wind blew through the thick silence between them and suddenly Kamui realized the meaning of this event.

"Kamui, I can't stop loving you, though I won't burden you with myself anymore. I'll withdraw from your life completely; I'll bother you no longer…."

Death's voice cracked with emotions and tears.

Then he turned to face Kamui suddenly, his cape billowing and wrapping around him theatrically for a moment. The eyes lying on Kamui were no longer glowing; they were painful green.

Kamui's shoulders shook and not because of the cold.

"Just…one thing….I want you to know that I'm always here for you, whenever you're sad or in trouble. Especially if you're in trouble. I want you to remember that I'll always come to save you, and…I'll ask for nothing in return, not even thanks…"

Kamui nodded, finally gaining enough control over himself to wipe the tears from his face. "I'm sorry." He whimpered softly into the wind which caught his voice and scattered it away from Death's ears.

"So…just in case you might forget…or be overcome by bad thoughts and that lack of confidence I know still eats you sometimes…whenever bad thoughts or a nightmare come to haunt you …

"I'd like you to take this…and maybe…maybe you can use it to remember that out there there's something that loves you more than anything in its world….Something that would give you everything possible….that would do anything for you, Kamui…

"….Because I love you, Kamui….I love you so much."

The black box was extended towards Kamui in a strong hand, completely still.

The white of the arm shone painfully bright in the moonlight, clashing with the blue of ink turning black in the dark. Numbers carved into the skin eons ago.

The smooth leather of the box caught the moonlight in a soft line the box' length.

Kamui reached for the object and gently picked it from Death's grip.

He opened the box and stared down at a beautiful necklace; a work of art.

It was made of a thin band of leather, into which three gems were set encircled by a thin line of silver fashioned into a delicate vine connecting each gem to the other.

Even in the night's dark the gems shone the most brilliant shade of violet; the shade Kamui studied himself enough to know was the exact same as his eyes.

He gasped with awe but immediately remembered his position and picked the jewel gently out of the soft velvet bed it lay on. He inspected it, his heart missing a beat with the sheer beauty of this piece of art.

"May I put this on you, Kamui?"

Justice shook himself out of his shock of awe and nodded, turning his back to Alex and lifting the hairs which fell on the back of his neck to expose the long thin column of sensual flesh on which the gift was to be placed.

Alex stepped towards the boy, taking the jewel from him and gently placing it around Kamui's neck while making sure he will not pull it too tight.

With his back to Death, Kamui could not see the eyes flash from green to beaming turquoise as Death melted the clasps made of steel together into one locked round lump.

It was done.

"You can go now Kamui, please don't feel obliged to thank me or speak to me anymore. Just remember my words; it'll be enough for me."

Kamui wanted to turn and look at Alex one more time, but soft fingers at his shoulders indicated him the man wished to avoid eye contact with him.

"Go to bed now, Kamui, a long day awaits us tomorrow."

'The day I finally meet Fuma'.

Kamui was on his way moments later.

* * *

Will was fast asleep on their bed when Kamui stormed into the tent, belly almost aching with the amount of good news he had to share with the cub.

Kamui frowned; this was odd. Will doesn't usually go to sleep so early, not before he made sure Kamui was tucked into bed as well.

Ah, but such things do not matter and frankly Kamui couldn't bring himself to think of anything but tomorrow's noon.

He'll be with Fuma again. There will be peace between Death and Justice. The world would be alright again, a notion so far from him it seemed almost unreal.

The boy, fidgeting around in his tent with excitement too great to allow him sleep is exactly what Death foretold Seishiro about.

Pulling his fingers into the right position, the Sakurazukamori, one of the strongest Men of Death, one of Death's most loyal servants and allies, cast the same sleep spell he rendered Will unconscious with.

* * *

Lestate poked his head out of his tent and watched snowflakes slowly descend from the heavens.

He saw, through the thin veil of white flakes, the Sakurazukamori walk away from Kamui's tent towards Death's.

He wished not to think tonight and so, he withdrew back into his warm domain, to sit on his coffin and stare at things.

The night air grew colder and colder, the snow creating a deadly beautiful layer on the ground.

White as Death's skin.

Snug in his bed, cocooned in the blankets he managed to pull around himself before giving into the immense fatigue which suddenly crushed on him, Kamui slept soundly.

The mauve gems began glowing gently.

* * *

"The prince, the priest and the demon," The witch said, leering over her pool of dimensional lens, "it will soon happen again. And then,

"A vampire master, and a master-less vampire.

"Two of the light, two from the dark.

"And twins of fire.

"Fire to destroy.

"What will they do then, when the fire licks at the City?" The witch reached for her glass of liquor.

(tbc)


	39. From Hero to Villain

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **To Cocoke5 (What's Alex up to? You'll see now), LadyoftheBlackWings (Supremely despise cliffhangers 8D I love your descriptions dear, so amusing. The space and time witch named Yuuko BTW has the part of watching everything and laugh at Alex with glee. I loved this sentence: "To me he is more alive than the breaths I take, because my breaths count to my death." Very good. Can't wait for the whole chapter!) and to Ruth who commented on my Lj (Alex doing something and it won't end up in tragedy! Why are you fooling yourself woman? XD If you've figured out the orphanage scene, please share it with me to receive your cookie )

Also many thanks to Cait-hime-sama-dono, my beta, for working so hard on making A New World a better fic.

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN IT'S CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!**

**Author's request: **Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

You have no idea how hard I'm struggling with the ever increasing excitement over Band of Brothers to write this fic, not that I'm going to abandon this fic (never in hell) but it's hard to concentrate on a plot when there are all those yummy shiny handsome paratroopers running around in you brain.

* * *

**Chapter 39 – From Hero to Villain **

When Kamui opened his eyes the next morning he didn't know where he was. He didn't know what he was doing here, lying on this big bed in a strange looking room with walls made of fabric, how he got there or where 'here' is.

As he nervously fingered the soft, colorful patch blanket which covered him, Kamui realized he didn't know his name.

He sat up and proceeded to look around him. The strangely made room had short soft grass for floor, with bald patched here and there where a dark yellow and light brown earth peeked from between exhausted thin grass shoots which have been stomped flat by feet unknown to Kamui's confused mind.

To his left stood an oval shaped closet made of smooth looking light grey wood with door handles made of intricately designed silver. The doors were not fully closed because of a shirt, hanging limply from the bottom of the closet as if it attempted to escape the furniture when the doors slammed on it, preventing its break out.

The shirt was of a dark purple fabric. Kamui noted the shirt he was wearing had the same color and thus concluded that the shirt and perhaps everything else in the closet was his. If so, then this might be his room and he just might be living here.

Perhaps he aught to get off the bed and start searching for items bearing some kind of a signature, or a place where he might have written his name down; anything to know who he is.

Kamui looked to his right and noted he was occupying only half the bed. The other half seemed to have had someone sleeping there earlier because the pillow bore the marks of a head sunk in it, and the blanket was drawn down as if someone had peeled it off of himself (or herself) and had gotten out of the bed.

Kamui longed to find this person he didn't know and with whom he had been sharing a bed, apparently. But the person was not around and the abandoned pair of slippers on the right side of the bed (unlike the pair of sleepers which waited Kamui at the feet of his side of the bed) told Kamui this stranger's departure has been rushed.

Kamui stopped pondering the meaning and reasons behind the stranger's departure when he realized that he shouldn't start worrying about mysteries shrouding other people when he still doesn't know his own name or where he is.

Frustration mounted in his mind, making his temples ache. The more he tried to deduct and conclude facts from the things his eyes could see the more questions in need of an answer he found.

The aggravation crawled all around his skull and began dripping down his spine, making him giddy and irritated.

As if to confuse him even more, the wall before Kamui's bed split smoothly in half (an opening was apparently there all the time, which Kamui failed to notice) and a man stepped into the room. Kamui ogled at him.

He was tall, rugged looking with strong tight muscles covering his long arms and bare chest. His head was almost smoothly shaved, though a thin film of soft brown hairs began growing to cover his squared head. The man wore a pair of tattered black pants, the rims of which were so gnawed and muddy it made Kamui wonder what kind of man he was; a beggar or a hard laborer.

As the man stepped into Kamui's tent the breath was almost yanked out of the observing boy as he noticed large black wings which poked out of his back, folded in half. An angel! Can't be, and if so then is he in heaven?

What fascinated Kamui the most about this invader of his unknown territory was the look in his eyes. His bright hazel eyes were dilated and wide, staring at Kamui intensely without the slightest hint of realizing how awkward and agitated it made Kamui feel.

The man seemed to be watching him as if to check for any strange things in his appearance or behavior. Kamui, who didn't even know how he looked (the mirror in his room was just above his head, behind the headboard of his bed but he didn't turn around to look into it or notice its existence yet), found this nerve wrecking.

The man, who had walked to the deserted side of Kamui's bed, stopped and straightened his back (he was walking bent a bit, as if sneaking up to the boy on the bed), his head drawn backwards in slight surprise, and frowned heavily until his thick curly brows became one.

Having enough of this strange behavior and enough of ignorance, Kamui decided to start a conversation. He made an effort of looking as friendly and harmless as he can, "…Hello?"

He was immediately taken aback by the sound of his own voice, for he didn't know how he sounds. Kamui thought he sounded awfully young and wondered how old he is. He noticed he was kind of small and thin but he didn't think it was because he was young.

The man frowned a little more, cocking his head slightly, "Hello…" he said after realizing Kamui was quite desperate for an answer.

"Uh...who are you?"

"I'm David."

"Ah. Okay. Nice to meet you David, or do we already know each other?"

The man named David stared at Kamui with a slightly different expression now. Now he was no longer monitoring him, he was stunned at the conclusions he drew. What did he know that Kamui didn't? What was he so surprised about?

The man frowned again, darting his eyes to avoid making contact with Kamui's.

Finally he shoved his large hands down the pockets of his pants looking strangely childish for such a rugged looking man, "Yes, we know each other." His voice was low.

"Then you know me, good. What's my name?"

The man's brows shot up his forehead, his eyes cleared with shock, "Y-you don't even know your name?"

So this man knew he doesn't know anything about himself, this man should also know _why_ he doesn't know anything about himself. Kamui's heart leaped in his chest.

"I don't know anything. Look," Kamui climbed out of his bed and walked towards David with a sure stride, "I woke up knowing nothing; I don't know who I am, what I look like, where I am, how did I get here, what I'm doing here. Tell me everything you know, Mr. David."

David, who was backed up against the fabric wall with every step Kamui took towards him, looked down at the boy with near horror. His lips moved to form words but the sounds that came out were unfamiliar to Kamui, which frustrated the boy because David seemed to have become suddenly talkative; if only Kamui understood the language the man spoke he'd be happier.

After some intense staring from Kamui, David finally spoke, "Kamui. Your name is Kamui."

"Kamui…"

"And there's a mirror, right over there…if you want to know how you look like."

Kamui followed David's pointing finger and dashed back to his side of the bed to stare into the smooth silver surface in awe.

* * *

When he stepped into the tent and the brat exchanged stares with him it was only bizarre, mixed with a sense of 'this isn't going to work', now as he spoke to the boy the feeling changed into 'what the hell happened!'.

Something changed for sure; the boy allowed himself to stare right at him without any kind of angry glare or impatience, shyness or in fact any kind of emotion other than curiosity.

The brat David knew would never dare stare at him for so long without saying something snappy or looking away politely.

Then the boy asked him what his name was, how he looked, what is he doing here, and it dawned on David; the plan worked. Kamui the brat was no more, all that was left was this wide eyed youth who had nothing but curiosity towards the world around him.

David's reaction to the fully comprehended notion of the Forget Stone's effect on Kamui was not what he imagined.

When Alex briefed him and Seishiro about their parts in the plan David was sure his reaction would be the same as Seishiro's; ding dong, the bitch is gone. They sure seemed to be feeling that way as they walked out of Death's tent to work out the plan, a light spring in their steps.

But now, as he looked at this changed youth David realized something about the plan's result: what was left from the Stone's affect was nothing but a shell, the body without the soul which once possessed it.

What was Kamui without his personality? Nothing but a pretty doll.

Without the glare they once possessed, the sneaky inquisitive look, the anger, the laughter, the constantly sharp investigation of everything around them, the large eyed with their unique color were nothing but something nice to look at for a moment then move on to something more interesting.

The face was still beautiful but it did not move to make any of the expressions Kamui used to have; the slight frown that came along with his glares, the cocky smile, the condescending single raised eyebrow, the lips thinning in discontent or concentration.

The boy has been rubbed of his personality, and though David never liked this personality he still found the result horrific.

Horrific because (in a sense he'll never feel very happy with) he was obliged to the boy. Without the boy's observation of Justice he would have never stopped blaming himself for murder, he'd never feel as free as he felt since that frantic afternoon on the pirate ship, he'd never dare start growing his hair again.

Horrific because he only now began to realize that Alex had plotted this whole thing, that this is what Alex planned; erase the boy that once was there and create a completely different person to make a completely different impression of himself on.

Was he so desperate to have Kamui by his side that he'll take even an empty shell of the boy for a lover? Was he so insensitive to realize that to do something like that to anyone was vile and corrupt?

He must speak to Alex. But Alex won't speak until he is assured that the plan has worked and for that to happen David must follow his role; to bring the new version of Kamui to Alex's tent as soon as the boy woke.

The boy was staring at himself in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair, down his face, on his clothes. He was mouthing silently as he observed the expressions his features created. He really knew nothing of himself.

Being rid of the damned werewolf cub was something David enjoyed immensely, but Kamui was different and Kamui deserves justice, just like he gave him justice.

"Come on, Kamui, we need to go."

Kamui darted his wide, clear eyes to the undertaker, "Go? Where?"

"To…" oh, shit, "Uh…just come along already."

Baffled by the sudden roughness and impatience in the bigger man's voice, Kamui blushed and followed the man to the tent's exit.

He's not going to lead the boy to Alex's clutches in his boxers and loose shirt; that'd be too much of a treat. "Better change out of your pajamas first…"

Kamui looked down at himself, giggling nervously, "Yeah, I better."

David grunted, "I'll be outside waiting for you to get changed."

The boy picked one of Will's pants from the floor,

"N-no, that's not yours, take…uh…one of the things in that closet or something."

Kamui frowned at him and immediately David realized that the boy might not know anything about himself but his forever busy mind was always sharp and tuned to understand things. He realized that the boy was naturally clever, something he refused to admit before when he hated the boy and refused to acknowledge any positive traits in him.

"Not mine? Then whose is it? Who shared my bed and left before I woke up?"

David was stuck. If he tells the boy about Will Kamui will go looking for him and if he found the werewolf he might as well never have had the Forget Stone attached to him.

"That someone left. They…uh…they're not here anymore. Forget about that, Kamui, and just come with me."

"Why did they leave? What happened? Who was it?"

"Just change your clothes and come outside already! I don't want to hear any more questions from you." The undertaker heard himself bark at the boy, and immediately exited the tent in case more questions nagged at him.

A few minutes later Kamui walked out his tent, luckily wearing his own clothes, hanging inquisitive innocent eyes at David, suspecting nothing.

Time to bring the boy to Death.

Alex was bent over one of his maps, casually spending this fateful morning as if it was any of the other mornings before it. When he sensed David walking into his tent he spun around sharply to stare at the entrance to his domain.

Just as he planned it; David walked in followed closely by Kamui. Death smiled and halfway through realized it was the wrong smile, so he softened it until it wouldn't scare the wide eyed boy.

David, however, looked at him with a loaded glare and seemed in dire need to say something to him.

They'll talk later; the plan worked and Kamui now looking at him so curiously was like a wrapped present Alex couldn't wait to open and scrutinize.

" I need to talk to you." David's voice was stern.

"Not now, David, I'll talk to you later." The tones they used made Kamui look from one man to the other with the look Alex knew to be 'making conclusions about things' and that's not something Alex wanted the boy to do now.

"No," The undertaker covered the distance between them with long swift steps and grabbed Death by the arm, dragging him out the tent and away from the precious Kamui, "I need to talk to you now!"

They were out of the tent before Alex could use his powers to stop David. The stern glare the fire keeper gave Alex kept him from doing that.

"Look…just…..you…the boy…." David trying gesturing to the tent behind Alex, tried to form a proper sentence from his stormy thoughts, tried to avoid eye contact with Death, "It's…I…"

"What is it?"

Finally David level his eyes with Alex's, "The boy's not the same. He didn't know _his own name_, didn't know how he looks even, for god's sake!"

"That is the effect of the Forget Stone, I thought I told you that when I explained the plan to you and Seishiro."

David ran his hand over the soft layer of short hair he managed to grow by now, "Yes, yes, you did, but you didn't say his soul would be taken away as well!"

Death's brows shot up, "His _soul_! What are you talking about?"

"He's not the same; he's like some empty shell that…_stares_ at you…like some kind of a ghost. It's unnerving."

Alex sighed, hands on his waist, "Since when do you care? You hate him."

David's glare was fiercer than any glare he ever gave Alex, "You know what happened that time in the ship, and you know what it means to me. I don't love the boy, or think any better of him but he did something that had a great affect on me. Shit, it's like the little son of a bitch liberated me, not the Americans. As much as I hate to admit it I…"

"Yes, he did you a great service," Alex's tone was so cold and powerful it stopped David completely, snapping him to the reality of Alex's power over them all, "and _I_ owe him greatly for it. I won't turn him into some puppet; he'll be himself again pretty soon. Trust me."

David would have, only the icy tone and the sudden commanding air about Alex made David worry for his Death as the other man walked back into the tent.

Realizing that he was standing before the tent without doing anything useful after his first duty of the day was over, David hurried away to work on his usual morning tasks.

On his way to the unlit pile of woods about to become this morning's cooking fire, David walked past Subaru who had just woken from a strangely long and deep sleep he enjoyed last night.

The onmyouji took one look at the worried expression on David's face and realized something was askew in the riders' camp this morning.

For a moment he and David exchanged looks. David seemed to be both pleased and worried about Subaru's awakening, the reason for this Subaru didn't know.

Then the undertaker's eyes moved away and his face drained of expression. He stared to a point behind Subaru and his gaze became fierce and meaningful. A moment later the look was gone and David began attending to this morning's breakfast.

Subaru turned around and discovered Seishiro standing behind him, glaring at David powerfully. If something was up that both Seishiro and David were involved with it definitely included Alex and Kamui.

Subaru didn't like waking up into such a situation. A wordless message from Death hung in the air, forcing Subaru to stay away from Death for a while without giving the onmyouji any reason for it.

Something big had happened, something that couldn't be good, something that involved Kamui and Alex. Anything not good that involved Kamui and Alex, at the very footsteps of the City meant bad news to Subaru.

There they were, seemingly at the end of this long ordeal and just when everybody seemed to be slipping into their place, into some kind of a peaceful understanding, it's all put in doubt because there was a plot playing behind Subaru's back and he didn't even know how to stop its bad parts from happening or what those bad parts were to begin with.

"Seishiro-san, what's going on?" This time he was not ashamed or embarrassed to use this strict, angry tone at his lover. He realized he didn't use this tone towards Seishiro since the time they were in their home world and fighting over a Kekkai, back in the days when his heart was tainted by hate for this man, the days when he didn't know the emotions locked in this man's heart.

"Alex wants to have one last conversation with Kamui. It might take long and they might fight so hard we'll hear the yells all the way here," Seishiro's smile was sweet as he looked down at his lover, "but it just might work. We probably won't be heading on towards the City until they'll reach some kind of a conclusion."

Subaru stared at Seishiro for a long time, "You're lying to me, why!"

Seishiro didn't answer Subaru for a moment; he was too busy sending an urgent mental message to Death.

_'Help me here; he's going to start a scene. Your plan didn't include this!'_

The next moment, Subaru's eyes flashed turquoise and his expression changed completely. Instead of the powerful, almost hateful glare he nailed at Seishiro, he was now wearing a soft and caring expression.

"I hope it'll work. This is Alex' last change of winning Kamui's heart, isn't it?" He sighed, looking away with that nearly motherly light shining in his transfixing jade orbs.

"Ah, didn't you say you need to give Will's arm one last check? If we're going to get to the City maybe you need to give the pup a last estimate to share with Anthony and Kazuki." Subaru laughed lightly, "how nice it is; you'll be soon working with Anthony and Kazuki again! Did you miss them, Seishiro-san?"

Seishiro blinked at Subaru, taking half a step back. As much as he appreciated the life saving last moment's help Alex just lent him, he found the sudden change in Subaru's behavior a bit unnerving.

Then again they were about the explode into a very angry, very problematic argument just now and with it Alex's brilliant plan might have been jeopardizes, so Seishiro was willing to sacrifice a bit of a mood swing in his Subaru for the plan's result.

He spun on his heels and headed towards his tent, wishing to have his back to Subaru when he lied as he realized the man was completely capable of reading the lie on his expression when it came.

"I saw Will running away from his tent earlier this morning when I woke up to relieve myself. I think maybe Kamui let him go or something."

"Let him go!" Subaru ran to Seishiro's side, "you mean he released Will! Why!"

Trying to keep Subaru from seeing his face was becoming difficult, Seishiro wanted to finish this as quickly as he can, "Maybe Will asked him, and maybe Kamui didn't want to appear as Justice with a questionably guilty werewolf as an assistant."

Subaru, who was standing in his tent with Seishiro, stopped following his pacing lover around and mused. It made sense, and yet he was worried for Will who was once again abandoned just when it seemed he found a home for himself.

"That poor cub. I mean, I know I've never been particularly fond of him with his history and all, but he has been to so much and Alex seemed to have reached some kind of a closure with him…."

"I'll go look for him when I'll go hunting for food."

Subaru shot surprised eyes at Seishiro and immediately a proud warm smile spread on his beautiful face, "You're very kind, Seishiro-san."

Awkward and uneasy, filled with immense guilt he hated feeling, Seishiro grabbed his bow and quiver hurriedly, "Yes, I better do it now. Alex's talk with Kamui might just take the whole day and I better start finding food for lunch. Yes…"

He threw his hunting cape around his shoulders and dashed out of the tent as quickly as he could.

* * *

Will was laying on a great yellowish grey rock overlooking the beach where they landed almost this very hour a day ago. He was lying on his back, his hands and feet bound by a strong rope. He was unconscious after waking up halfway through David's ridding of him and received quite a nasty blow to the back of the head from the undertaker's shovel.

Naked feet made little noise as they snuck up to the cub, the equally naked werewolf to whom the feet belonged was constantly casting suspicious glares across his shoulder to check if he was being watched or not.

As he crouched by Will's side, the werewolf who knew Will from his world, and loved him greatly, sniffed the air around the boy to confirm he was not wounded and bleeding.

As soon as he affirmed the boy was unharmed, the Captain hurried to untie the boy as he sensed someone was approaching them. He turned his head to look back just in time for Seishiro to be spotted, preparing an arrow to shoot towards them.

He snatched Will's limp body from the rock, cradling it as he did long ago as he brought him back from the jungle to their base, and hurried towards the cave he had found on the beach where he spent the night.

Arrows flew past him, zooming right by his ears and crashing on the rocks beside him as he leaped from rock to rock, reminding him of times when what zoomed by him were M1 and Tommy gun bullets from the back and panzerfaust and 88 shells from the front.

Now he was in a completely different world, where he was not thrown into battles he cared very little for and was enslaved by the fat stumpy man who released him from his ancient chains to make him his personal bodyguard and driver. Now he was in a completely alien world where the only person he knew was luckily the only person he ever loved.

Will moaned and started steering out of his coma as the Captain leaped into the cave and out of Seishiro's sight.

The dark onmyouji, who realized his arrows began missing the large wolf-like beast due to the distance opened between them, shrugged and started towards the other direction in search of this lunch's meat.

The werewolf cub, now completely free from the ropes David put on his to lesser his chances of survival alone as much as possible, opened his eyes.

What he saw was an immense wolf, standing on his rear legs, his huge furry and clawed human shaped hands reaching out for him.

The Captain had changed into his wolf appearance to attempt some kind of an intimidation in his attacker but failed, and forgot to change back since then.

Will, confused by his awakening in a cave instead of his safe bed by Kamui's side, was now horrified to discover that not only had David carrying him bound and helpless away from the camp (as he remembered now) but he was now kidnapped to a cave by a monster obviously preparing to eat him.

He wailed out a long horrified scream and ran out the cave as fast as he could. As fast has he could meant that to the Captain who rescued him, the boy was there one moment and gone the next.

The Captain blinked at the suddenly Will-less rock and frowned. He scared the boy; the boy didn't know him, when he clearly remembered showing his wolf shape to the boy back in the world.

Beyond that fact, the Captain knew for certain that they've gotten to know each other's smell, and that the cub aught to have known who he was by smell, just the way he knew the cub's smell and knew where to go whenever the two ex-prisoners moved their group and the cub with them.

The Captain thought of Alex and David and a burning hate flared up in his chest. Whatever they did to Schrodinger, it must have made him change his mind about his background. Perhaps they brainwashed him against his origins, or maybe they didn't know. Whatever it was the cub now didn't recognize him, or recognized him and chose to run away.

He walked to the cave opening and sniffed the air in search of the boy's scent trail. The problem with the cub was that he could move too quickly for the Captain, some kind of a talent the Doc gave him when he tweaked his genes to give him werewolf features and blond hair.

He'll just have to follow the cub's scent and hope to find him before the ex-prisoners did for god knows what they were capable of doing.

* * *

"Kamui…ah…good morning."

The man who reentered the tent after getting dragged out of it by the man named David looked at him with happy, nervous eyes.

Kamui cocked his head and tried to mirror the small smile on the stranger's face, "Good morning. Who are you?"

The man laughed lightly and placed his palm on Kamui's cheek, "You're adorable as always. My name is Alex. You know your name again, so I heard."

"Again, yes. Where am I? Who are you? What am I doing here? Why…"

The man named Alex raised his palms before him as if to both surrender and stop Kamui's chain of interrogation.

"I understand you're very confused and very upset as a result of that but, Kamui, I'm going to explain it all. I'm going to use telepathy…uh…do you know what that is?" Kamui nodded, "interesting.

I'm going to use telepathy to show you all your memories so you'll know everything again and won't be confused anymore. The reason why I'm telling you this is because I don't want you alarmed because you're suddenly seeing things, okay?"

Kamui nodded enthusiastically, already feeling much better for having his problems solved without too much fuss and by such a nice man.

Alex pulled up his chair and gestured for Kamui to take a seat. The boy was hanging his large, curios eyes at the man, making him only more excited about what's about to happen.

"Now, close your eyes, it'll help you concentrate."

Kamui closed his eyes.

He saw a woman and learned that it was his mother. He saw them play together, he saw her helping him with his homework, he saw her hug him when he cried, he saw her tell him she loved him.

He saw a boy and a girl, playing with him, teasing him, hugging him, telling him he was their best friend. They were Kotori and Fuma and he loved them both immensely, he was happy with them. He saw their mother hold hands with his mother, saw their father attempt to take him under his wing. He saw the two families become one and felt the immense wonderful joy and bliss it brought upon them all.

Then he saw his mother explain why they have to move and understood that he was a boy at the time and resented it. He saw Okinawa and his new classmates, he saw his powers develop and how he used it. He saw his delinquent behavior as he grew up; the street fights, the fending off of bullies from those who were less apt then him in defending themselves. He saw his longing to be back in the safety and warmth of Kotori and Fuma's arms around him.

He saw his mother burn to ashes and heard his screams tearing through the black and red night. He heard her message for him and the morning following it, where he began preparing for departure to Tokyo.

He saw his arrival in Tokyo, his enrollment in a high school, his renting of a small apartment from money his mother left for him in her will.

He saw the shiki which haunted him and how he fought them with his powers, he saw how he brushed past Fuma and how he hissed at Kotori.

He saw his fight with Saiki, his meeting with Arashi, then with Sorata and Fuma as they tended his wounds.

One by one the events of 1999 trickled into his mind; The death of Fuma and Kotori's father, the dream Hinoto gave him, his meeting with Tokiko and her death as the shinken was born.

"**NOOO!** Stop it! Stop showing it to me! Please!"

But Kotori was sliced into pieces and Fuma was threatening to kill him. Fuma was tearing at his flesh, piercing his body with glass shreds and the shinken and a metal pole and his eyes were so cold.

Fuma became a monster.

Kamui cried and was immediately back in the tent.

A soft palm landed on his shoulder, another ran through his hair softly. "I'm sorry, Kamui, but this is what happened to you. I thought of taking away those painful memories but then thought it was unfair. Tell me when you're ready to see the rest; I assure you it gets better in time."

Kamui nodded, fighting to ignore the lingering pain in his muscles where his body remembered those long ago wounds. He stared down at his palms and saw the thin, long scars. Fuma had turned into a monster.

He gathered his wits and took a deep breath, hanging his eyes (now looking much older and wiser) at Alex again.

The man was kneeling at his feet, looking deep into his eyes with an expression of pure concern and for a moment Kamui was taken aback by this stranger's complete care for him. He smiled faintly and nodded, "I'm ready, show me more."

He saw Kotori's head in his hands and his retreat into his heart. Then he saw Subaru, Subaru who talked softly to him, Subaru who talked sternly to him. Subaru who told him his painful past. Subaru who helped him reach the resolution that he needs to fight back Fuma, needs to win this battle for the world where Kotori once lived.

Then the battles began and kekkais began to splinter and break. People were wounded, people were killed, his new friend Keiichi's family was hit and he admired the boy's strength in the face of his loss.

He saw Fuma on top of every building ravaged by earthquakes and remembered his resolution.

Then one battle Fuma grabbed him in a moment of overpowering emotion. Fuma was going to choke him to death, was going to drop him from the top of that building.

Then Alex appeared and saved him, Alex who has been looking for him because in the dimension from which he came he was told they belonged together.

Then Fuma battled with him again, this time hurting him horridly and Sorata and Arashi were there by his side. Alex joined them and healed his wounds.

They formed a plan to stop the Dragons of Earth and Alex promised he will be able to bring back the old Fuma who was not a monster, though he warned Kamui in advance that some of the evil might linger in Fuma's soul.

The plan worked out perfectly when suddenly the dimension from which Alex came grabbed them and sucked them all, Dragons of Earth and Heaven, into itself.

As they landed Fuma awoke, the good old friend of Kamui's that he was and they resumed their friendship. Alex, despite the promise he received in this world that he'll be with Kamui, backed away and allowed the two boys to patch up the damages caused by the monster which possessed Fuma.

Though, he warned Kamui again to look out for the evil which might have remained in Fuma's heart.

The Dragons settled in a house of their own and tried to build a new life in this strange world. Kamui saw Nataku become Kazuki, saw Kusanagi die, saw Subaru and Seishiro overcome their ordeals in their home world and become a couple.

He and Fuma were given a new duty; Justice, and their powers from the Battle of the Apocalypse were vanishing. He saw the court and the Noters, Ice Man and Lion and the trials they ran as Justice.

Then Fuma suggested putting Seishiro to trial and, though he suspected it might hurt Subaru, Kamui was convinced. During the trial, Kamui saw Fuma hurl accusation after accusation at Seishiro, and how Subaru was ravaged by his pain and love for Seishiro. He saw a glint in Fuma's eyes and shuddered; was that the evil Alex warned him about?

They sentenced Seishiro to death but Alex, who is a guardian of Seishiro as Death on earth, warned them not to execute their plan. Fuma laughed at Alex face and argued that they are Justice and will trial whomever they feel like trialing.

That night, as Kamui tired to speak to Fuma about Alex's warnings and his behavior during the trial, Fuma became suddenly sweet and soft and behaved like a perfect friend (and even more, for Kamui could pick out small gestures that hinted him Fuma might have a plan for a romance between them) and apologized if he seemed rough but Seishiro was a criminal.

The next morning, as the execution was set up Death's forces attacked them. Alex took his men and creatures, gathered Kamui as well and rode far away with Seishiro and Subaru (whom Fuma was about to order to shoot as well, because he tried to protect Seishiro with his body).

They traveled for a long time, covered a great distance and though Fuma tried to use Ice Man to find Kamui, his plan had failed.

Kamui saw how he was confused and saddened at this sudden departure from the home he learned live in, his friends from the Dragons of Heaven and Earth with whom he learned to finally get along with, and Fuma whom he learned to trust again. Most of all he saw his grief over how the evil which still clung to Fuma's heart managed to change the youth, who was just getting the hang of being free to control his own body again.

He saw his sorrow for their friendship being broken again, for the last hope to revive something of his childhood's safety and comfort with the Monous besmirched by suspicious and fear of evil taking over Fuma again.

They traveled long, they traveled far, they went through adventures beyond what Kamui ever dreamt of and they traveled more.

Then they arrived at the Light Side and Kamui saw the immense injustice of one side having such richness while back in the City people were beginning to starve. He saw Alex reduce himself to a growling, threatening barbarian because it meant the City's people will receive half of the women's crops.

Then Kotori appeared and Kamui was delightful beyond words. He saw how he told her of Fuma, his behavior returning to normal and then the evil taking over again. They spoke of how they must find some way to help Fuma recover himself. Kotori said she'll come visit the City as soon as he's back there and that she'll take on the mission of healing her brother.

They bade farewell to one another with kisses, hugs and tears, promising each other they'll see each other again.

Then they moved onwards and traveled through a land of wonders and small adventures. Kamui was enjoying himself and was beginning to wonder about whether he ever wants to return to the City and his duties. Then he saw himself resolve that he must resume his duties, that he is Justice and must serve those who needed it. He saw himself maturing.

He saw himself and Alex start to edge towards one another, talking for long hours in their tents or walking out in the strange and exciting views of the Light Side.

He saw them walking in one of the beautiful gardens the elves' city had to offer, suddenly stopping to face one another. Alex had confessed to Kamui that he loves him, how much he loved him. He informed Kamui that he is not expecting anything in return from the boy, merely his presence, if Kamui did not share those emotions with him.

Kamui saw himself sharing those emotions and so, they came to be lovers. There was a problem, a curse that kept Alex from being able to even kiss him; Kamui had to be a creature of Death. But Kamui was reluctant and afraid of becoming a monster, though Alex clearly explained that no such thing was going to happen.

Still, ever patient, Alex agreed to give Kamui as much time as he wishes to reach a resolution about whether he wants to become a vampire or not.

Then they reached the pirate ship and began their final travel towards the City.

Kamui saw, just as he was climbing down to shore from the pirate's ship, how the gangplank as it was drawn into the ship's body by rope slipped and knocked him on the head. Then everything became black.

Kamui opened his eyes.

A small accident, the pirates loosing grip on the ropes holding the gangway; that was all.

"So, I got bumped on the head and caught amnesia?"

Alex smiled softly, "That's one way of saying it. I was panicking. I thought you'd be concussed, that you'd suffer brain damage, that…"

Kamui reached out to Death and placed his hands softly on the sides of Alex's face, "I'm alright. I remember everything now, don't I?"

Alex did not answer; instead he stared at Kamui, his expression soft and blank, his eyes at awe. He placed his hands on Kamui's, weaving his fingers with the boy's.

"Yes, you are."

Kamui smiled, feeling his chest explode with happiness and love. He realized, as he was watching his memories of Alex, that he reached a resolution about the little obstacle between them.

"Alex…"

"Yes?"

"I kind of thought about everything, you know, the whole 'Creature of Death' thing…"

Alex's eyes widened, their edged touched by turquoise, "….A-and?"

"I think…" he delayed his words to tease Alex who was about to leap at him by the way he was slowly rising from his kneeling, "That I….wouldn't mind being a vampire," he darted a glittering look at Alex, "as long as it means I can still keep my Justice duties!"

Alex leaped to his feet, holding Kamui's palms in his desperately, "Of course! Of course you can! Anything, Kamui, anything you want….I…I'm so happy you reached that conclusion by yourself, Kamui."

This seemed strange, "Oh?"

"Ah, oh…uh…well…I…just didn't want any kind of influence on that decision….because. Well, I want you to think for yourself about such a grave choice, I don't want you blindly take such life changing steps without proper thought of the matter."

Kamui climbed to his feet and wrapped his arms around Alex, placing his head upon the man's chest and snuggling up to him. "I love you."

Slowly, shakily, Alex' arms returned the hug. "I love you too, Kamui." His eyes now fully glowed turquoise.

"So, when are we riding to the City?"

"How about after lunch, we'll have plenty of time to arrive in the City."

"And when will you turn me?"

"Ha ha, you're a bit impatient. It needs to be dark outside; vampires aren't awake during daytime."

"Oh, yea, you're right. But by darkness won't we be on our way to the City, or in the City?"

"We'll stop just before the City. There are some preparations you'll need before turning; we better not do it in haste during the ride."

Kamui was still snuggling up to Alex, which Death found so refreshing after these long months of loneliness that it seemed like a completely new experience, "What preparations?"

"Well," he led them both to sit at the edge of his simple bed, "when you turn your body is frozen in time; everything about you stays exactly as it was the moment you turn. That means that your hair will never grow more then it is right now, and will grown to that length during your sleep if you ever cut it. You fingernails and any body hair you have will do the same. So, if you want anything to change in your appearance, you better do it before you're turned."

Kamui ran his fingers through his hair thoughtfully, "I'll have to think about that then."

"You'll have enough time until lunch for that. Subaru's been cutting your hair and you for him, so he's the man to talk to about such things."

Kamui let go of his soft grip of Alex's body, "Subaru! Oh, I have to go talk to Subaru about this! He'll be so happy for us!"

"Ah, y-yes, I imagine he will. I'll go with you." Alex had to run after Kamui because the boy was already out the tent by the time he finished his sentence.

He didn't have time to fully comprehend that not only did his plan work out perfectly, but that Kamui cooperated fully and perfectly; choosing him as a lover and not making a single statement of doubt or argument about Fuma or his future turning. It was beyond anything Alex ever expected to come from his plan.

Tonight will be glorious; not only will they be united, but they will be back in the City and this journey will finally come to an end.

* * *

Will ran blindly thought the grey rocks until he reached the feet on high cliffs towering above him ominously.

He looked up at the sheer decent and remembered a map Kamui showed him of the Dark Side near the City. On top of the cliffs was a single watch tower belonging to the small army Kamui and Fuma was somehow in charge of, monitoring the beach from which he ran as fast as he could.

If he could climb to the top of the cliffs he'll be able to reach the tower and warn the man inside it that the Death Riders were heading towards the City, maybe this way they'll be able to stop Alex somehow.

Did he want them to stop the Riders? Will was unsure. It could mean Kamui won't be home again, safe and with his Fuma.

No, better not warn them. Besides, how will Noters, who were of the same place where the pirates came from, react to his accent? Will shuddered.

And what of the creature that kidnapped him to the cave? Was it the creature that followed them since the elves' forest? Was David aware of that and left him bound and helpless knowing fully well the monster might try to eat him?

There was the monster to think of, because it surely can track his smell as it tracked the riders' smell all the way from the Light Side to the Dark Side. How on earth did it cross the sea with them? Did it hide on the ship and joined the ride? For whom? Why? Was it him it was looking for?

The monster was a huge wolf; perhaps it was a werewolf that thought Will was a lost cub or something and tried to reunite with him?

Will didn't want another werewolf, he wanted Kamui and to be back in the City with him.

Yesterday, as they rode towards the place where they were to park for the night, Kamui promised him that when they'll be back in the City he'll make him his assistant in the court.

The thought of finally having a proper dwelling, a stable and consistent place to be in delighted and excited Will. Finally he'll be with people he loves and will love him back; finally he'll have a real home.

He needs to find the riders again, wherever they are, and join them. If David cast him away then that means he won't be welcomed back amongst them, so maybe he'll merely trail them until they'll reach the City.

When they'll reach the City and Kamui will resume his Justice duties, Will would step forward and show himself; he won't be safe from whatever it is Alex decided to do to him by throwing him away from the camp until Justice will be reunited again.

Will turned away from the cliffs and began sniffing the air, trying to find his master's scent.

* * *

The sun was starting to disappear behind the cliffs and he already had so much distance to cover until he reaches the spot where he last remembered the camp to be. From there he'll carry on following their tracks.

Darkness crept up on the Noters' watchtowers along the line rocks overlooking the beach below as the shadows of the wooden towers crept all the way up to the very edge of the cliff.

The men and women in the tower, those who were on watch duty and those who shared the small room with them and awaited for any sign of something to run to the City to report of, watched as the distant sea and the grey-yellow shore became darker and darker as the sun sank behind them.

A cry of alarm came from the third tower amongst the five, as the woman Noter spotted a convoy on horseback ride quickly towards the cliffs. They were riding directly at the cliffs, which was strange since the staircase and horse path carved into the rocks were far to the convoy's left.

The watchmen called to one another loudly as they saw the convoy getting closer and closer to them, as if in flight. As soon as they reached a certain height, the Noters realized the convoy was actually really riding on air.

Using his field binoculars, one of the watchmen recognized the face of several Rescue Team members amongst the riders and called off the order to prepare for fire which the officer present on the spot gave them as soon as they notified him of the approaching convoy.

The next thing they sensed was a strange sensation which they could only describe as someone reaching out for them, to hold them to their breast. When some of them closed their eyes they saw before them a great white entity reaching out for them with a smile upon its face.

They realized that this means; Justice was nearing them, reaching out to welcome them.

But the convoy didn't stop to let Justice welcome them in body, on the contrary; as soon as the horses' hoofs touched the cliff top's ground the undead beasts started such a frenzied sprint that the whole bunch of riders zoomed past them too fast to allow any kind of exchange between the guards and Justice.

Kamui tried to wave merrily at the men and women in the towers they past by but he doubted that at the speed they're riding he'll manage to do that.

He twisted his neck to look at Alex who sat behind him on the saddle, "Why are we riding so fast? I wanted to say hello to the Noters in the watchtowers."

"Better find a proper place to stop and turn you before we reach the City, look how dark it already is."

Alex answered with a squeeze to Kamui whom he hooked his arm around.

Kamui smiled. He looked across his shoulder and saw a single Noter descend one of the towers and mount a horse. They must want to ride and tell the rest of the Noters that Justice was back.

* * *

The Noter who reached his headquarters stirred a small storm of panic amongst its secretaries, officers and commanders.

Lion, who was just having his dinner, leaped to his feet immediately and ordered the man to ride to Justice's home to notify Fuma of Kamui's arrival.

The order was hard to hear between the yelps of joy of the men and women in the small building, the talk of what this meant. Lion was often stopped by Ice Man who demanded attention from his commander and tried to constantly extract more information about the convoy from the poor breathless news bearer.

As soon as the messenger was dispatched, Lion finally turned to his deputy.

"What is it?"

"He didn't report only Justice coming back; he said a whole convoy of them, of Death people."

"So? Death and his men are back. With them Rescue Members are back, that means nothing but the Rescue Team people who worked their asses alone so far are finally getting backup."

"….Death, he's back too."

"He's a Rescue Team member. He's also the one who talked to whomever it was out there to send food to the City, now where would we be without that? I might have not been here; I lost half my weight in the famine, in case you've forgotten."

Ice Man turned away from the older man, pacing the office nervously, "I didn't forget, how can I!"

"So why so nervous? If they came back it means that things were resolved about that trial starting this whole thing. What bad news could you find in that?"

The god stopped pacing and faced Lion, "Alex is back, and something about that just rings 'danger, danger' in my mind. My senses are telling me something bad is about to happen, we can't ignore that."

Lion sighed and walked over to his deputy, placing a comforting hand on the side of the tall man's arm, "You don't like Alex, you never did and he never liked you. He hurt you badly the last time you battled, that's all there is to it.

"Please, let it go; the convoy is back and that means that life is back to normal. Let it be peace, boy, let it be peace already."

Overtaken by the caring, almost hurtful look in his commander's soft brown eyes, Ice Man finally relaxed.

Lion searched Ice's eyes, "We'll ride to Justice's house later to greet them, so you'll have a chance to look both of them over and see that everything's fine again. That'd be nice, wouldn't it?"

The god nodded, sighing.

* * *

"Wow, I think you really managed to get to those unruly hairs, Subaru, you've got a talent with scissors you know."

Subaru said nothing as he dusted cut hair from the nape of Kamui's neck.

"I think I won't mind staying this way forever, not at all. I love this haircut!"

Subaru remained silent as he untied the tablecloth he used to protect Kamui from fallen hairs and folded it.

"Not that it's so much different from the style I used to have all the time, but at least I got rid of all those pesky long hairs that kept poking all over the place. Honestly, sometimes I wonder what my hair grows so quickly for if it doesn't bother to decide where to grow to, right, Subaru?"

Subaru hummed in soft agreement and reached for the broom to collect Kamui's hairs into a pile on the floor. He said nothing.

Kamui leaped off the chair he sat on and grabbed Subaru's broom, "Oh, let me do that! That's the least I could do as thanks for the haircut, it's wonderful."

Subaru kept his grip on the stick firm, "No…" he was startled with how stern and angry his voice came, "Y-you better hurry out to meet Alex," his voice cracked, "you don't want to keep him waiting."

Kamui bounced on the balls of his feet, letting go of the broomstick to clap his hands merrily, "Almost forgot about it! Oh, Subaru, I'm so excited!" he shrilled.

Subaru nodded, trying to smile for him.

Seishiro walked into the tent with a bag of tobacco and rolling papers he got from Alex. He was immediately grabbed by an extremely excited Kamui who hugged him tightly.

The dark onmyouji found himself with his hands in the air, mind completely vacant from the shock of it.

Kamui grabbed the lapels of Seishiro's black jacket, yanking on it for emphasize, "I'll be one of you soon!" he chirped before disappearing out the tent with a wild yelp.

Seishiro stayed the way he was, trying to blink away the shock. He tried to think of something clever to say about it, something stingy and offensive yet funny, when he hearted a loud bang.

Subaru had dropped to his knees, covering his face with his hands, crying violently.

His lover rushed to his side, wrapping an arm around Subaru. He received a powerful shove and a slap which missed its target.

"**You have something to do with it!**" Subaru roared at him, eyes blazing more fiercely then they ever did, even in Subaru's worst moods at Seishiro.

The Sakurazukamori sat back on his heels where he stabilized himself from Subaru's shove, and tried to recalculate his next action.

"How could you help with such a horrible, _vile_, unfair…downright _treacherous_ plan!"

Seishiro opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. Then he realized Subaru was not just venting anger but was demanding an answer, "Well….Alex is Death, if I wouldn't have cooperated he would have made me do it."

Subaru's angry huff meant the answer was not satisfactory.

"You know…earlier, when David brought Kamui to Alex's tent, you were suspicious and started asking me questions. Alex made you stop it, forget about it completely."

Subaru glared at his lover for a long, tense moment. He wiped the tears from his face feverishly and climbed to his feet. "Well," he spat angrily, "if that's the case then I'm going there right now to ask Alex to do it again, I don't want to watch it happen and know what's behind it."

"Subaru-kun…"

"Don't! If Alex is in a memory altering mood then why not give him another shot at it?" He stormed out of the tent, leaving a very worried Seishiro behind.

Something changed in the air suddenly, and as he was fumbling with the tobacco and papers trying to make cigarettes to keep his mind off the subject, Seishiro realized that he was feeling a strange tremendous joy.

He didn't know why; after all, he didn't have much to be joyous over, regarding his last conversation with Subaru. Something was making his head spin with unexplained, all consuming happiness and love that he found all his thoughts raveling around wanting to embrace Subaru and make love to him, to be one with the man he loves.

Outside the tent Victoria and David threw themselves into each other's arms, affected by the sensations their Death was feeling and reflecting on to each and every one of his men and creatures.

* * *

Yuuto's hand shook and he dropped the china plate he was about to place on the table for dinner. The plate fell the short distance to the table and clanked as it landed, spinning round and round creating a horrible clatter.

Love disregarded the noise; he was listening to something which was happening too close for him to feel good about it.

He knew what happened and he wished it had happened a long time ago, and not now when the results of it were about to reach the City and with it bring about something Yuuto, as Love, regarded as nothing but a disaster.

Unlucky Yuuto, who was closest to the house's door, was soon the one to open the it and let in the Noter messenger who called Fuma.

Justice, who was helping Yuzuriha and Karen put the last finishing touches to this meals' dishes, walked lazily to the door while wiping his hands on the apron tied around his waist.

Fuma was having a wonderful day; the work in the fields today was not at all rough, the brat from the nearby orphanage stopped trying to steal crops from them, the lunch the field owner's wife made was delicious, when he came back home he re-read all his favorite comics while relaxing from work and Yuzuriha managed to teach him how to cook noodles without him breaking anything or hurting anyone.

He thought the day has officially became the best day in his life when the breathless Noter told him the convoy of Death men was headed towards the City and that amongst them Kamui was spotted, waving happily at them.

Fuma grabbed the Noter and hugged him so hard the poor young man had to cough and pat him violently on the shoulder to indicate he was about to choke or break his ribs.

"How long ago were they spotted?" Sorata asked, coming from the kitchen to the sound of the poor Noter's asphyxiation.

"Ah, the exact time is difficult to evaluate exactly," the Noter, gasping to calm his breath sighed, "it was twilight so the sun clock and the moon clock were showing different times. It's somewhere between one hour and three hours."

"Then when are they due to arrive in the City?"

"I don't know, I'm sorry. Our south base sent every patrol it had to look for them, so far…uh…Justice, sir, is everything alright?"

Fuma was no longer focusing on the messenger, and was now slowly walking towards the back yard, crushing into furniture and objects in his path.

"Fuma-kun?"

Fuma didn't answer, though his mouth was moving as if to form words.

"Monou-kun…" Yuuto sighed, looking away with an aching heart. He didn't want to be here by time for the upcoming scene as possible, and so he stepped out the door in search of something to do as far from the house as he could get.

Yuzuriha, who was trying to guess the Noter's name by the shape of his helmet (it was Giraffe, and quite a suitable name because he was a willowy tall man who towered more than four heads above her), noticed his eyes had turned bright white.

Fuma's did too; Justice neared Justice.

Sorata dashed towards the back yard, reaching for Yuzuriha and realizing she had already ran towards the yard. Karen leaped off the sofa where she lounged with Ace and Spike, and hurried to follow the two teens.

Before she did she yelped the news to Kazuki and Arashi who were in their rooms upstairs.

The whole house (minus Yuuto who was stomping his way to Venus' house on the excuse of notifying Jacob of Alex and David's return) came out to the back yard and peered out into the fresh night outside.

The air was chilly, the smell of upcoming snow hung heavy in the air, but it went unnoticed. Silence wrapped around them, tense and uncomfortable against their impatience and excitement.

After a long, exasperating wait, the first sound of hoofs banging the ground furiously rolled towards them.

**"YUUUUUZUUUUUUUU!**" a high-pitched shrill sawed through the air, making Yuzuriha shoot herself forward, running like mad into the darkness.

Victoria leaped off the horse she shared with David to cover the distance between her and the girl as quickly as she could.

She and the inugami mistress clashed into each other, grabbing the other to a tight hug, and immediately began weeping and yelping and squealing and spinning around and chatting as loudly as they could.

"Oh my god! You grew so much, Yuzu! Look at you, you're a woman!"

"Where's your blue dress? You look fabulous with this coat, I love you hat! **Oh my god!** I missed you so much!"

Tears of blood stained Yuzuriha's cheeks as she embraced her friend over and over again, unable to stop until she feels the gap opened before them was fully compensated for.

David brought his horse to a halt by the two girls, staring patiently down at Victoria and waiting for her to finish her reunion. He had to wait a long time. Eventually, when his ears started aching from the sounds the two girls were producing, he coughed politely.

The two girls shot their eyes to him, awkward.

"Oh, Yuzu, I have so much to tell you!" Victoria yelped.

Darting her eyes from Victoria to David, Yuzuriha burst into a mad giggle.

"I'll be in the graveyard shed." David sighed, realizing that the longer he lingers here the more he'll be overpowered into awkwardness by the girly giggles and chatter.

As he rode away, Subaru and Seishiro's horses rode past, slowing down as they neared the house.

Subaru was the first to descend, walking up to Arashi with glittering awed eyes. "Kishuu-san! My god, I was sure the baby was already born."

Sorata wrapped his arm proudly around his wife, his face almost shining with happiness, "The baby's due any day now! Charlie said she's so close to it that he issued us with a cart and horse especially for bringing babe to him as soon as we can." He pointed at the horse tied to one of the basketball court's poles, grazing the ground lazily.

"That's wonderful! I was absolutely sure I missed it. How are you feeling, Kishuu-san?"

Arashi nodded, constantly keeping an eye on Seishiro and the darkness from which Kamui was still to appear.

Seishiro, who finally climbed off his horse after glaring back at Fuma's confused stares, was almost knocked to the floor as Kazuki hurled herself at him, screaming "Seiiii-Sei!"

The Dragons blinked at the scene.

"S-_sei-sei_!" Subaru exhaled.

Seishiro found he was raising his hands again and was looking very stupid while the people he most wished not to be looked at in this condition were looking at him, "Uh…good to see you too, Kazuki-chan…you can let go now…"

"She wants a hug; hug her back, Seishiro-san." Subaru managed to say after struggling not to giggle.

Kazuki received an awkward pat on the head and hugged the Sakurazukamori even tighter, rubbing her head against his chest while chirping merrily.

"We missed you so much, Sei-sei, you have no idea!" She finally released him, showing off the necklace the old veterinarian, "Look what Anthony gave me! Oh, I'll tell you about all that later."

"Yes," Seishiro pushed her away gently, trying to be offensive in any way, "you'll tell me all about it later after I get some rest. It's been a long day."

Subaru's face dropped suddenly and he cast a worried glance across his shoulder. "Let's go get some rest, Seishiro-san" he said with a low, sad tone before heading into the house, waving a soft 'hello' at Karen.

The fire master frowned at this, and at Seishiro who followed the light onmyouji, and turned her eyes to Fuma who was slowly walking towards the darkness beyond them with small stumbling steps.

The lone figure, standing in the cold night reached the edge of the hill the house stood on and seemed to be standing there for a while on the edge of a cliff.

"There's something wrong, isn't there?" Sorata whispered, letting go of Arashi's shoulders, "Why are they late to come back?"

A horse rode past Fuma, stopping to circle the still hugging Victoria and Yuzuriha. It was Lestate, and the house's residents let a go of the breath they held in anticipation.

"I'm going to my room and I'm taking out your coffin. You can sleep at the undertaker's shed if you can, I'd much appreciate having the room to myself again."

Victoria cast a canceling, scorning glare at Lestate and shrugged, "With pleasure."

She shook her head as the vampire rode away, "French pansy."

The night grew cold and silent around them again and, in the chests of everyone watching, a scream of impatience was begging to be let loose.

Finally, the last thunder of hoofs rumbled towards them and it seemed the whole house took a step forward to see what comes out of the darkness.

The last horse stormed into sight, missing Fuma completely and nearly knocking him off his feet with the speed of its ride, to stop by the house.

Kamui leaped off the saddle he shared with Alex and immediately ran towards Sorata and Arashi.

He wrapped his arms around Sorata, giving him a manly pat to the back and chirping "Hello!" and "I missed you so much!" at him. He did the same with Karen and received a hug warmer than Sorata's startled awkward embrace. Kazuki was given a hand shake and half a hug, Ace and Spike received a nod.

When Kamui came to shake Arashi's hand the miko drew her hand away as if to escape a snake's bite.

It was then that everyone shook off the slight shock and surprise and realized the reason behind Arashi's reaction.

The moon turned Kamui's skin into an amazing luminous inhuman paleness, it glittered bounced off his eyes in a unique angle that wasn't there before, and even his voice bore a slightly different tone to it.

"Kamui…" Sorata mumbled, "You're….you've…"

The boy was beaming a smile at Sorata, about to say something.

"Kamui!" Fuma's voice cut through the air.

Kamui's face fell into a frozen carelessness. He turned to face Fuma who ran up to him and glared coldly up at the man.

It stopped Fuma in his tracks, so great was his shock at the frosty welcome that he nearly lost balance as he stopped running.

"K-kamui…what's wrong."

"I'm back, Fuma, and that means that from now on we're going to be _proper_ Justice, no more stupid trials to feed your evil. I hope you learned a lesson about how to control yourself from this whole ordeal, because if you don't then by god I'll find a way to be Justice _alone_."

Fuma couldn't even mouth; he just let his jaw hang as he stared wide eyed at his friend.

"….Kamui?" he managed to say at least, his voice small and faint, "What do you mean, Kamui? I…"

"Kamui." Alex's voice was clear and strong, with a distinct air of smugness to it, "Come, we should to go rest from the day's ride."

Turning his eyes to Death, Kamui flashed a toothy grin which made his newly created fangs flash brightly in the moonlight, and turned to walk to the horse.

He climbed to the saddle before Alex, leaning into the man's chest as Alex grabbed the rains and clicked the horse to ride away from the house. Death drove the beast in an arc around Fuma as if it was necessary for turning towards the Rescue Team's home.

"…Kamui…." Fuma's whisper hung in the chilly air.

Snowflakes began gently floating down to the ground around the man as he stood frozen stiff, his arms drawn sideways as if asking 'why?'.

Covering her mouth, Karen hurried to walk to Fuma's side to try and get him into the house, wrap something around him in the night's chill, give him something to drink, give him some kind of warm attention and a shoulder to cry on.

But Fuma pushed her reaching arms away, glaring beyond her at something he was resolved to fight against with all his might even if it means his death.

He pushed her away and immediately turned to run after the horse as fast as he could, saying nothing as he went.

He left his friends behind, staring after him with minds empty from shock, puzzlement and wonder.

He bumped into Ice Man and Lion on horseback who were just on their way to meet him.

He told them what happened. He told them Kamui was not right, that it was some kind of a trick Death pulled. He insisted they'd come to the Rescue Team's house with them and when they started arguing he used his powers as Justice to force them to agree.

Fuma climbed onto Ice Man's horse and they turned around to ride towards Death.

(tbc)

* * *

Oh my, I seemed to have created another cliffhanger, funny that. Tee hee 


	40. Touched

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks: **to Sesshy's Girl 00 (Honey, if you want to slap Alex and take the flake for it, be my guest. I'm too chickenshit to do it myself . ;;;; XD), to Cocoke5 (Thank you!), to LadyoftheBlackWings (another one who wants to kick Alex's ass and thinks she can do it. He's too powerful for you, sweetie, you don't want to do that to yourself. Really. Enjoy your summer vacation!), to Kakyou-chan my beloved friend (NOOOOO! NOT THE WINGED MINIONS, ANYTHING BUT THE WINGED MINIONS runs for cover).

**Youz Guyz out there: A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN ITS CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!**

**Author's request: **Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

Hey, look! We're at chapter 40! When did this happen! Funneh, 'aint it? Anyways, I'd like to use this opportunity to say that there won't be many more ANW chapters left for you to read. Sadly, the story is tumbling towards its end. What will be left behind, you ask? Well, there's a new and improved beta-ed and corrected version. Then there's the story I wrote solely about Alex which I'll publish only on my LJ methinks, and…yeah…that's it so prepare yourself.

Also, one last nag before I finally crack in on the long awaited chapter; David's red cross mark….it's wrong….the original sunndercommando mark was differently-shaped (still a red cross but not like that). The historically correct version will be featured in the beta-ed version but for now just bear in mind not to take David's mark for facts, okay?

* * *

**Chapter 40 – Touched**

The Rescue Team home's door swung slowly open.

Tara turned her gaze to it, eyebrows climbing halfway up her forehead in wonder of who could be coming in at this time when the last patrol returned long ago and the current patrol left even earlier.

When she saw who stepped through the door her eyebrows stayed up for a long time. Her lips parted, in surprise at first and then in order to try and find something to say.

Through the door two men stepped: one small and frail in build but radiating with health and happiness his ghostly pale skin glowed faintly. His large, twinkling violet eyes, now enhanced with vampiric blood, scanned Tara with a warmness of a young sister meeting her older sibling after a long time of staying away from her. When he smiled at her and two fangs, small and pearly, flashed their deadly sharpness in Tara's knowledgeable mind, she realized what had happened.

After the young vampire, drabbed in clothes Tara hadn't seen since the youth lived in this house as a Rescue Team member, came Death. Alex' eyes, constantly shooting to the vampire entering ahead of him, did the same small dance over her face with the same warmth.

Only the jade orbs weren't the same hue they usually were; Tara spotted a thin ring of glowing turquoise around each pupil.

She remembered times when Alex's eyes held turquoise in them and the memory send a needle of warning through her mind; hurting her to alert her of impending danger.

"Hello Tara, long time no see, eh? God, it's good to be home again." Despite the change in his eyes, Alex's voice was calm and clear, ringing of sound and stable content.

Tara's blink became a flutter of the eyelids and she pulled herself together as soon as she realized her train of thought might become clear to the man before her.

"Y-yes, seems like you've been away for ages….How was the trip? Lestate came back as well?"

Alex frowned gently, "He did, why; he didn't come in as well? I thought he rode right back here…"

Throwing her head towards the nearest window as if her immortal friend was hanging there to be spotted and really using this excuse to detach her eyes from worrying turquoise signs, Tara mouthed for a moment, "Well, maybe he crept through his room's window. He does that sometimes when he thinks he might wake someone up by coming through the door. He can sure sneak up on people but I can sense him so he doesn't like bothering me." Her voice wavered softly as she realized that overly babbling might be as much of a telltale sign of her bafflement as saying what was really on her mind, "A-and it is kind of late so he must have assumed I'm asleep or something."

The curtains on the window Tara stared at were blowing icy air into the cozy room, making Tara rub the backs of her arms protectively, "It's gotten mighty cold, hadn't it?"

Death turned his gaze to the gauzy fabric blowing gently and frowned deeper, "Yes…smells like it's going to snow soon…" his voice dived deeply into dark, haunted worry and he hurried to walk out of the living room, leaving Tara behind as baffled as she was when he entered it.

As he passed by Victoria and Lestate's room he noted none of the vampires occupied them and sent his senses out to spot his trusty friend.

Lestate was away, on the cliffs overlooking Dragon Valley. What he was doing there Alex did not know; Lestate locked his mind to him, whispering something about wishing to be one with his thoughts for the night on the waves of ethereal telepathy he shared with Death.

"Our room, there's someone in it." Kamui's sweet voice tore Alex away from the enigma.

They walked to their old dominion's doorstep and found a single bed under the window where Alex once sat with gloomy thoughts of the loss of the boy that now stood by him, wrapping his arm around Death's powerful waist.

The man lying on the bed, swinging his bare feet in the air, reading a comic book while blowing bubbles in his chewing gum, turned his naturally turquoise stare to the pair in his room.

"Alex! Alex!"

Death stepped into the room, beaming smile flashing, "Vash! My god, you _are_ here! I thought I was seeing things through the shiki."

Vash leaped off the bed, wrapping his crimson coat around his scarred bare chest (he was still in his boxers, though), and stomped the short distance between him and his old friend. The two men hugged, slapping each other on their backs manly, shaking hands.

"How on earth did you get here!"

Vash shrugged, rolling his eyes, "Oh, well, you know. The same way everyone else does apparently; fell from the sky and all that."

"Gees….to see you here….and still with the red coat, huh?"

Vash's face fell for a moment and he averted his gaze, "Yes…lord knows what's going on in my world, but," he shrugged again, this time with his hands spread to his sides helplessly, "what can a guy do?"

Alex nodded solemnly, giving the taller man another (gentler) slap on his scarred back, "Nothing, Vash, nothing. This world asks us no questions before it tears us from home. Nothing to do about it, nothing but to grin and bear it. You land here and start building your life again; look only forward, the past will drive you crazy."

Death's face brightened suddenly, "And if you're lucky, or stubborn enough, you'll find yourself a new home here, eh?" his eyes darted towards Kamui who was still standing at the doorstep, his all-noting eyes exploring Vash curiously.

Love's guard noticed Kamui and his face exploded with happiness. He hurried to Kamui's side, offering his artificial hand for the boy's shake, "Oh wow! So this is Kamui, huh? Gosh, I heard so much about you when Alex bumped into my world. Why, sometimes I felt that if he tells me how beautiful you are another time I'll surely scream. Good to final meet you face to face."

Kamui, obviously flattered, flashed a sheepish smile at Vash, taking the shake on gingerly. A charming blush crept up his cheeks enhancing the sparkling opal quality of his immortal orbs.

"Aw, he's shy. Don't worry, I'm not as demented as I might seem."

Vash turned his eyes to Death again, "well, it's mighty great to see you too together again. God knows you've looked for him long enough, huh."

Kamui, slowly cowering towards Alex, was soon embraced by him and laid his head on the bigger man's chest.

Alex, pleased with the reunion and the wonderful way his return was turning out to be, could do nothing much beyond beam happily.

They looked like a newly wed couple and suddenly Vash remembered that when he first came into this house he was told this room belonged to these two and now that they've returned they might be expecting to have it back.

"Oh, damn, this was your room, wasn't it? A-I'll just need to take a few things with me…"

"Oh no, don't."

"No no, it's no problem, really; I didn't really start to fully settle in yet, all I got is my shabby coat and some stuff I…"

"Vash," Alex's calm voice cut the man's babble, "this is an excellent excuse for us to move to something…well…bigger, you know."

He cupped Kamui's soft chin in his hand softly, turning the boy's eyes to him, "I was thinking we might need some more space now that we're together…again. I thought of, say, a whole floor? Would you like that?"

Kamui nodded happily, sweetly smiling up at Death.

"Well then, shall we?"

They did. Vash stared after them, his hands on his sides, thinking of how nice it was to see the man he often wondered about, heard so much about and apparently knew so little of, suddenly happy and content. Then why was he sensing something was wrong?

Must be the cold blowing into the room through the window. He turned to shut it but the sensation was still there; clinging and nagging.

* * *

Tara heard a muffled rumbling beneath her feet and poked her head through the kitchen window. Rolls of fabric and long thin metal stick the Team stocked in the house's basement for reserve supply and for pitching tents (in case the house is ruined or one of them needs to camp out anywhere) were floating in the air, changing in build and color and taking structure together as they flew up to the roof..

Then footsteps behind her and the pair she just welcomed back home stepped out the main door, hands held together. What's going on?

The night outside was biting cruelly with the cold but the vampire was unbothered by it and Death was too happy to let it bother him. The smell of snow hanging in the air, though, managed to claw through his joy and nag him not the less. He dismissed it and took the youth in his arms.

Like a bride and groom, Death and Kamui ascended to the house's roof. Where once was a flat boring floor of tar-smeared poorly made concrete, now a large tent stood, its bright turquoise fabric glittering in the night as the thin stripes of silver imbedded in them reflected the moonlight.

The tent, square and high, held within it a large double bed, a single ebony table, a matching ebony toilette corner and two closets; one for each resident. A lush black carpet covered the floor.

Kamui cast his enhanced eyes around the room, taking joy in the play of pale moonbeam on silver and the glow of light bouncing off the smooth black wood, and realized this was to be their domestic little home from now on. It was their kingdom, their haven, their lair and their love nest. He snuggled closer to his Death, closing his eyes briefly enough to cherish the hug but opening them again to take in more of the magnificent room.

From the zenith of the fabric roof hung a single chain of silver tied around blue gems Kamui became fixated with for the moonbeams bouncing off the silver in the walls were caught in the flat of the bluish gems and shot out in all sorts of directions, making the vampire wish to stand there all night to rack down where each beam was cast.

But he didn't because Death walked up to the bed, gently placing him there. A white, strong palm not much bigger than his, ran soft fingers through his hair.

The boy had grown his hair but only cut it short to frame his beautiful face with a halo of wild black bangs sticking out in odd angles in the way only Kamui's hair could; the rest was neatly tied on the back of his neck with a ribbon of the same fabric that made the walls of the room. The short soft ponytails ran down until Kamui's neck met his thin shoulders, laying there silky and shining with essence and vitality so characteristic to vampire hairs.

As the first hand reached to untie the elegant knot of the ribbon in his hair, a second hand tilted his head back, and soon Death would give him the night's first true kiss. This was their dark wedding night, after all.

Arctic wind blew gently at the walls, swaying the frays gently and blowing a gust so cold it was almost white with mist around Death's turquoise soft boots, around Kamui's small naked feet.

* * *

Tara stood on the boarder between the kitchen and the living room, one hand on her hip and the other getting its thumb's nail chewed thoughtfully by the witch when the main door took a sharp rap. She shot her large eyes to the entrance and wondered what would this strange night give birth to next.

On her doorstep stood Lion, Ice Man and a very grave, very resolved tall young man she vaguely remembered had some connection to the vampire who left the house a few moments ago.

"Lion?"

The young man stepped into the house, his dark red eyes fixing her bright green ones with an uncompromising stare, "Is Death here?" he asked and his voice was cold as the wind and hard as the walls around her. Behind him and the two Noter officers a few snowflakes bobbed softy in the air.

"He came in about ten minutes ago, said hello to Vash then walked out."

"Did you see where he went?"

Vash, now with his strapped black pants on, poked his head into the large room, scanning Fuma's expression with faint worry. He was buttoning up his coat and feeling for his firearms. Love called for his attention and he was just on his way out to meet the blond.

Why was he called?

"Uh…" Tara rubbed her forehead, running the tips of her fingers through her hairline, "They stepped out the door but I don't think they went very far. Alex was moving stuff from the basement up to the roof…I think."

"They? Kamui was with him?" the tilt of Lion's head forward meant he was serious but not serious enough to worry about something gravely.

"The rooftop you said?" the young man said and Tara realized, in a flash, what might happen. It made her regret telling him of Alex's location. "Where's the staircase to the roof?"

"There is no staircase to the roof"." She heard herself whisper and it sounded so distant because in her mind scenarios of the worst things ran wildly.

The young man turned to Ice Man, shoulders set, eyes powerful, "Bring us to the rooftop." He ordered, walking out the door.

Tara darted her eyes to the corridor leading to the Rescue Team members' rooms. Spike and Ace were out with Karen, Vash is brushing past her to walk out the door as well, Lestate is definitely not here, so is Victoria and Charlie doesn't live here anymore; it's only her here and she needs to walk out of the house, quickly.

She did, and as she ran down the stairs leading to the main house her feet moved so fast they only touched one stair or two.

Staring back at the house as if for the last time, she noticed the three men levitate to the roof and the large tent with its turquoise walls.

Her hair was filled with snowflakes by then and the ground was paling with it.

* * *

Yuuto stood at his house's doorstep, wrapping his pink coat around him protectively. The earth was blazing white, reflecting the moonbeams of the full moon above. Love looked at the white cover and saw Death in it, and death.

"Love?" crimson on white said, his turquoise eyes framed with a pink ring.

"Bash-san…what can you fight with?'

Vash was stopped in his stride and stood before Love, now almost ankle deep in the snow that was now falling in heavy thick steady curtains, "Fight? Fight what? Fight who? Why fight?"

Yuuto's eyes were red rimmed and nervous, darting all around them and glaring at the thick snowflakes. He was bouncing up and down so fast it looked like he was shaking. His lips were pale and his cheeks were bright pink, the tip of his nose too. He was now embracing himself more fiercely, rubbing the backs of his arms with an angry edge to his moves. "What can you fight for me with? Only your guns? Will you do nothing else to protect me or true, _real_ love?"

"..Yuu…" Vash's eyes were grave; he never saw his master like this, "What else can I fight with?"

Love was cold as the weather and cruel as death, "You are not human and you know it; you have powers beyond your inhuman speed but you do not recognize them."

The guardian mouthed, taken aback.

"You will use them now, at my command, whatever it will be." Love commanded and the guardian's eyes glowed with power.

* * *

"So I was a medic, big deal, it don't mean I can actually do anything really medical!" a fresh newcomer whined in the infirmary's Noters office.

As if predicting the weather he'll land into, the man was wearing a grimy army coat so dirty it was practically black. His hands were gloved and a wool cap covered his head. Noting the cold of the air he did not complain about the heavy, clumsy multiple layers wrapped around him; he cursed the thick white band around his left sleeve on which a medic's red cross was blazing.

"You are qualified to give medical assistance. We're always in need of such manpower here in the infirmary." The Noter said with lips tight in stubborn decision.

"But, I only took one lousy medics' course, it don't prepare me for nothing but to put some sulfa on wounds and slap a bandage on 'em; that don't amount to much medical assistance."

The Noter was unmoved, "That's quite enough for us. If you'll need to do anything beyond that trust that you'll learn it by the time you'll be asked to do it."

The medic shot his eyes out the office door, glaring at the hospital bed and equipment and the nurse. Disgust raising his upper lip in a snarl, he leaned across the table, trying to catch the Noter's eyes, "I just came from where I was a medic, I don't want to be a medic again!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

The young woman stared coldly at the unshaven man, "You won't be a medic; you'll be a nurse. Look, Mr. Spina, there's no point in arguing. Anyone with an ounce of medical knowledge is employed here without a chance at anything else. There's nothing you can do about it," she said, scribbling the last words about the man and his new profession in the page she placed in a brand new folder which now belonged all to him and closed it with a slight slam, "you're a nurse in the infirmary now, deal with it. Most people had to deal with worse."

She got up to place the folder on a new shelf just when Tara burst into the infirmary.

"Charlie? Charlie!" the witch burst through the door, almost crashing into the big Italian nurse, making the tray of bottles and cups he was holding rattle metallically. She pushed at the big body and stormed onwards, her long green skirt blowing after her theatrically.

The doctor had his palm softly on a young girl's forehead, assessing whether her fever broke or not. The girl was smiling up at him, her alien piggish nose wrinkling by her eyebrows. Charlie beamed back because her fever was gone and her kind were able to force their expressions on the people around them; even if she was terminally ill and would have smiled everyone around her would smile like her.

"Charlie!" Tara's voice was distressed like he hadn't heard it so in ages, but the girl was still smiling and so was he.

Then the witch caught up with him, grabbed his arm powerfully and spoke hoarsely into his ear to keep anyone around them from panicking like she started to panic.

The girl was still smiling yet, within him, Charlie stopped copying her expression. He shook Tara's grip off and clicked his fingers to call Nuriko's attention to him.

Calmly, smiling still, he gave the head nurse the order to roll every occupied sickbed out to the graveyard where Death will surely strike the last, if at all.

Nuriko nodded and, with the same assuring air of calm, gave the order to the rest of the nurses.

As the beds rolled out the back door with the patients lying on them softly or angrily demanding an explanation for this, Charlie stood in the middle of the quickly emptying room, chewing on his lower lip and wondering what on earth can he do might the worst scenario come to be.

On the wall to his right was an old orange cabinet marked with the symbol of a long bolt of lighting, where alien healers kept their alien medication and, since they've long disappeared by now, the medications were also long forgotten. But not for long.

* * *

"Stop for a minute please."

Lion and Fuma, Ice Mans arms around their waists to hold them in midair, stopped their flight to the rooftop.

The Noters commander leveled his eyes at Fuma, "I'd like to make something very clear before we do anything rash. You called for our help because you reported Kamui was taken over by Death, but I sense Justice from the both of you. If by 'taken over' you mean his transformation to a vampire then it had not changed a thing in his ability to perform his duties.

"In short; if this is ust a lover's quarrel then I'm unwilling to risk any of my men in it. Are you absolutely sure there is something beyond it? Think carefully before you answer."

Fuma remained unmoved. He returned Lion's determined stare, "There's something else there, I know it, I sense it."

Lion remained silent for a moment, the snow slowly covering his hair until it was completely white. Ice man wished he could wrap his thick coat around his commander without having to let go of his grip on the man.

"Very well, carry on, Ice Man."

The tent covered almost all the rooftop's floor, leaving a small porch-like space before its entrance, where the three Justice men landed.

The tent's opening was marked by a two lines of sewn silver marking a slit in the fabric, its bottom edges moving softly in the stark white fog of ice now covering the roof's floor.

Fuma lingered there for a moment where he stopped his confident stride suddenly. He drew back a little, making the two men behind his puzzle about his. He took a deep breath, tilted his head forward a bit and drew the walls apart smoothly.

Death stepped away from the bed in a single liquid movement of elegance, as if to remind Justice of his abilities to move gracefully and powerfully. He only edged slightly away from the bed but already his hand reached for his sword's handle protectively at the sight of Fuma.

The vampire turned his gaze lazily to Fuma, coking his head slightly. His immortal eyes glared ice at Fuma, colder than the night and for a moment it took the man back. But Justice was resolved; he had backed off and did a bad job at fighting for the youth he loves too many times in the past, he won't do it again; not now.

Elegantly, like a stream of water moving from one place to another, Kami rose to his feet to stand firmly before the three incomers. Protectively, Death took a step to stand in a point between them. His eyes glowed more now, though their green quality was still very much present.

"What do you want, Justice?" Death's voice was commanding and hard.

Lion scanned the young vampire, still sensing nothing wrong in him but the dark blood working through his human flesh. Then he noticed the ornament on his neck and stifled a disappointed gasp. Could it be? Had Death finally hit rock bottom. Quickly, he masked his thoughts, bearing in mind vampires' and Death's abilities.

"Kamui…"

"'Come back', you want to say, right?" scorn on immortal voice, "Who to? To the boy who never really bothered to protect me from anything? The boy who let the Dragon kill his own sister! To the boy who twisted Seishiro's trial into a masquerade? To the one who never ever _really_ lifted a finger to fight for me? To the one who lied to me whenever he said he loved me more than anything else!"

Dark red crossed blazes with turquoise-green and for a moment the war was won. Then red darted to opal mauve and the battle continued, "I know I failed in the past, but I'm here now."

"Tssk, with your minions. Oh yes, and if you'll want to fight they'll be the one to take the hit. Very brave, Fuma. The Dragon was more willing to act on his own than you."

"I'm only human, Kamui. I'm no vampire, or alien, I'm not a warlock; just a simple human. The little powers I had I lost when we became Justice, minions is all I have but if commanding them to fight is what will get you back to me then that's what I'll do. I'm not going to give up, not anymore."

Kamui paused, scorn still hanging in his glare. He inclined his body towards Death who now relaxed his stance a bit.

The relaxing did not escape Ice Man's attention and already a plan was forming in his mind which he blocked with all his might from unwanted immortal prodding.

"Fight for what, Fuma? You say you love me, then you'd want me to be happy, right? Well, just like Alex gave me up for you so that I'd be happy with you, now you must do the same. It's what you'd do if you truly loved me."

"Be happy!" Fuma's voice cracked into a higher pitch as anger choked him, "Happy with that _monster_!"

The vampire's glare hardened into daggers sharp enough to kill, "He may be a monster to you, but to me he's the only one who ever really cared for me, for my happiness. He sacrificed eons of his life for me, in search of me, he sacrificed his own love so that I'd have a feeble, uncertain love with you. He gave me all the freedom I want and everything I ever asked for. To me he is no monster; he is the only truly good thing that ever happened to me." He raised his head proudly.

Death relaxed even more, a gleeful grin arching his lips. But his winning eyes were unnoticed by Fuma who kept his eyes on Kamui.

"And Justice's duties, if you're wondering about them, Lion-san, Ice Man-san, will be kept and fulfilled. I might be a Creature of Death but I can still see a crime in a man's heart if it's there. Court will be held during the early night and so, I will keep my Justice position."

Lion and Ice Man, at this point, were supposed to back off at this point and leave Fuma to argue with Kamui over love alone. But mauve gems were set in strong black leather around Kamui's neck and god knows what else besides the true extent of Fuma's love they held. What else did Death hide in them?

Kamui's voice grew soft, pitying and comforting, "It's over, Fuma, give it up."

Death made a grave mistake by pulling one leg back, moving his body to gather Kamui in his arms while lowering his hand away from his sword.

It's the movement Ice Man has been waiting for.

He leaped forward, betting his duties to Lion and Justice, his very life in this world, on one single sharp movement quick enough to go unnoticed by the deflected Death for long enough to do what needs be done for freedom.

With a whipping movement of his arm, a flick of his wrist as he held his sword, Ice Man rammed the butt of his weapon's handle against the three gems. He knew the blow won't harm the vampire's windpipe in a life risking manner and so he worked all his power to crack the stones.

It seemed like the world had changed into a different time zone for Death; everything was moving so slowly suddenly though everyone's moves were faster than the human eye can see.

Ice Man shot towards Kamui like in a dream, as if he was flying in thick liquid. He saw the elbow draw back, the flash of light bouncing off the blade of Ice's silver sword. The handle, carved with northern tribal patterns, diamonds of blue and lumps of gold imbedded in the weapon glittered before his eyes in slow motion.

Kamui was knocked backwards, taking control over his body immediately before he was knocked off his feet and Death was relieved that no harm was brought to the boy. His thoughts were aimed at the wrong place.

Cracks ran through mauve stones and the next moment, as time snapped back to normal speed, fragments of purple scattered like rain down to the floor, sinking in the thick layer of icy fog and disappearing there like the memories they once consumed within them.

* * *

Riding Blue Fairy's canoe, Yuuto snapped his eyes towards the Rescue Team house. It felt like the some thing was cracking in the world. Two great things cracked that moment; one thing like an egg as the chick hatches and the other like a powerful pact broken.

It was nearing. It was soon. It was now.

"Hurry, Fairy, we need to get to the infirmary!" on the infirmary's rooftop, Yuuto knew, was a huge horn which was used to call all Noters and Rescue Team members for action. Due to the infirmary's location atop one of the highest hills in the City, the horn was actually the only true way to call for help and be heard across the whole City.

As they neared the hill Yuuto climbed to his feet in the speeding canoe, immediately grabbed for stabilization by Vash. "We need to get to the rooftop, Vash. Get me to the rooftop!"

"What! I-I'm pretty swift on my feet but I sure can't climb no walls, how can I get you to the roof!"

Yuuto shot his angriest glare at the fearful Vash, "Don't you know your abilities!" his harsh roar was half muffled by the wind suddenly blowing violently all around the City, beating the buildings with snowy vengeance.

"What abilities!" Vash cried helplessly against the flakes filling his mouth as he opened it. Frustration raged in his mind until tears welled in his large eyes. "What can I ever do besides blow holes in moons and wipe out whole cities!" the warm tears froze on his inhuman cheeks. He never felt so powerless in his life.

Yuuto's hair blew madly around his face, making the disgusted angle of his lips and his haunted, angry eyes turn him into a completely different person. He backhanded Vash, throwing the bigger man against the canoe's pointy edge, "Snap out of it!".

Blue Fairy hastened her boat's speed, working it in circles around the infirmary to gain height against the canoe's limitations.

As they flew above the graveyard and around the infirmary's corner, Yuuto spotted David on horseback sitting completely still. Both the undertaker and the animal's eyes were glowing turquoise and both were completely out of order. Hope twinkled in Yuuto's heart despite the cold and the wind and the explosions that shook the whole City, just in time for them to reach the roof and leap at the horn.

* * *

It felt like the time he was swimming in the ocean in Okinawa and, as he dipped his head below the water to test out the goggles his mother bought him, a wave rolled over him. A force of nature softy knocked his small body backwards as the body of water followed its natural place.

The memories, his true memories, knocked against him the very same manner, bringing back with them the recollection of that magical swim in his distant childhood.

Fuma did not posses a small piece of the Dragon's evil, nor was he the one to lead the Sakurazukamori's trial into a farce of true justice. Death did not softly court him, edging gingerly towards him whenever Kamui showed him a sign of acceptance, Death did not save him from Fuma's evil possession.

Death hurt Fuma cruelly and tore Kamui away from the love of his life. Death kidnapped him, cast him away from his loved ones, and locked him in a cell in the queendom of Anthrax. Death lied to him and deceived him, giving him this poisonous jewelry that erased his memories. Death filled him with false memories and vampires' blood.

Kamui turned his eyes, still seeing the world enhanced but finally seeing those within it in the right light, to Death and the glare in them was now aimed at him.

"You…." He exhaled, too stunned with the extent of the foul play to be able to think clearly for now.

Death seemed to be unchanged, besides the long stare he hung at Kamui. He did not move a single muscle or even blinked to show he had comprehended what just happened.

Knowing this state of shock won't last for long, Ice Man hurried to place his hand on Kamui's opposite shoulder, turning his back to Death while keeping an eye on the powerful creature.

Fuma moved to hurry to Kamui's side but his shirt was grabbed with Lion's fist with iron's strength, and he was yanked back powerfully.

Kamui was unmovable, his gaze steady and strong on Death's, "Alex," his voice was commanding, but soft, "change me back. I know you can. Just do it and then we'll go."

Death's eyelids fluttered and a small, almost invisible contraction of his muscles flew across his face.

"Please…"

Another wave moved across his body, in the opposite direction this time, and for a moment Kamui felt as if everything in his body was trying to be parted with his soul to fly into a vacuum somewhere in Death direction, like a ghost letting go of its possessing grip on is flesh.

The room around him was infinitely dark suddenly, all the glittering, glowing majesty of it drained as the blood in his eyeball's vessels cleansed itself of demonic particles. It was dark and the cold was threatening to turn the skin on his bare feet into thin paper to be torn off his flesh the next careless movement he does.

Kamui wanted to be away from here, as fast as he could, so he turned to Fuma and grabbed the man's hand, dragging the both of them out of the tent.

Following them closely were Lion and Ice Man, constantly casting checking glances behind his back to make sure Death was not following them.

"We'll need the carriage, I can't hold all of you to get off this roof."

"Do it quickly." Kami whispered, wishing there was something to wrap around his shoulders against the cold.

From the thick walls of descending snow and the fists of wild wind, the white and gold horses emerged, bringing the golden carriage parallel to the roof's edge. The four men hurried into the vehicle, finding thick fur coats on its seats and hurriedly wrapping themselves with them.

Fuma grabbed his coat and threw it around Kamui's shoulder, casting the other end around his. Together again, they brought their freezing white fingers together shakily. Their eyes met and, as if predicting what was next to come, they did not kiss yet or made any other gesture to mark their true reunion. At the moment the adrenalin of what they just went through was still too vivid in their blood to let them fully realize that they're together again.

* * *

Left behind, abandoned, and broken in so many ways he was still beyond the ability to fully asses the damage, Death stood knee deep in freezing white fog.

Above him the once dome-shaped roof caved slowly under the heavy layers of snow which piled on it until the charming chain that hung from it was pooling in circles on the unused bed.

"…Kamui…" a name whispered in the cold empty space.

"…Kamui…" the orbs once emerald-hued now turned completely turquoise and glowed hard enough to throw to beams of light in the dark room.

"…Kamui…" he was leaving his body, or more like his body was leaving its current shape.

Enhancing, inflating, spreading, ethereal fumes spread through the tent until they reached its walls, tore them down and exposed the newly shaped creature to the monstrous wind. The wind was moved with the same vengeance as the creature.

This house was not worth existing without the youth to share it with him. So he blew it up. This City was not worth existing without the youth to dominate it hand to hand with him, so he blew house over house in it at a spreading radio around him. No one, besides his Creatures and Men (which he immobilized for now for their own safety), was worth their existence without the boy to take their blood for food, so he'll kill them all.

But first to take the boy back. Then he'll level this place like it was two cities in the land where the boy came from. He'll leave only his men alive, and enough humans to act as livestock for the vampires. Without the limitations of moral, limitations that long ago cracked within him, there was nothing worth keeping alive for goodness' sake.

He will take the boy back and create his own kingdom within this world, where the boy will have no one left to hanker over with false childhood-time's love and no court to be tied to. He will rule and the boy will be his queen, willingly or not.

The world will become his and death will be the punishment for anyone who dare try to fight against Death.

His turquoise halo of a body towered to the sky's very zenith, one foot stomping an elderly couple who escaped their house dead with one stroke and the building behind them became a ball of orange and red fire against the thick snow they waded waist deep in.

The horn on the infirmary roof blew like thunder's fist, challenging the explosion's roar.

* * *

They might have once been Seals and Harbingers, Dragons of Earth and Heaven, fighting over an immense metropolitan the size of which the City will never dream of reaching.

Now they were Rescue Team members and the twisted, crippled, dwarfed City was blowing a horn against the bizarre monstrous snow storm, calling them to save her.

Yuzuriha was standing in her thin pajamas, in her home's living room, shaking Victoria violently to try and snap the vampire back to life. But Victoria was limp as a doll and her eyes were just as glassy, staring forward with a turquoise glow in them.

A moment before the horn blew Arashi climbed down the stairs, telling everyone that the onmyoujis were standing stiff in their room, frozen in the middle of unpacking their new belongings into their good old home and that something was very wrong about it.

The horn's blow caught Yuzuriha in the middle of reaching for her check to sweep away the tears of panic that rolled out of her big eyes at Victoria's sudden spiritual departure. It caught Inuki in the middle of a fierce growl because outside, in the snow was a huge werewolf with a fainted cub in his arms fighting the storm to place the pup in the nearest sanctuary it can find from the storm.

Karen was just pouring hot water into two cups to make tea for Spike and Ace because it looks like a very cold front was beating them mercilessly.

Sorata was placing cookies he made earlier that day on a plate to bring up to the onmyoujis and was just wondering what happened to the two.

Arashi was placing a defensive arm across her huge belly because her miko's sensed told her immense evil was unfolding and coming towards them.

Yuuto was blowing the horn with all his might, reaching for Shikimai and Watari with a warning to take cover or fight if they can.

Kakyou was under his bed, weeping because he had just woke from a dream that showed him what was to happen in the next few hours and was only brought to his attention too late for him to do anything about it.

Seiichiro was far, far away, but the snow reached the Hobbit village where he was drinking fine ale and made him and everyone else wonder what happened to the weather.

Snapping out of his thoughts at the sound of the horn, Sorata looked at Arashi who pulled her sword out, "**_Are you mad!_**" his voice came out much angrier than he intended it to be. His monk's sensed told him the extent of the threat, which made the idea of the miko putting herself, in her state, before the threat intolerable.

"I'm a Rescue Team Mem…"

**"You're almost at the edge of delivering our baby!**" her husband hollered at her as Karen ran to the door behind him, "**_Do you want to put the baby in such danger after they almost died in the famine! After what we all did to keep you and the baby alive!_**"

Tears welled in the miko's eyes as she saw veins of anger pumping on her husband's neck and across his forehead. He was moving towards the door as well, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets with rage.

"Stay here, for god's sake, and stay alive!" he was less harsh now but still in definite alarm at her silly notion. And he was leaving her, to protect her; the mission his Stargazer predicted will kill him.

Spike was kicking the door open inch by inch against the snow that piled halfway up it and was soon joined by Sorata.

Karen swept through the living room, grabbing Yuzuriha by the collar of her shirt and yanking her to her feet, "Time to be a big girl."

The next thing she did was to yelp at the men to draw away from the door. Then, as they were at a safe distance of it she cast such a fierce ball of flames at the door it turned the wooden plank into ash and flew on to melt a path in the walls of snow for the Rescue Team members to run out the house and towards the explosions and the Death monster.

* * *

Their stables and carriage hangers blocked by snow reaching to the roofs, their offices and barracks sunk in the same manner, the Noters all over the City were locked indoors, unable to step outside to answer the horn's call.

Their distress mounted into a collective cry of frustration by the serves of Justice, a cry that did not go unnoticed.

As they flew wildly against the powerful wind which now began to take the shape of the turquoise creature's will and beat the sides of the godly carriage until it spun around in crazy circles, Fuma and Kamui heard the cry.

"Ice Maaaan!" Fuma's voice struggled through the blazing snow and ice, "The Noters can't get out of their barracks to fight Death, do something!"

Ice Man at the time was too busy trying to locate himself in the City, to find out how far they had gotten away from the wrecked Rescue Team house. The explosions of houses and the cry of horror and distressed from civilians fleeing the new danger might have sounded far away but that could also be accounted to the wind circling them.

The god knew this wind was not the City's common problem, but something Death directly controlled to trap them and keep them, and Kamui, from running away.

He used his own wings, beating madly until they were almost torn out of his back, to sent a countering current of air.

The holes in the snowy wind he managed to tear open showed him that they were hovering high above ground within safe distance of the deep snow and exploding buildings, but they were not moving forward; Death had trapped them in a column of circling air, where he held them like particles in a test tube.

Lion fought the wind to hurl his head over the carriage's edge and emptied his stomach's content into the white air. He pulled himself back in, wiping at his mouth with the fringe of his fur coat and threw himself across the teen and the other man.

He was not a big enough man to properly cover Fuma and managed only to hide Kamui under him.

Fuma kept his head out of the fur and the Lion, shouting commands at Ice Man to tear off the Noter barracks' roofs if that's what he has to do to allow Justice's forces to fight against Death.

"You're throwing my children into certain death; they'll never be able to defeat him!" Lion roared at the man.

"I'm sorry, but someone has to do something. Ice Man, _do it now_!"

"The Rescue Team are qualified to handle this better, why throw mortals against the monster? All my children have is guns, bullets never were able to harm him. Let them go, withdraw them!"

Fuma fixed the older man with a tern gaze, "I'm sorry, Lion."

Forcing his authority as Justice on the God, Fuma clenched Kamui's small cold palms in his and scream the order once more.

Only it was too late; they were falling down to the ground suddenly, hurtling towards the snow below at an alarming speed. The column of air disappeared, leaving behind nothing but innocent thick snowflakes which spread each to their own direction as the wind died down.

Pulling all his powers back to the carriage, Ice Man let his godly grip on barracks and roofs loose and stopped the carriage just above the ground. Below them, the earth from which the wind meaningfully blew the snow away from was hard as stone with the cold and frozen black.

Growling, Ice Man brought the carriage to a soft landing, and immediately climbed to his feet and pulled out his sword.

It was a useless move; what walked towards him was far too immense for his to handle single handedly. Merely one of the monster's legs was five times wider than their small glittering carriage.

Nevertheless, protective of his commander and his Justice, Ice Man stiffened his stance and placed his sword upwards, as if pointing its blade to the monster's head.

Death looked down at the god and a rumbling growl rolled out of its chest where Death's earthly body hovered, arms spread sideways. Thousands of red eyes opened, unblinking, all over the monster's body, all watching the tiny god facing the giant monster.

One of the turquoise arms darkened, blackened, twisted and snaked away from the body, letting loose a mass of black bats which flew up the sky until whatever was left of the moon's shine through the heavy snow was completely blocked.

In the eerie darkness only the turquoise glow of the ethereal body lit its surrounding chaos of snow and wrecked buildings. It lit the huge black hound the arm became, twice Ice Man's height. It now stood, drooling blood between cruel set of pointy teeth the hound flashed before Ice Man.

The god leaped off the carriage, screaming at Justice and Lion to lay low and cover themselves. He sped off to the left of the hound, pulling the beast's attention away from his precious ones.

It worked; the hound gave chase, its paws sending horrid quakes through the ground as it stepped on it, roaring and sneaking its bloodied tongue at Ice Man.

Spreading his wings, Ice Man fled to the air, drawing the hound to stand on its rear legs and pawing at the air wherever Ice Man flew trying to sink his sword into the flesh that was actually Death's and thus sensitive to the poison imbedded in his godly sword.

He managed a hit, cutting the hound's left paw. The creature withdrew with a blood-chilling snarl and immediately shook its head, spraying crimson on the thick snow around it. The wing blew Ice Man's wide fur coat round him like a superhero's cape, like a halo of righteousness.

Bringing his sword above his head with both hands, Ice Man called upon his ancient weapons. His sword changed into a gigantic hammer, forged in gold and basalt. The sky tore open, a thunderbolt crashing into the hammer with a might blaze, blinding the carriage dwellers.

With a mighty roar, Ice Man brought the glowing, charged hammer to the ground, spreading the snow in a straight line towards the hound like the Red Sea before Moses, opening a deep crack in the frozen earth itself.

The hound shook with the energy, blown off his feet and cast to the distance and lading there on the snow now so cold it hardened into ice. The beast landed there, rolling around miserably, dismembered and bleeding freely, spreading hoards of small bats as it moved.

From the glowing turquoise body another grumble came and the beast reared its head, twisting its neck towards the far off god. It opened its mouth and out snaked not a bloody tongue but an arm, black and white and muscular. So long it was that it reached all the way back to Ice Man.

Holding Alex' sword, it arched above the god. Turning, it suddenly flashed its side to the god, and above him, in realistic size, the number tattooed into Death's skin blazed in dark blue ink against the white-as-snow flash. Ice Man knew what this meant, it said, "Remember." It meant Death was bent on killing him.

The arm gave Ice Man very little time to recover from the message before it flicked, shooting at the god, the sword's blade flashing deadly in the turquoise light.

Ice Man changed his hammer back to the sword and deflected the blow as much as he could. But the arm was too powerful and his skills still better than the god's. After an exchange of blows and deflections, though Ice Man managed to sink his blade into the white arm a few times, he felt a fire blowing at his side.

He was blown away by the hit, to be cast on the icy snow like the hound he hammered a moment ago, to roll miserably as he struggles to comprehend the wound.

He looked up; out there on the snow under the arm still brandishing its sword lay his left arm, limp and whitening. He looked down at his deformed shoulder and realized his coat now hung loose off of it, no arm to run down its sleeve to hold it still to his body. He blinked. The pain was too far off in the shock of the injury to be registered in his mind yet.

Death's arm, its birthing hound now rolling on its belly for better support and spewing bats through its mouth, now shot towards him to deal the last blow while the god lay in the snow trying to recover.

Ice Man struggled to his feet for he knew it was his time to die.

For ages, since mankind turned their back on gods like him and chose to believe in the one who died on the cross, he roamed the earth looking for a new home and a warm simple family. He came across a rabbi and found a path to follow, a people to protect as much as he could.

And now, as he fights to defend a man who facially resembles that old rabbi and to protect the pair of boys this man is loyal to, Death who was amongst those Ice Man was not there to protect, was about to kill him.

Somewhere in his mind it made sense to Ice Man, a sort of bizarre justice taking on a monstrous shape. He merely wished to be up on his feet with his sword in his hand as the death blow is given.

But, seconds before the sword tore through his torso, Ice Man's vision was clouded by a flash of yellow fur and he was swiped off his feet and away from the arm.

He was carried somewhere so fast he could not see anything of where they were going or what was taking him. The pain started nagging at his body, making his shoulder into a smoldering, burning lump of sulfur.

He was thrown to the ground, deep amongst snow covered trees so white they were more like huge icicles than plants. There, as he lay on the white mass, he looked to his side and saw Kamui's face framed by blond hair. He blinked and noticed two black ears, one slightly torn, poking out the boy's head. He frowned.

Then something hot and wet was caressed his cheek and he turned his head up. Above him loomed a huge wolf, its pink tongue reaching once more to comfort him. He opened his mouth but the words escaped him due to the shock of it all and the pain that still tormented at his body.

He knew this wolf! The golden fur, the scar in the middle of its lower jaw, the human eyes…

"Fenrir!"

* * *

"**_ICE MAN!_**" Kamui's scream pierced through the darkness and the turquoise blaze and the fires bursting in the destroyed houses.

All that was left of the god was the only disembodied arm lying in the snow. Above it, the hound which walked up to it roared in frustration. The arm which once dangled out of its moth withdrew and disappeared in its immense jaw. The beast was now sniffing at the ground where Ice Man just lay.

As he watched the strange black beast with horrid fixation, Kamui realized they were without their last line of defense; Ice Man stopped his attempts to pull the Noters out of their bases and he himself was injured badly and now completely gone.

He turned his gaze to the heavens where the turquoise monster loomed staring directly down at him. "…Kamui…" it s+--+aid, its voice so deep and so loud it vibrated through the carriage and the bodies of those sitting within it.

They were being snowed in again, trying to climb to the highest part of the carriage to keep their underdressed feet from freezing. Lion was still grabbing Kamui and covering him as much as he could. Fuma was above the Noter officer, doing the same while glaring as hard as he could up at the gigantic eyes of the Death-shaped ethereal monster.

The monster drew its other arm backwards, preparing to sweep down at them and cup the carriage like it was a tiny toy. Fuma knew what this meant; Death will surely shake the tiny golden thing until Fuma was cast down to the ground below, to crush into a pulp on the stone-frozen earth, and Kamui will be Death's again.

All around them, more buildings crumbled under Death's rage and more civilians gave their last breath as a turquoise fog crawled up at them to silence them forever. Somewhere, in the distance time of his memories from a few minutes ago now seeming like ages into the past, he remembered the horn blowing loud in the chaotic air.

* * *

As soon as he spotted the monster, Spike slammed a clip into his Jericho, coked it with a yank and slid on the ice as best he could to maintain a proper firing position. He had great doubts the bullets would reach the small body floating within the turquoise glow, but he had to give it a shot because his Kong-Fu skills were surely useless against such a sized monster.

Past him, Karen was gaining more and more air momentum as she leaped gracefully off the snow as if the fluffy white layer and thin ice were a firm surface. Concentrating her powers, she created a chain of giant balls of fire around it, sending them in arrowheads towards the turquoise air.

They flew right through the ethereal air, landing not a single crippling hit as she hoped they would.

She didn't want to do something like that to Alex, who was a dear friend of hers and her boss back in her original world. But this was not Alex; this was a Death monster and her loyalty to the City and her young former Dragons of Heaven leader was greater than her friendship with this man, who's gone terribly wrong.

Sorata followed Karen's tactic, leaping as high as he could and as fast as he could towards the monster and created rings of electricity around the gigantic body. These slowly shrunk, tightening towards the body.

Yuzuriha choose the stop in her stride, to stand perfectly still, riding Inuki to avoided making contact with the snow under her, she refused to fight. Death had made a promise to her – to turn her into a vampire so she will never die and be like Victoria one day.

Death, her future master, was no something she should be fighting but she'll be damned if she would. Victoria was back in her home, frozen and immobilized, and that's exactly what Yuzuriha's going to do. No one in the Rescue Team will be able to defeat Death in his current state, so why should she show disloyalty by fighting a futile battle?

Reading her thoughts despite the madness in his mind, Death sent his hound at the girl. Moving too fast to be properly prepared for, the hound collected the small girl and her inugami in its mouth and carried them to a safe distance gently.

Now, Yuzuriha calculated, she'll have the perfect excuse to not fighting; she was attacked by the hound and only Inuki (so she will say) protected her from certain death.

And yet, what would Kusanagi say about these rebellious acts. Strangely, she felt his presence. It hurt her, caused her heart to throb painfully in her chest and pulling on her sinews like a cruel puppet master. But she could have sworn she felt his arms around her, heard his deep voice softly cooing at her, "There, you're safe and alive; that's the only thing that's important."

She lost consciousness.

Outside, before the monster, Ace brought his flying scooter higher and higher up the monster's body as he circled around it. The vehicle had the same limitations as Blue Fairy's canoe, but he struggled to make a use of himself anyway.

He had grabbed a sharp broken thin metal bar from one of the house wrecks and was aiming it now, like a lance, towards the body floating in the turquoise hallow.

The glow was growing strong, blinding him the more he drew closer and Ace was sure that this was done knowing it would render him hopeless. So, with his free hand, he drew out his Ace Rimmer pilot-style sunglasses and shaded his eyes, bettering his grip on the lance as he went on.

No use; the glow only became fiercer, thus blinding Karen as well, making her miss her fireball's aim more and more. Now they merely flew in straight lines and fell, smoldering, at the ground behind the Death monster. This was putting the civilians still fleeing like panicking sheep away from the wrecks around Death.

She cursed, deciding to take up Sorata's approach. Leaping once more towards the immense light, she spread her arms to her side powerfully, creating rings upon rings of fire moving to circle the monster.

Now almost jailed by a column of fire and electricity rings, Death's body was in danger of losing the battle. Raging, the monster roared fiercely, sending his other arm which was a moment ago aimed at Kamui's carriage, through the rings towards the two Rescue Team members.

Spike predicted this, and threw his gun away (it was running out of bullets anyway) and dashed towards Karen, yelling at her to land back on the ground. He did not make it.

The arm materialized; a sleeve of black tentacles formed from the bats now withdrawn back to Death's body, and hardened into a fist. The limb pawed at the two members in one hit.

Predicting the limb's path, Arashi's image with her baby so close to delivery, flashed in Karen's mind. She landed quickly, shooting just as fast back into the air to stand in the path between the limb and the monk. She took most of the blow.

They landed in a heap, luckily into a part of the snow where it was still soft, and disappeared there as if swallowed by fog. Spike ran to the spot, calling for Ace with a scream.

The two men hurried to the hole in the snow and, almost up to their necks in the frozen white mass, pulled the two limp bodies out from the whiteness and out to a place where ice began forming a new solid ground.

Karen was unconscious, blood trickling from her mouth, vicious cuts bleeding all over her skin. She was shaking involuntarily, but for some reason, as if driven by her very soul to move her body despite her drifting awareness, she hooked an arm around Spike's shoulder, her convulsing palm grabbing Ace's powerfully.

They laid her on the ice, Spike removing his blue jacket and Spike doing the same with his golden one, to spread a layer separating the ice from her injured body.

Sorata, still conscious yet fiercely dizzy, noted his right arm won't move. He looked down at it and noticed it was unnaturally twisted in three places. He had crushed his arm beyond proper use. The pain was held back by the raging levels of adrenalin that washed through his body.

With one arm out of order he won't be able to place his palms in the proper positions to work his esoteric spells and thus became useless, even if the rest of his body was sound. It wasn't; the adrenalin and excitement kept him from sensing that his right knee was shattered as well, and his sitting position on the snow, as Ace and Spike placed him there, kept him from noticing the swollen bloody mess it had become. But the pain was soon to overtake him and render him completely useless.

Arashi, sitting on the stairs where Sorata left her crying, was unaware that with her husband's injury the last of the active Rescue Team members were taken out of the game.

* * *

High in the sky, at a safe distance from the Death monster, Tara was hovering in the air, observing the battle. Performing the duty she did best, she watched the latest turn against the Rescue Team and hurried down to the infirmary below her. The City she left behind was half in ruins already.

"Charlie, the Rescue Team's down." She yelped as soon as she spotted the doctor bent over his patience and the office Noters hiding behind the graveyard clothing shed, where the snow was shallow.

Charlie took the news badly. His face paled and grayed in the faint light the moon managed to shine down through the snow clouds where the monster was too far to let its bats obscure the light. "What?" he whispered, mind reeling.

"He took down the Rescue Team member; one got eaten by a huge hound, two were injured and Ice Man was long gone taken away by some werewolf monster or something. Spike and Ace are tending to the wounded two. They need an ambulance wagon, quick!"

The doctor shook his head, eyes glassy, "Surely we have more members than the five you just said…"

"_Who!_ Lestate is gone, he and Victoria are probably as useless as David over there, so is the medium one that just came back with Alex and Alex…well…that's who we're fighting…."

"And the reserve members?"

"I told you," Tara's voice was tainted by tears she held back, "Ice Man got taken away, David's immobilized and Jacob…"

"You called me?"

They turned around to see the farmer, riding towards them on the back of a powerful brown horse too tall to be bothered by the thick snow. In his hands he held the rains of another horse riding next to his.

They blinked at the man.

"Your ambulance horses are snowed in their sheds, I'll fucking kill Alex for doing this…But never mind, you need an ambulance; I noticed on my way here." He leaped off his horse, thrusting both the animal's rains into Charlie's palm.

"And the ambulance wagon?" the doctor said faintly, trying to realize he was just given a chance to not be useless.

Jacob shrugged, his face darkening, "I'll dig it out the snow with my powers. But I'm already saying this;" he pointed at Charlie, "I will do nothing else against Alex. I don't have the habit of fighting my own brothers."

Charlie blinked, "Yes, well…at least we can evacuate the wounded." He called for two of his bravest nurses. Nuriko leaped to his side but the other, the big Italian man refused to move.

"I'll go." Sighed the newly recruited medic and followed Nuriko and she hurried to tie the horses to the wagon Jacob pulled out of the snow.

The ability to save someone in this hopeless battle yanked Charlie's mind out of the gloom he was sinking into as he took in Tara's news. He stormed into the infirmary, knowing he was forgetting something that just might be their last hope.

Then he stopped, in dead center of the largest room. Slowly, he turned his eyes to the orange cabinet hung on the wall solemnly.

Once, there were healers in the City, who came from a planet where the agriculture grew plants to make medications for the kind of creatures Alex and Ice Man are. They brought with them herbs against headaches, nausea, the common cold and a whole rainbow of petty diseased that once in a while nagged the creatures' strange bodies with petty mortal ailments. When Jackie killed them they left the cabinet behind as legacy.

Amongst these herbs and strange potions was a single bottle, half filled with a faintly green liquid. This liquid the healers would pour into darts they made and blown at Alex whenever Mouse would have driven him into violent fits of destruction. Charlie remembered asking them to show him the doses, in case he'll ever have to do it.

He now clearly remembered the dose, and immediately his feverish mind worked out the difference between the ethereal body size of Alex at those times and the size of the monster now trying to work out a new dose.

In the meantime he stormed at the cabinet, pulling the door out of its hinges with the force of his yank and reached for the green bottle standing on the shelf amongst the other bottles and bags of herbs like an innocent child.

On the cabinet's bottom shelf lay a single dart and the tube the healers used to screw together to create the shooting pipe through which they blew the dart at the raging Alex of long ago.

He screamed for Tara to come over, frantically fidgeting with the bottle's cork to open it. He stuffed the tubes into her hands, ordering her to put the pipe together while he makes out the dart's combination.

Then he remembered something; the green liquid was merely sedative. He didn't want to kill Death but he was still unsure of the dose he chose to put in the dart. He looked at the cabinet and remembered there was another medication there that might help him; Ace once had troubles sleeping and the healers gave him a different potion; a dark mustard yellow thick ooze to render him dead to the world in deep sleep.

He charged at the cabinet again, grabbing the bottle containing the oily substance and opening it as well.

"How are we going to get close enough to him to shoot the dart?" Tara asked, the tube completely put together in her hands.

Charlie whipped his head to her. He frowned. He was completely confident in his ability to aim the tube since he had practiced it with the healers until he mastered it completely, but how will he get airborne with no one capable of flying in sight? Jacob already declared he won't cooperate with them.

"Tara…"

She shook her head, "I tried taking people to the air with me, but to chant the right spell to make us both hover, and _fly_ towards him is going to take me about an hour and the herbs for the ceremony before that are gone with the house _he_ ruined."

Once again, hope crashed down on him. Charlie slumped.

That moment, as the sounds of the ambulance wagon charging off to evacuate Karen and Sorata from danger sounded outside, Love, Vash and Blue Fairy walked into the building.

Vash was holding a limp Yuuto in his arms. Love had fainted, too caught up with the emotions of so many people losing their loved ones in Death's rage and the very impact of Fuma's and Death's contradicting emotions.

Blue Fairy walked up to her husband, already prepared to offer any help she can give him in what he had in mind. But Blue Fairy was the only light in his often tormented life, so riddled with people he couldn't heal and the life before the City became the stable sure thing it was before Death ravaged it. He was not going to put his wife in danger.

Then he noticed Vash as the man gently placed Yuuto on an empty hospital bed. He charge at his, "You! You're a creature like Alex, you can fly too!"

Ash blinked at him dumbly, "_Fly! _I'm sorry, Doc, but there's no way I can pull that off."

Charlie clenched his fist, fighting against the need to punch the tall man and snap him out of his carefree daze, "Yes you can." he growled through his teeth instead, glaring hard enough to make Vash want to cry. "_You can do it, if you put your mind into it. You have inhuman powers, you can make things move with your mind, you can transform things into completely other things and if you want to, **YOU CAN ALSO FLY!**_"

And with that, the doctor grabbed Vash by the shoulder of his coat and pushed him out to the graveyard; taking with him the pipe from Tara and the dart he mixed the green substance and the yellow oil until they made an oozy stinking black mess.

Something stopped him suddenly, as he laid eyes on David, who was almost up to his neck in the snow. He remembered the first time he had met Alex and the confusion his appearance caused in Death. He shot back into the infirmary, clicking his fingers at Tara to grab her attention.

She snapped her eyes to him; he was pointing at his small Chaplin mustache, yelping at her to get a razor, any razor, even a scalpel if that's all she finds.

He settled on a nearby chair, smeared some lubricating jell on is upper lip and offered himself to her scalpel brandishing skills.

Biting her lower lip, Tara did her best not to cut the doctor with the frighteningly sharp instrument.

The shaving went without injury and Charlie leaped to his feet, checking his appearance in the mirror; nothing but the black eyeliner and the equally dark rings under his eyes. As if to assure himself, he grabbed the pipe once more, twirling it in the air in the trademark Tramp way.

* * *

Kamui looked on numbly as the ambulance wagon came to a halt by Spike and Ace cowering over the woman they love (with much cursing and bitching by the medic).

Now that he was sure no one stood in the way of Death taking him and killing Fuma, he found that he was filled with a kind of lightheaded carelessness that bordered the feeling he got when the Dragon had his body pinned to concrete and so much blood oozed out of him he knew he was going to die.

He leaned his head against Fuma's chest and felt the body he was holding the hand of was shaking violently. The snow buried them to their shoulders and the cold was threatening to kill the man he loved before Death will. Lion was breathing jaggedly above him, coughing and sniffing against the cold.

He took a deep breath, watching the snowflakes on his eyelashes. Such were his life; bound to be forever trapped and pushed towards the paths dictated to him by men far too powerful for him to properly fight against.

Once it was the Dragon who stronger than him to the point that Kamui often realized the Battle of the Apocalypse was a lost one. Then came Fuma as Justice, not warning him about his behavior during Seishiro's trial. Then Alex kidnapped him and now, now Alex was about to chain their destinies together forever.

To think this whole nightmare started because of Seishiro killing some people to feed a spiritually hungry plant his family was forced to serve for centuries before Seishiro was even thought of.

Now, in these moments of numb, powerless observation, Kamui finally realized that the charges against Seishiro were pointless, the fight meaningless and time consuming.

He made a note to himself to say that to Seishiro when this will blow over. After all, as soon as Death kills Fuma and completes his annihilation of everything with a breath of life in it, he will surely create a Death kingdom, placing his Men and Things by his sides as minions. He will put Kamui at the throne by him, to rule as a puppet-on-a-string queen.

One day, Kamui imagined, he'll meet the Sakurazukamori in this horrific courtyard and then they can all have a nice conversation over a cup of tea with Subaru, and joke about the past when they were all free men.

Subaru cried when he cut his hair before Death turned him into a vampire. Now Kamui knew why. The only faint comfort he could find right now is the notion that to sooth his grief for Fuma in this bleary nightmarish future Subaru will be there as well.

"Oh, Subaru, why did you ever pull me out of my heart in the first place? So I can end up here?" He heard himself mumble, watching the plums of hot hair escape his mouth with teeth chattering.

"Don't talk like that, Kamui; all is not lost." He heard Fuma's confident voice tell him and felt the vibrations of it go through the man's chest.

Painfully, he worked against the freezing skin on his neck to look up at the second Justice, wondering where that came from.

Fuma was smiling down at him. His eyes were filled with tears and his cheeks striped with streams of tears that had flowed out earlier and had frozen on his skin by now. "I love you."

Kamui smiled faintly, wondering what the use in such romantic declares is when the shadow of Death's palm was already looming above them. In a minute it will reach them and kill the only man he ever loved and will ever love.

Perhaps Fuma wanted these to be the last words he will say.

Well, Kamui will be damned if he'll let Fuma die without hearing his reply, "I love you too, Fuma."

But the hand never came.

* * *

He flew through the air as fast as a bullet, shooting through the snow and the cold, through black clouds of bats and smoke. He flew between the houses which were still standing and above those who lay in ruins. For someone who was never airborne he flew damn well in the doctor's opinion.

Charlie clawed at Vash's shoulders, trying to maintain his place on the red covered back while holding the arrow and pipe firmly in his hands. Vash's hands holding his thighs, he couldn't help thinking, was quite an awkward sensation.

Soon the darkness covered them and the impossible glow of turquoise bleared at them. The monster, now no longer threatened by pests like Ace and Karen's aiming ability, darkened its glow until all that was left was just enough to let the half buried golden carriage's residence see what was coming towards them.

"How high do you want me to get?" Vash screamed at Charlie through the gush of speeding wind around them.

"Pipe down, would you? If he so much as hears us we're dead meat; we need to keep the element of surprise remember?"

"Gee, don't you think we're a little too close to make him not notice us?" Vash sighed under his breath. The sight of Death before him was what kept him quite with gloom rather than Charlie's command. He remembered the beginning of this night and longed for that illusion of peace to have lasted; let whatever must be sacrificed for it to be get sacrificed.

"Climb _high_!"

Vash did, they were shooting upwards, flying right by the monster's side. Death, apparently, was too busy reaching down to take Kamui to notice them coming.

When he did he turned his gaze, monster and body, to the flying due and a surprised expression so human and clear spread across both faces that it made Charlie and Vash's hearts falter at the thought of sending the dart into Death.

But the City was in wrecks around them, god knows how many civilians were lying dead in the snowy streets and under ruins, and already three Rescue Team members were down, including one Noter in reserve. Death must be stopped.

Charlie yelped for Vash to stop before Deaths floating body, slipped the dart into the metal pipe and brought its edge to his mouth. Covering the opening, he took the deepest breath he could, then uncovered the metal circle and coughed powerfully into the cylinder.

The dart shot straight at Death, through the turquoise air, hitting him at his side a little under the armpit.

The monster growled with a frustrated confusion and moved as the body within it moved; reaching with its left hand to its side, trying to yank the dart out. But it was too late; the potion had already been injected into Death.

"_Go backwards! **Go backwards!**_ If he touches us we're dead!"

Vash did, withdrawing with dizzying speed. He promised himself he will never fly again, if only because of what he was forced to see now as the result of this flight.

The monster was shrinking, the turquoise halo sucking into the Death's body like vapors into a vacuum. Inside it, Death finally managed to pull the dart out and, as he recognized it, glared directly at Charlie.

The drug began showing its narcotic affect; sill in mid air Death faltered backwards, flailing his arms wildly as if trying to maintain his balance on a wire. All this time, booming through the devastated City air was his low growl, "…Kamui…..Kamui…."

Looking up suddenly as he realized he was saved, Kamui felt as if he had been pulled out of water he was about to drown in. The air became suddenly clear to breath. Why, breathing in itself was suddenly such an easy thing to do.

It wasn't Kamui's relieved mind that made him feel as if the air became lighter; it really did become light.

Death's affect withdrew its grip on the world around him. The bats which hid the sky disappeared like vapors scattering. The snow stopped falling, and more than that; it began melting and disappearing as unnaturally as it fell.

The battle against Death had been fought through the night and now, slowly, the sun was rising.

In the heat suddenly thrown on them from the sun and the snow melting to free their limbs, Kamui and Fuma allowed themselves a first look of true relief, of truly reuniting again. They survived through this, not doing much besides holding fast to each other, but survived this they did!

Lion climbed off Kamui, walked off the carriage in a worried search for Ice Man. With the big man off him, Kamui was finally able to throw himself on Fuma and grab the man to a tight hug like he longed to do for these long, agonizing six months away from him and through this nightmare finally dispelling around them.

When they stopped hugging they kissed and when they stopped kissing they allowed themselves to climb out of the carriage and try to think of what to do next. They were so sure they were going to be separated forever that planning even the future few moments was hard to comprehend even as they were finally free.

"….Kamui….Kamui…."

Kamui turned his head to his side as he pulled the uncomfortable, suffocated fur cloak off his shoulders.

On the ground a little away from him lay Death. No, it was no long the 'monster' Death; it was Alex now. He was lying limp on the ground like the time when the wind creature toyed with him.

His eyes were screwed shut, brows knotted as if he was in the midst of a bad dream and unable to shake himself free of its grip. Crimson tears trickled from the corners of his eyes as his expression melted from pain to infinite sadness. He lay there, shaking with sobs, whimpering the name over and over again.

"…Kamui…Kamui…_Kamui_…"

Charlie walked gingerly towards the man on the ground, stopping just above him to look down, hands on his sides. He knew the only thing the City would now do to the man was to punish him. And to punish him they'll need to put him to trial.

Thinking that, the doctor turned his gaze to Justice and expected to find the look of relieved glee. Instead he saw two teens, their arms around each other, looking down at Death with dark sadness.

Sighing, Charlie turned away, feet shuffling at whatever snow still covering the ground, and headed towards the infirmary to rearrange it and tend to the wounded of the battle.

All around Alex, in a gigantic circle, were ruins, dead bodies, and blood-splattered snow; the aftermath of a broken heart. And he lay on the white and black ground, painting the disappearing snow crimson, weeping.

"…Kamui…Kamui…."

* * *

_Touched, you say that I am too  
so much, of what you say is true  
I'll never find someone quite like you again  
I'll never find someone quite like you, like you  
the razors and the dying roses  
plead I don't leave you alone  
the demi-gods and hungry ghosts  
oh god, god knows I'm not at home  
I'll never find someone quite like you again  
I'll never find someone quite like you again  
I, I looked into your eyes and saw  
a world that does not exist  
I looked into your eyes and saw  
a world I wish I was in  
I'll never find someone quite as touched as you  
I'll never love someone quite the way  
that I loved you_

Vast – Touched (now go and listen to that song, and imagine what you just read happening to its tune. Nice, isn't it?)

(tbc)

* * *

I confess I giggled whenever I wrote 'airborne'. Sad, but true. 


	41. Recovering

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** to Kyou-chan2 (Well, have I told you before that your reviews make me all happy and gooey and are the best in the world? Snappity-snap XD), to Sesshy's Girl 00 (ha ha, back to normal, yeah, in a way I guess. Hope you like these last few chapters), to LadyoftheBlackWings (Yes! It was Alucard – in a sense- and if you've read the Hellsing manga you'll see dear old Alu-chan popping in to say hello in future chapters. Thank you so much for your devotion and cheering, I wouldn't be around for long without people like you!), to Cocoke5 (yaay! Here's another chapter for you!), to Mooneasterbunny (wow, so many words to describe ANW, kidding. Glad you liked it!) and to Yersi Fanel (hey hey, long time no see! Yeah, I know I'm evil and I know you love it so I'll just keep being evil!).

**Youz Guyz out there:** A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN ITS CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!

Author's request: Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

Half this chapter was written on paper because I was escorting a ten day trip and had to get ANW working before the university gets the better of me. Hope you'll find it was worth the effort.

* * *

**Chapter 41 – Recovering**

"…Kamui…Kamui…"

The sky cleared. Dark bulbous clouds bearing unnatural snow, gently smoother away from the Lost Dimension's zenith, making room for the new day's sun.

This morning, unlike any other before it in the whole tortured history of the Dark Side, the sun shone down on the defrosting earth, undisturbed.

The usual layer of thin clouds, that slim blanket which always locked the warm soothing light of the sun from the Side's inhabitants, was gone.

The rays of the new dawn were free to reach the City and its surroundings, undisturbed.

* * *

The sun shown down on a young girl, standing a little away from her house's back yard with her inugami, tearing at her clothes.

The gigantic black hound which gently carried her in its mouth evaporated moments ago and, now that she knew the battle was over, Yuzuriha had to fortify her alibi.

"Here, pull it as hard as you can." She said to Inui, reaching her arm to him with her shirt's sleeve dangling before his nuzzle.

The spirit dog cocked its head at her, reluctant much.

"You have to, Inuki, or I'll never look like I had any kind of a fight with that dog monster!"

The inugami cooperated, clawing at her clothes until they tore in places and biting off bits of her sleeves, ripping her collar loose.

"Great work! Now, to a few injuries…" she cast her eyes around them, "I have to be injured, have to have a few battle scars…" her voice lost the sharpness of its energy, "or else, how will the others see I was as hurt as them…if they were hurt…were they hurt!" by then she was whimpering.

Yuzuriha fell to her knees in the low mist of thin rubble and frost blown away. She burst into tears, covering her face and tearing at her hair.

"What if I left them there, all alone? What if one of them died! How will I ever forgive myself!" she leaped at her dog, throwing her arms around his grown body.

Inuki pressed his head to her face, letting his spiritual fur soak her earthly tears.

His mistress leaped to her feet seconds later, stance so rigid with resolution she almost snapped her back broken.

She slapped herself, hard. Her hair, which now reached beyond her shoulders, blew sideways gently. Then she knelt, picking whatever earth and mud she could find that was warm enou

* * *

gh to be mulled into dust, and slapped it hard against her face. 

Yuzuriha continued this process, beating herself as hard as she could with earth and without until her face, her arms, her legs, were red and swollen. She grabbed rocks and slammed them onto herself until she was bruised, until she bled. Her clothes became a brownish mess.

"Now," she leveled a near-possessed gaze at Inuki, "scratch me, hard as you can."

The dog refused.

"_Inuki!_ I have to have a big wound or I'll end up in jail! In jail, you hear? Because I betrayed my friends and defected because I wanted something for myself…" her voice was broken by choked tears.

"Now…" she hissed, placing her right leg before her inugami's nuzzle, pointing at it with her thin finger, sharking with pain and emotions, "give me a big nasty scratch!"

Reluctant, Inuki obliged.

* * *

The sun played in the shaggy fur of a huge wolf, making yellow turn to gold.

The wolf walked out of the woods near the devastated City's lake, leading a god along, towards Justice.

The god watched the wolf with nostalgic amusement and longing; it has been eons since he last saw his Fenrir.

The wolf walked slowly but surely, casting its human blue eyes at its newly found master to check on his condition from time to time. On its back the wolf carried another of its kind; a young boy-looking werewolf who has been lost in terror-induced coma from the moment the wolf found it on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the ocean.

The wolf, who had once again managed to scare Will out of his wits, has been carrying the pup to the City, matching the scent clinging to the cub's clothes with that of the trail stretching between the cliffs Will just barely scaled and the City.

"It's been a long time, Fenrir," the god said, wincing still from the pain of his wound. To speak the language they once lived by, that ancient frosty language from ancient frosty times, was almost as painful. It was hard for the god to focus on anything while his mind was still preoccupied, trying to gauge the full meaning of losing his arm in the battle.

Fenrir was once, in his world, one of his godly animals; the leader of a pack of humanized wolves who escorted his godly chariot as they rode through the northern skies at nights which often lasted several months.

These wolfs were also the guardians of his shrines. They were the beacons of faith to the god's worshipers in times of dwindling faith. They'd guide his strong believers home when these long lost primitive people would find themselves snowed in after hunting or marooned on an unknown shore after a fishing trip gone stormy.

Like the god, these wolves soon found less and less human flock to pace around and watch over, as religious believes and thoughts from the eastern south reached the flock's ears. And like the god, these wolves were soon scattered and lost forever.

One by one, they failed to return to the god's golden halls at dawn.

Soon there was only Fenrir who wandered in with the first rays of the sun, through his home's gate which was once decorated by the great horns of the caribou and moose (now gathering dust as no worshipper came to clean them in awe).

The god remembered, as he closed his eyes to fight back the pain, Fenrir limping into his godly castle, to collapse at his feet. He remembered the way the wolf's fun shone gold against the stark white of the sheepskin rag at the feet of his golden throne.

His father, Odean, noticed his son's last pet's wound and had finally snapped. Human shepherds, by now converted to Christianity, saw Fenrir as a dangerous beast out to kill their flock, and had cast stones and spears at the godly animal.

Fenrir, who rarely did it before, changed into his human form and tried to speak to them, but it only scared them more. They flesd, leaving behind them the wounded werewolf to fend for himself.

Odean saw this as the final omen to the end of all days and committed suicide, hurling himself off the Bridge of Rainbows into an abyss even gods can't live to land in safety and one piece, along with his family, those of them he managed to convince to do so.

Odean did not manage to convince the god for the god was trying to dig out his last pet and friend – Fenrir – whom his father sealed deep within the earth after ramming his divine sword through the wolf's jaws to seal them off forever like the legends ordered for times of the end of the world.

Odean abandoned his son in the faithless freezing wilderness to fend for himself in a cruel, unbelieving world.

But that was the past and the past hurt the god more than his mutilated body.

Was this his Fenrir? He wished it to be, for he had been very happy to finally lay eyes on something home and familiar after thousands of semi-lonely years and a battle that cost him a limb.

The wolf certainly recognized the god and had immediately come to his aid him when the god was on the edge of oblivion.

How had Fenrir been liberated from his sealing tomb? The god imagined it was the dimension, which took the wolf into itself and healed its jaws. It was the only logical explanation the god could find.

Little did he know of the savage, bloody war that raged over the earth's surface thousands of years after Fenrir was locked in it. What he did know was not enough, for he did not know of the savage, bloodthirsty invaders who stormed on the land under which Fenrir was buried and of the plump, bespectacled junior officer who came with the invaders with a book of northern mythology in hand and two special female bodyguards.

That officer dug Fenrir out with modern equipment and unchained Fenrir with modern science's medicine, helped by a crazed, damned doctor. That officer placed modern ideas in Fenrir's mind, gave him a modern uniform to better mingle him in the flock of invaders. The officer gave Fenrir a new god to follow, a human one who sat high in his alpine fortress and orchestrated the waves that washed Fenrir into war and crushed him against the southern lands' mountains and shores.

If the god would have known of the true way of Fenrir's liberation and drafting, he would have shunned him completely and would have even killed him.

The god was now not a believer of religion but a faithful follower of a certain religion's believers, a millions of which were slain by the army into which Fenrir was drafted.

Fenrir took one look at his god and noticed a thin golden chain around hi neck. The chain which once carried a roughly made golden hammer-shaped pendant now carried a smoothly refined golden Star of David shaped pendant.

Fenrir kept his mouth shut then, knowing his fate had the god ever learned of his true past. Even if he wished to speak, Fenrir was unable, even in his human form. The sword of Odean and the age of its wound had rendered the werewolf speechless.

And so, blissfully unconscious, blissfully ignorant and blissfully reunite, the trio headed out of the woods where they hid from Death's wrath. Out towards the City and its infirmary.

* * *

The sun was fully shining when Karen and Sorata were carried into the infirmary on stretchers, as gently as possible.

The horses Jacob brought to Charlie's aid stormed madly towards the infirmary, cutting through walls of frost and snow fearlessly. Their maddening speedy canter was both a blessing and a curse to Nuriko and Spina in the ambulance cart; on one hand they were reaching the infirmary at the fastest speed possible, which was just what they needed, but on the other hand the cart was swinging and swaying and bouncing so badly due to the speed that the patients inside were at risk of worsening their condition, which was the last thing they needed.

As they stormed past David, still perched rigidly on his horse, and reached the infirmary's back entrance, every nurse and doctor in the building reached for their aid.

Karen was gently placed on a stretched and carried inside to the examination table, carried by the hands of anyone who was with her.

For a moment, she emerged from her hazy painful sleep and saw tens of faces looking down at her, two of which she loved with all her heart.

For a moment she believed she died and was now carried into heaven on the arms of angels surrounding her.

She felt sorry for her death, for she left so many good friends behind her, but at least her lovers were with her, here in haven.

Karen thought of Kazuki, who had once again lost a parenting figure. She thought of Yuzuriha, who still needed the guiding hand of an adult woman in her life. She thought of Arashi, who would surely need help in her soon to come motherhood. She thought of the orphanage and all the little children there, who relished her house of free time she spent there.

So much work she left behind, and so many lost, sad soul now without her forever., She had left them all behind with her death, just like her mother did to her; running off to fight the demons she saw looming over her life and loved ones.

Then Karen thought of Ace and Spike and hoped they did not kill themselves with grief over her. If they did not, if they died in battle beside her and came to join her here she will be relieved; those who committed suicide are not allowed to go through the Pearly Gates. What good will be heaven to her without the loves of her life beside her?

Luckily, she was not dead as she was carried into the infirmary, and she will not die in it either.

Ripping her dress in half, Charlie took one look at Karen's body and assessed the wound; she was dealt a powerful block which tore her internal organs and painter a great huge hand-shaped hemorrhage under her skin across her chest and belly.

They will have to open her body up now, in the operation room they created and equipped with the Light Side's 'donation;, and see what they can sew back together. Charlie could tell it was a worthless effort, but he had to do his best to try and save her.

Sorata, who merely had his arm, shoulder and knee shattered, was gently brought into the infirmary's main room to be looked over by the Japanese doctor.

The man spoke to Sorata a bit, took a look at his limbs, and declared the best they could do was to place his arm and knee in cast and hope for time to work his body into reassembling itself.

As the infirmary staff worked around the two patients, a lone figure covered from head to food by a heavy thick woolen cape, walked wobbly towards the building.

As it walked past David it noticed the man had grown limp and was sliding off his saddle.

The caped man changed his path and caught the undertaker in his inhumanly strong arms. He then carried the sleeping David into the undertaker's old lodging; a small shack at the graveyard's edge, and place the great limp body on the bed there, drawing the blanket over him.

When that task was done with, the caped man headed once more towards the infirmary.

Following the scent of blood, the figure navigated towards the closed room where Karen lay on the chrome table, Charlie and five of his best nurses looming over her.

The room's door opening drew Charlie from the long cut he opened in Karen's body. He just had his first peek at the woman's full condition and his dread of not being able to save the firemaster was confirms. An intruder in this time was highly unwanted.

"Who the hell are you! Go away! **_Now!_**"

The figure raised a white hand to the top of its cape and drew it back, uncovering its face.

"Lestate!"

The vampire drew back to the corner of the room where the sun's rays did not reach him yet. A faint smell of smoke rose from him.

"Shut the windows." He hissed, voice raw and hoarse.

Charlie lashed his arm at two of his nurses, clicking his fingers at the large windows which stretched from one end of the wall to the other. His hands were shaking and bloodied.

The woman on the table, now under the influence of a heavy sedative, started shaking gently.

The windows were shut and the room sank into darkness, illuminated only barely by whatever rays managed to enter through the cracks in the windows' shutters, spreading thick murky mustard-yellow light in the room. The medical staff was rendered almost blind in this condition. By the time their eyes became adjusted to the darkness, Lestate was already hunched over Karen.

He brought his wrist to his mouth and, with his tiny sharp fangs, tore at his immortal flesh.

The blood joshed out of the wound, oozing down to Karen, into her mangled flesh.

As the first drop landed in the mess of Karen's body, the tissue began contracting, twitching, convulsing, moving. Fibers reached for fibers, tendons snaked back into place, arteries dances beck towards their torn places until finally connected bones edged closer and closer to one another until they met. It was like watching a grotesque miracle or a puppet act.

Charlie found himself fixated by the sight of his vampire friend's blood. It was so thick and rich it seemed almost like oil. Even in the poor illumination of the room the blood had a strange way of reflecting the light as clean white in every drop, in ever current.

Finally, the skin was closed like a zipper, and Karen was fully healed.

Having the blood working the sedative out of her body as well, she awoke with a pleasant gasp. Her eyes fluttered open, immediately trying to recognize her surrounding in the dimness.

She did not die, she did not go to heaven; she was alive and as her eyes fell on Lestate licking his wound shut, she realized how she was saved.

The vampire remained standing by the bed as Karen was helped off it, staring at the human and immortal blood on the table where it spilt out of the woman's body. He was reeling slightly and blinking hard to keep his focus in such an unnatural hour.

"There is another one hurt here, am I right?" his voice was a whisper.

Charlie edged towards his friend, reaching his arms to stable the vampire, "Yes, Sorata, but his wounds aren't life endangering. You need to go and rest."

Lestate shook his head slowly, "I must heal them both."

"Because you want to minimize the damage he caused himself?"

Once more Lestate shook his head, making his dislodged golden bangs sway gently. He turned his eyes to Charlie, letting the doctor see the glowing turquoise rings around his pupils, "These are his actions. He isn't trying to minimize the damage, he's trying to apologize."

Charlie nodded, ordering the nurses in the room to bring Sorata in. He turned to Lestate once more, "Well, even if he was trying to minimize the damage, I highly doubt healing two Rescue Team members will make any difference when half the City is in ruins and who knows how many citizens lost their life."

Lestate did not react.

Sorata was rolled into the room on a wheelchair. He locked eyes with Lestate and smiled knowingly.

* * *

Arashi could feel the sunshine flooding into the room as it began warming up. She then realized the battle was over.

Yet, curled up into as much of a ball as she could with her belly, still perched halfway down the staircase where her husband ordered her to stay in the house, she did not want to go out and see the battle's outcome.

Though she wished against it with all her heart, though she despised it now more than at any pother time, the Stargazer's prophecy was set in stone.

Sorata headed out to fight the monster that was placing her, amongst others, in mortal danger. According to the prophecy, this spelled his death.

There were many times, most of them back in her world, when she realized how much that prophecy left her with the full blame for Sorata's death, and many times when she promised herself never to fully give her heart to Sorata so that the pain of losing him won't hit her too hard. Often she pushed herself to practice her skills better so that she will be good enough to never need Sorata's protection.

But then they arrived in this dimension and the more time that past the more she got proof that maybe the prophecy no longer applies to them both,

As Rescue Team members, they both fought so many dangers, together and alone, and both suffered the same amount of minor wounds.

In these encounters Sorata would always move to protect her but either she would dismiss it by protecting herself or by neutralizing the danger at once, before it would get to the both of them.

Along with that, so many changes in their lives, in their status, in their surrounding accrued that Arashi began loosing grip on her strong believe in the prophecy.

It's not really that she no longer believed in it; it's that she was always present when Sorata fought anything that threatened her so she was always there to see the prophecy proved wrong.

But now, as she knew very well the true extent of what Sorata headed out to fight, as she was forbidden to go and fight alongside him and watch over his actions, her soul was consumed by doubt and agony.

The threat was too empowering, the damage to the City (she could hear from her house the building exploding into rubble, all too well) for Sorata to be able to survive it.

She will be a widow; her child would be born an orphan. It was something she just had to come to terms with; destiny leaves very little choice for her.

Arashi raised her head from her arms and cast swollen, bloodshot eyes across her shoulder towards the back yard. A thin figure limped towards the house, clawing at the sliding door to open it.

Yuzuriha, dirty, wounded, exhausted, walked into the house. She hurried to the sofa where Victoria lay asleep where the limpness of daytime dropped her.

The inugami mistress covered her friend with a blanket and when she realized that won't be enough to cover her whole body, she stripped her friend of her new blazing red coat and wrapped it around Victoria's body. It was big enough to envelope petite Victoria, red like the blood streaming down Yuzuriha's calf from a long four-lined scratch marked in her skin.

Yuzuriha then noticed the Miko on the staircase. "Arashi-san, could you help me please? She's too heavy for me and I need to get her to safety. Now…"

At first the sound of Yuzuriha's voice came so dimmer to Arashi that she could not make out the words.

"Arashi-san, please, I need your help…" Yuzuriha's voice was so miserable, so broken by tears, that it snapped Arashi right awake.

She pushed herself off the stairs and climbed down to the living room. "Here, I'll grab that end, you grab the other."

They managed to lift Victoria and, Arashi holding the red fabric by the vampire's feet while Yuzuriha took that at her head, they heaved Victoria upstairs. Inuki placed himself under the red bundle, using his back to support the weight.

"Let's put her in my room. My bed is furthest from the window, if we put her under it she ought to be protected."

Arashi nodded, edging backwards into Yuzuriha's room.

They placed the bundle gently on the floor, pushing it gingerly under the bed where shadows promised safety for the covered undead body.

Only then, as their work was done, were their frantic minds free to hear the sobs echoing in the room.

They were coming from under the bed behind them.

"Kazuki? Kazuki-chan, is that you?"

Arashi found that her voice was completely calm and strong, and that served to ease her own clinging hysteria.

The bioroid clawed herself from under the bed and stood before the girls. Rubbing at her tearing eyes childishly, with dust and cobwebs clinging to her cheerful dress and hair, she towered above the two women and posed a very strange picture.

"Where's Karen?" she whimpered, "She went out and never came back…"

Never came back. The words hit Arashi like a fist to the stomach. Her head spun and her body ached.

"She must be in the infirmary." Yuzuriha tried answering.

Kazuki sobbed gently, her white eyebrows twitched under the Toujo Pharmaceuticals logo on her forehead, "Is she dead?"

Yuzuriha caught herself before her mouthing might answer Kazuki wrongly, "No, no, she must be.." her eyes danced around the room as if searching for the answer there, "she must be helping the doctors and nurses with all the people hurt in the attack."

Arashi met her gaze, pushing aside her aching body for Kazuki's sake, "She must be running around all over the place, busy with work."

"Yes!" Yuzuriha let out a small fractured giggle, as she noticed their words were working miracles in Kazuki, "you know Karen-san; wherever she can help, that's all she does. Help, help, help."

"I want to see her!" the bioroid trusted her chin forwards determinedly.

This took the girls aback. If they'll go to the infirmary Yuzuriha will see her friends hurt, Arashi will be forced to hear the news of her husband's death.

But before they were able to stop her or argue, Kazuki brushed past them and exited the room, storming down the stairs and out of the house.

* * *

As they stepped out of the house and began their doomed journey, they began fathoming the full scale of the hit the City took.

All around them civilians were making their way to the infirmary in thin miserable trails.

People were supporting their injured relatives, loading them on their carriages, on makeshift stretches, on crutches and in their arms.

The girls made room for three men to pass before them. These men were dragging behind them what looked like a barn's door to which another man clawed for stabilization.

The man had lost both his legs, his mauled stumps slowly drawing crimson lined down the green wood of the door.

Yet, despite his agony, the man merely cringed and held fast to the door's edge so hard his knuckles were white.

Sending Kazuki ahead of them to spare her of the sight, Arashi and Yuzuriha grabbed the bloodied end of the door, which was dragging on the ground and slowing the men's pace, and heaved it off the ground.

The dismembered man looked at them and a faint broken smile spread on his sweaty face, "Bless you, Rescue Team."

But Arashi's arms failed her as a powerful stab to her belly overpowered her. She dropped her corner of the door and wrapped her arms around her belly, folding herself around it.

An old woman who passed by her as she supported her husband on their way to the infirmary turned to the miko, "Do you need any help, dear?"

Arashi cast frightened eyes at the couple. They were old and wrinkled, their hair snow white, their backs bent with old age, their hands covered with liver-spots. The man had a thin metal rod stuck in his shin from one end to another and was leaning on a crutch.

He was thrusting this crutch at Arashi, "Take it, girl. You have new life trying to come out of you while we are already so old."

Arashi shook her head and struggled to stand upright.

Yuzuriha was now helped by Inuki, she and the other men were already far from Arashi.

"Don't try to fight it, girl," the woman smiled sweetly at her, "I know what you're going through, now take it. You Rescue Team members fought so hard for us citizens, this is the least we can do in return. Take it, child, you've been brave enough."

Arashi's eyes filled with tears, her lower lip trembled, "I fought nothing…"

The pain in her belly diminished as quickly as it came and she was once again able to walk properly. She bid the olds couple a polite farewell and stormed forwards, catching up with Yuzuriha.

The inugami mistress told Arashi she had it under control and urged her to go to the infirmary to get check about that pain and find Sorata.

Reluctantly, Arashi obeyed.

All around her the City was in a frenzy of life, which was so bizarre to the miko when she thought of the damage it had suffered. Everywhere she looked she saw teeming life.

The Noters were everywhere, assisting civilians with digging their loved ones and livestock out of the ruined houses and sheds. Noter carts were always moving, wherever Arashi looked; Noters were tying their horses to large chunks of crushed wood and stone to help move them and uncover trapped life. Other were rushing injured people to the infirmary, some were directing the traffic of escaping herds of livestock and evacuation carriages through the crowds.

Riding madly in and out of the crowds was Jacob on his gigantic horses, leading more of those behind him.

He would find a house too ruined to inhibit anyone and would rush to its garage or shed. From these he would pull out the carts he found there (if he found any) and would tie his horses to them, quickly gathering enough civilians or Noters to load the newly found transportation with injured civilians to evacuate to the infirmary.

If he found sheds with horses in them he would first run there to pull the animals out to the refreshing sunlight where they'd recover from the night's cold. This he would do before anything else.

What astounded Arashi the most, more even than the sheer scale of the destruction was the originated manner everything was done by everyone. No one took command of these salvaging actions, and yet everything was done so usefully, so calmly, so smoothly!

Arashi saw women and men in houses which were not hit, or suffered light damage, placing a responsible adult to keep their children and animals and walk out to assist their neighbors who were not as lucky as them. Some even walked far, far away from their homes and would not stop until they found a place where their help was needed.

The nun and caretakers of the City's orphanage walked amongst the masses, gathering children into a pack which followed them. Parents would often stop the group and would put their kids in the group, telling the nuns to please look after the children until they're done with their work. The nuns would not say no.

Children did not cry, nor whimper or panic in this wounded City; they either helped their family or sat on the ruins, staring around them and staying out of the way.

Arashi saw a little girl standing above who must have been her mother. Her dirty face was marked with tears but she did not make a sound; she merely looked at her surrounding, already old enough within to take everything she went through calmly.

When the nuns came near the girl she simply let go of her dead mother's hand which she was holding, and joined the group of children, still quiet and collected.

Arashi saw this and thought of her own child; will it grow up to be so accustomed to this City's fait to be so careless if she was ever to die?

She did not know the sex of the babe inside her, but right now it was a girl. in her mind's eye, the girl was already a grown child, standing above Arashi's dead body with mature solemn eyes.

Her eyes reeled.

She almost bumped into a long line of men who stretched from the top of a pile of rubble where a housie once stood. The man at the top of the pile would grab a rock and passed it on to the man behind him, who passed it on to the man after him and so the rocks were slowly placed away from the area.

Everywhere around her people were doing the same with furniture, paintings, animals and food.

No one dared to take advantage of the situation for looting.

Arashi walked on, feeling like she was back in her home world, sixty years ago. If her history teacher back home would have ever told her she would live to see what it's like to be in a city recovering from a similar damage, Arashi would have laughed in her face.

But here she was; in the Dark Side's City, watching and walking amidst the very thing.

Arashi decided she does not want to be here, at the heart of the City anymore; she wants to be in the infirmary. To learn her husband is dead and get it over and done with was far better than this silent, calm, horrid agony.

* * *

She reached the infirmary but the entrance was overcrowded; packed with people coming in for treatment.

The medical facility had opened its every gate to the people pouring in. At the front, volunteers were organizing the walking wounded to sit on the ground outside the building and wait for a nurse to come and treat them.

Those who only needed bandaging were quickly taken care of by either nurses or the patients' relatives. Those who needed something more complicated were either told to wait or brought into the infirmary immediately, depending on the danger their wounds held for their lives.

The doorway to graveyard was ajar, and through it those who were brought by cart were immediately brought inside the infirmary and given the attention of the infirmary's main body of workers.

As she trudged stubbornly forwards, Arashi saw something she did not believe.

Outside the infirmary, on the landing where he lightly injured were being taken care of, was Sorata.

He was spinning gauze around the arm of a young man until it was thickly wound. Then, dipping his hand gingerly into a tub full of liquid plaster, he smeared an even layer of the stuff on the gauze to create a primitive cast.

Sorata was there, alive and moving, making merry small talk with the young man and his wife.

Sorata, her husband, the one who went out last night to perform a task which was promised to kill him, was alive.

Was this real!

She walked towards him, navigating between the sick and wounded mindlessly, until she was facing him. She could not speak, instead she watched him in silence. She watched his expressions which she knew so well, listened to his trademark slightly high-pitched voice, looked at his hands as they moved to care for the man.

And finally, as his work was done and he rose to his feet to wipe his hands with a cloth, he noticed her.

His face brightened, a smile almost split his face in half, his eyes glittered proudly. "Baby!"

Arashi's eyes started flowering with unstoppable tears.

"It's good to see you, my god!"

She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Sorata moved to her side, hooking his arm around her waist and turned to the young couple, "This is my wife, isn't she a beauty?"

The young couple smiled at them, nodding.

Arashi stared at Sorata's face, shaking her head gently in disbelief. Here she was, with him whom she thought was dead, and here he was behaving so _typically_ him.

"And this," Sorata laid his palm gently on the top of her belly, "is our soon to be born first baby!" his voice, so cheerful and carefree was almost painful to her ears.

"Yes, that's right," he placed a resolute finger before the young couple, "I said 'first' because we're going to have lots more!"

Sorata was alive and well, and so was the baby in her womb. The baby that now wanted out of it.

A contraction grabbed Arashi again, making her yelp and lean against Sorata, hanging frightened eyes at him.

The monk stared at the miko with big blank eyes, his face draining from bloom, "W-what?...is something wrong with the baby?"

Arashi shook her head a little, eyes as big and frightened as his, then shrugged.

"S-s-so…what you're saying is…is…that…i-it's going to be born! Now!"

Arashi nodded.

"O-oh my g-g-god.." he darted his eyes to her belly but she was folding herself around it again, arms wrapped around it like it was a big ball she was trying to keep in place.

"Then we need to get you inside, right? I-I mean, you can't stay here, right?"

And with that he took her hand in his and led her to the infirmary, constantly being pulled to stop because she was in too much pain to walk.

"**_Charlie! Charlieeeee!_**"

The doctor whipped his head away from a man he was trying to resuscitated, "_What!_"

"M-my babe, s-she's giving birth!"

"Congratulations, now if you don't mind, I have a city to cure!" and with that he was back to his patient.

But the man was long gone. Charlie's face contracted with frustration as he wiped his hands with a grubby tower, slamming it back on the table furiously.

He snaked his way to another table, where a nurse was yelping for him. Sorata and Arashi tailed after him as best they could.

"What do you want?" he snarled at them, eyes darting all over beds and patients he was handling.

"The babe, what should we do?" Sorata whimpered.

"A baby being born is a very automatic procedure, Sorata, it doesn't really need much medical fuss of very it if at all; it just happens."

"B-but what if something goes wrong?"

"So something goes wrong. What's one baby compared to all these people? Haven't I told you something about it once already?"

"Y-yes…but…"

"Look," Charlie arrived at the table where his attention was needed, a man whose shattered arm needed amputation, he did not even bother to look at them anymore, "See this nurse?" he pointed briefly at the nurse who was injecting the man with painkillers, "her mother gave birth to her in the open, under a tree, because in those days there was no infirmary and her house has been burnt to ashes hours earlier."

The nurse gave Sorata and Arashi a quick smile.

"And look at her," the doctor continued, already digging into the man's arm with a scalpel, "she's all grown up and healthy now. Babies are born on their own. so unless there was something wrong with it in the first place, everything aught to go smoothly."

Sorata and Arashi were still there when Charlie finished his amputation.

He turned around and discovered this with surprise that was not half as angry as he was with them earlier.

"My, you're quite stubborn…look, see that blond nurse over there with the big ass? She's a nursemaid. But don't run off to drag her away, she's too busy right now. Go and ask her what to do, then do as she says."

The nurse, a chubby, smiling lady who was cooling a huge burn which covered an elderly woman's whole back with some wet gauze, told them to spread a blanket on the Noters' office floor and take off Arashi's underwear then wait for the baby's head to come out. When it does they should gently reach in and grab the baby under its arms and pull it out slowly, without applying any pressure on the baby itself.

Sorata was a shaking mess. Arashi was white as the infirmary walls.

Once the baby is out, the lady beamed at them softly, they need to finger out any fluids that may be in the baby's mouth and nose and wait for the baby to cry. If it doesn't they need to rub its back and chest gently with a towel to warm it up, which is all they can really do.

They should call a nurse to cut the umbilical chord, the nurses aught to have enough time to do this.

Slowly, dizzily, the couple made their way to the Noters' office. It was all a dream now, a nightmare, and they wished to wake up.

But it was not a dream and they had to do this on their own.

Luckily, the nursemaid threw a blanket and towel at them which she ordered them to dip in boiling water before they use on the baby. She also gave Arashi a quick painkiller injection before she resumed her treatment of the old lady. It will not take the pain completely, she said, but it aught to take the edge off the contractions.

Oh, and when they're through, could they pop over to get Arashi bandaged?

No wonder that, as Sorata struggled with matches to light a fire under a basin of water to boil the blanket and towel sterile, a gloomy silence enveloped them.

Karen stormed past their room, muttering something about more morphine when she spotted the couple, sitting on the office floor traditionally, amongst scattered papers and the furniture's, staring blankly at the boiling water.

Sorata was dipping the towel in and out of the water like a teabag using the very tips of his fingers while Arashi sat with fists clenched on each thigh, blinking mindlessly.

"Arashi-chan, Sorata-kun? What's…oh my…"

A pool of water was spreading under Arashi.

"You're giving birth, your water just broke and you're just sitting there!"

Sorata turned a terrified child's eyes to Karen, "Everyone else is too busy with all the wounded people, no one can help us."

Karen's mouth turned into an angry thin line. She grabbed the nurse nearest to her violently and hurled the boxes of morphine syrette she was holding into the young man's arms.

She then trudged into the office, slamming the door behind her, "Right! First off, you stop making towel tea and go there and hold your wife's hand for emotional support. I'll boil and dry these."

She turned the small fire into a roaring blaze, boiling the water then trying the fabrics. She then the blanket on the floor, ordering Arashi to take off her panties and lie on the blanket. Then she barked at Sorata to sterilize his hands to the elbows in the boiling water (after having done that herself) and then sit behind Arashi so she could support her back against him.

When the two obeyed her like frightened-into-submission kids, Karen rushed out of the room to get some clamps and scissors for the umbilical chord.

By the time she was back the baby was ready to come out.

* * *

Subaru and Seishiro were dropped to the floor as Death lost his strong grip on them, like manikins with loosening strings.

They stayed there, lying in sleep for the first few minutes of the new morning, but not for long.

_'Subaru…Subaru…wake up, he needs you' _ Tiny voices whispered in his ears, circling around his head, _'Subaru, wake up, wake up, he needs you now, wake up Subaru'_

At first it merely bothered him like a mosquito would and he wished to fend it off in his sleep. But they were reluctant to leave, and soon Subaru's mind snapped to alert.

The voices were too many and his knowledgeable onmyouji's mind noticed the near obsessive tone in their words. These were ghosts talking to him and ghosts he must attend to,.

He opened his eyes. He was sprawled on his room's floor, back in the City.

Before him, Seishiro lay, in deep slumber, safe and sound.

Subaru smiled and reached to run his fingers through Seishiro's hair.

The ghosts were all over his hand then, circling in whitish gushes of air until his hand was raised from the floor and away from Seishiro.

Subaru stared at this with amazement. He had never seen spirits so powerful and active, not unless they were vengeful spirits, and these did not sound like vengeful spirits.

These were ghosts so bunched up together and frantic they did not show their faces; they merely moved in the air around him, pulling their energy to move him. They used him to talk into his ears which can hear them, moved around him knowing he can see them, they needed his help.

_'He needs you, Subaru, get up, get up, go to Death, he needs you!' _they pleaded miserably.

Subaru sat up, folding his legs under him to climb to his feet.

This obviously pleased the spirits for they blew away from him and poured towards Seishiro like torrents of smoke.

They circled around Seishiro's head like they did with Subaru, passing through the floor like it was thin air.

Seishiro's face twitched irritably and he turned to lie on his back.

The ghosts were persistent, circling tighter around the Sakurazukamori's body, moving his fingers, pulling on his clothes, shrilling in his ears.

Subaru was so fascinated by this unusual sight that he didn't try stopping the spirits from nagging his lover.

Finally, Seishiro opened his eyes, looking at Subaru with a soft genuine smile. "Hey there, back home finally, eh?"

_'**Get up, Seishiro, get up!**' _

Seishiro's face twitched in annoyance. He reached for his jacket's inner pocked, pulling out a black ofuda.

The spirits scattered away with a shriek. They fled to hide behind Subaru, finally taking an individual form each. Subaru felt thin desperate fingers weakly clawing at his arms and sleeves.

"Don't harm them, they're desperate about something." Subaru reached his hand for Seishiro to take.

"And I'm desperate to unpack. Also, I'm desperate for a cigarette and some lovemaking with my Subaru-kun."

He walked up to Subaru, about to wrap his arms around the man, but the ghosts stopped him.

The pooled in between them, they stood behind them, pushing them away from one another, pulling them from the embrace.

The onmyoujis stared at each other, stunned. It's not that the ghosts were getting stronger, it's that they were growing in number.

Subaru sensed three spirits around him when he woke up, but now he could see at least ten of them.

_'Come, he needs you, follow us!' _ They urged, pushing them towards the door until the onmyoujis were walking voluntarily.

"Who needs us?" Seishiro hissed through the cigarette stuck between his teeth.

_'Death, he needs you! They fought him and now he's weak. They're going to do something bad to him, he needs you! Hurry, hurry!'_

The onmyoujis bypassed the curled ball of Arashi sleeping on the staircase, exchanged alarmed looks. They were now pushed out of their home but needed very little of that persuasion.

"Oh…my…what….what happened here!" Subaru pointed at the ruined building, the dead and the injured around him as he walked through the City. The night's story was unfolding before them.

_'He wanted to kill all because they took him away, and then they fought him and now he's too weak and we decided we need to help him because now his servants are going to do awful things to him.'_

"_What!_"

"They're frenzied, Seishiro-san, and they're ghosts; they always sound like confused children."

"Who fought who? Who was taken from who?...why!"

They arrived at the place where their answers were found.

At the center of destruction, where the Rescue Team housed used to be and now simply vanished. Closely around it, building that once stood was now dust, or a mere burn mark on the scorched earth.

Now they reached the story's conclusion. Lying on a circle of earth so charged it was white then black with burning, was Death. His eyes were closed, his body completely still. Red lines darkened into congealed rusty hue on his white cheeks where tears flew and stopped. Death was innate now, completely numb and out of it. He wasn't even mutter like he did moments ago; the drugs pumped into him overtook him completely.

Outside the circles burnt into the ground stood Lion, hands on his sides, tapping his foot on the ground and biting his lower lip as he stared down at Death indecisively.

Standing with their backs to the approaching Subaru and Seishiro were Kamui and Fuma, the heavy fur cloak Ice Man left them still wrapped around the both of them. They stared down at Death unable to take their eyes off of him, a solemn blank expression on their young faces.

The onmyoujis hurried their stride as they spotted Death on the ground. Here the ghosts rushed around them the most, crazed with frenzy.

A few moments before they could reach Death, two Noters stepped in their path, M16s hold upright and across before them.

Subaru and Seishiro blinked at the young men.

The ghosts flew on beyond them and pooled around Death, wailing and whimpering. The spirits took individual form again; there were a dozen of them. They walked in circles around Death's prone body, wringing their hands, pulling at their ethereal clothes, at their hairs, shaking their hands at the heavens in protest.

Seeing the poor condition of the spirits, Subaru took an involuntary step forward, wishing to help the ghosts. The Noter before him stopped the man, laying a strict hand before him into which Subaru crushed gently.

"You're not allowed near this man, you've collaborated with him. Please stay away." The Noter said, eyes cold.

Subaru leveled calm eyes with the Noter's, "Collaborated with him? Not in what just happened, let me through."

"I'm sorry, you're not allowed near him."

Seishiro reached for his ofuda, but Subaru stopped him; he recognized the fur-wrapped figure of Kamui and Fuma.

"Kamui, tell them to let us near Alex."

Justice did not reply. Lion did, "For now that's impossible. What Death did is too much to let just anyone near him."

"What do you mean by that!" Seishiro sighed, folding his arms on his chest to keep himself from trying tio reach for his magic again and solve all this in the easiest way he knows.

Lion sighed, looking at Justice, at Death, then at the City, "Look around you; all this destruction and murder was done by Death. This is a crime he must be punished for and until a trial is given to him to decide how he'll pay for all this he is going to be held in jail." He was thinking as he talked, finally making a decision as for what to do with Death.

"Oh, really? Murder you say?" Seishiro's voice deepened, "And how many of these people would have been here if the famine would have continued, if the food carriages wouldn't have arrived here?"

Lion frowned, eyes clearing suddenly and filling with hope.

"Tell them about it, Kamui, they won't believe us if we'll say it."

Kamui turned his head slowly to look at Subaru, then to look at Lion again. Fuma pressed him against his chest softly. "It's true; when we traveled we reached a place in this dimension called the Light Side, where everything is perfect and no one has any trouble. We found a country run by women there, where agriculture was booming and everyone had so much food they didn't know what to do with it…"

the next part was hard for him to say, not because he didn't want to admit it, but because the name he was about to mutter meant he'd have to think of so many things when all he wanted was to lie down and rest, "Alex spoke to the queen of this country and got her to send the City all the food carriages. You owe the end of the famine to Death."

Lion took this silently, looking down at Death again for a long silent moment.

The onmyoujis saw this as a sign of Death's fate changed, and tried to approach him again, yet the Noters didn't move and their way as blocked.

"I'm sorry; it's not up to me to decide these things. For now he needs to be put behind bars, so to speak…"

"We won't trial him," Fuma spoke out suddenly, "we're still too tainted by his actions; it won't be a fair trial and who knows when we'll be ready to give him one."

This took both onmyoujis by surprise, but mostly it made Seishiro frown. He quickly brushed the thought away, choosing to keep a grudge against the two youths. A smile tugged at Subaru's lips but his mind was still preoccupied by Alex.

"Then the City council will make a decision, like it always did until you showed up." Lion sighed, "Though I have to wonder when they'll have the time to do that; there's too much for them to think about at the moment. Also, in the current condition of the City, and with who they have to trial being the one who brought this mess on the City, I'm afraid the council's decision would be…somewhat bloodthirsty…."

The ghosts around Death emitted one last pathetic wail and laid themselves on the ground by Death, putting arms around and across the still body.

"I'm sorry, we have to take him to the jailhouse."

Subaru nodded. Seishiro stuck a strong demanding eye at Lion, "then we're coming with you, we'll watch over him. If you try to stop us I'll…"

Lion raised his hand to stop Seishiro's flow of anger, "That's enough; we've had enough violence for a century. Let's wrap this up as quickly as possible; we all need a good rest."

He turned to Justice, "The two of you look drained, go home and lie down to rest. We'll take care of things from here, there's no point in you standing here and staring at things when it's obvious you're exhausted."

Slowly, the two young men raised their eyes to Lion, their limbs still filled with the snow's cold numbness. Finally, they snapped themselves out of their dazed and turned, arms still wrapped around each other, the fur cloak still wrapped around them, and walked towards their home.

* * *

When Kamui and Fuma arrived at their home they crossed the living room, walked out to the back yard, climbed the broken staircase, stepped into their room and crushed on the bed.

They didn't look at each other or spoke to each other; they didn't even remove the fur cloak to settle under the blanket when they reached the bed.

They simple lay there, snuggling into one another tighter and tighter as if trying to mingle into one body.

Fuma rubbed Kamui's back slowly, eyes too dry and staring, forgetting to blink in time. Kamui wrapped his arms tighter and tighter around Fuma and refused to open his eyes.

They were both still so tense and pumped with energy, as if the battle did not end and they were still on the threshold of their doom, that sleep was hard for them even thought their bodies were aching for proper rest.

Exhaustion finally took the better of them and they sunk into a long refreshing sleep. They woke up only two days later, still in each other's arms, still under the fur cloak.

Will was curled up on the floor at the foot of their bed when they woke up and through the wooden floor they could hear a baby crying for a nappy change. The air, when they walked down to the house's kitchen, was sweet and clean.

Their heads were heavy from the deep sleep they just woke up from and still a little dizzy.

They looked around the house and felt as if they were dreaming; they weren't. A new era stated in the house and in the City itself, and they've lived to see it.

They ate a good, long breakfast, took a shower each then climbed back to their room, back into their bed and had a proper reunion there.

But that didn't happen yet.

* * *

Yuuto had collapsed at the beginning of the battle for his mind and heart could not deal with the blow love and lovers were receiving as Death ravaged the City. He was now lying on a hospital cot in the infirmary, his Creatures and Men all around him, and still sleeping.

Actually it was only Vash who literally stayed at Love's side. He sat on a chair by Yuuto's bed, holding the man's hand mechanically. The gunman sat with his back so hunched he was practically doubled up, his head hanging, staring at the floor blankly.

His mood was more than murky; it was a swampy depression which pulled him deep into misery and guilt whenever he tried to pull himself out with a sliver of a happy thought. What surprised him the most is how guilty he felt about assisting the fight against Alex when he saw the destruction with his eyes and should be glad to be the one who helped make the winning move which tipped the scales of fait for the City's sake.

It was not guilt for being the one who helped hurt Alex that much; it was guilt for not knowing Alex could do something like this in time. Guilt for not reading out the man, like he was so good at with others, and see what bothered him in time to try and solve it and save the pain and agony from the City.

All around the infirmary, the rest of Love's men busied themselves lending a helping hand.

Venus was outside, helping the lightly injured with bandaging and cheering those who waited for news of their relatives who were being treated inside the infirmary.

Blue Fairy was at her husband's side, acting as his nurse and assistant wherever he went. They worked together like a perfect team, actions completing one another's.

Watari was also inside the infirmary, the sights and voices around him driving him to manically lend a hand anywhere that needed him. This led to him running around the infirmary at a frantic speed, often so busy he'd forget to wash his hands off blood and from dirt his last patient and had to be reminded irritably by the nurses he was assisting.

Even Shikimai agreed to put on a doctor's robe to hide his exposed body and chip in where he can help, but soon his 'accidental' grope of nurses who worked with him got him yelled at to go and stay by Yuuto's side. Pouting, the kitzune dragged his feet to Love's sickbed and plopped down to a chair by Vash's side.

The air was pierced by the sound of a baby's cries, screeching and full of complaint.

For a moment the medical staff stopped and perked their ears, muttering to one another about a baby amongst the wounded and how come no one noticed it coming in.

Yuuto opened his eyes, pink mixed in his orbs' bright green. He sat up, gently propping himself on his elbowed, and sent a brilliant soft smile at Vash and Shikimai.

The smile melted away all the tension and gloomy worries in Vash's mind. He returned a bright beam.

"The baby's born," Yuuto's voice was velvety," despite all the odds piled against it time and time again."

"Good mornin', Love, I sure am glad to see you come around." The gunman rose to hi feet, taking Love's hand in his.

"The baby born is an omen, Vash-san; love will win in the end. No matter the hard times that came across it, love will always prevail."

"Did 'ya ever doubt it?"

Yuuto's brows furrowed, darkness filled his face for a moment, "I don't know. There were moments last night when all was on doom's edge."

Vash sighed, looking away. He didn't want to talk to anyone about last night's events.

Love might talk about the survival of romantic love, but to Vash friendship's love was something just as precious, and something he was currently anything but a guardian of.

"Vash-san, what you did saves many lives; a whole city was about to be erased from the face of this world and you were there to stop it from happening."

The gunman turned huge, childishly surprised eyes to Love. Yuuto did not know of the Lost July incident or of Vash's part in it, but his words were like Kamui's speech to David on the pirate ship; cleansing.

Unlike David, he was not proven innocent, but a great crime he held himself guilty of was amended for now.

Tear rolling down his cheeks, Vash took both Yuuto's hands in his shaking ones. When he found that wasn't enough, he hurled himself on the other man, hugging him tightly.

Yuuto was surprised by this. Not because of the intense emotional outbreak from his guardian; he already learned Vash was a mn who could not keep the smallest of his heart's contents to himself. What surprised him was his own heart's reaction; it danced merrily in his chest in a way it hadn't done since a certain windmaster held him a similar way.

Trying not to blush too obviously, Love returned his guardian's embrace, digging his face into the other man's broad, red covered shoulder.

* * *

The baby no longer cried in the Noter's office. Now it was wrapped cozily in a fresh towel Sorata was sent to get in frantic minutes when Arashi was in too much pain for his nerves to handle.

The baby was now handed to his mother by a proud, shaking Karen.

The firemaster, her own nerves already at their limits of endurance, fought back tears of relief and exhaustion and stay back on her heels.

Watching the couple with their newborn, finally unleashed the tide of tears she kept inside. She wept silently for the joy of the sight, hiding her mouth with shivering bloodied hands.

Sorata and Arashi stared at the baby like it was miracle. Their eyes, so big and gaping, scrutinized the baby, unable to fathom the meaning of it existence.

Arashi held the fragile twitching bundle which stopped crying and reverted to strange chirpy yelps. Her young girl's mind, once so frightened of the arrival of her child, was not awash with hormones. Within seconds it snapped into a completely new state; from an innocent, wide-eyed strong girl she became a powerful, protective, loving, strong woman.

Sorata reached for the baby slowly, wanting to touch the tiny, wrinkled red thing in Arashi's arms and maybe finally come to accept that he is really alive and a father of a real, live baby.

A nurse shuffled into the room; the big bodied Italian one whom everyone referred to as the "Maff Man" behind his back due to his past life in his home world.

A bright smile spread on his unshaved face (which was lightly splattered with the blood of less fortunate patients), "Agnes said you might need a hand with the umbilical chord." He sat himself by Arashi resolutely.

At once the miko's eyes snapped from their euphoric glow to a sharp suspecting glare at the nurse. She drew her arms around the baby, instinctively assessing how tight she can wrap them without harming the fragile bundle, and brought her baby away from the big hairy man.

"Arashi-san, please trust Tony, he's very experienced with babies; he's been the nursemaid's apprentice for quite a while now. Let him cut the chord, he knows how to do this better than any of us." Karen pleaded with the softest tone she could muster.

Arashi studied Tony's face, lips tight. She looked down at the baby, studying his face as if silently asking for his permission.

The baby's black orbs, the face around them still so wrinkled and misshaped the white of his eyes was obscured by pinkish-red skin, danced with half blind awe at his mother. His tiny mouth moved to form an involuntary smile and his hairless brows arched.

Transfixed by the involuntary expression of approval, Arashi allowed the nurse access to her baby.

Gently, Tony revealed the baby's teeny body and began his work, beaming a fatherly smile at the little creature. "A healthy baby boy," he said pleasantly, "you thought of name yet?"

The monk stared at the miko who stared back blankly. "Well," Sorata fidgeted excitedly, keeping an eye on the nurse's doings, "we didn't know it was going to be a boy until just now so we didn't really think of names for him…during the famine we weren't even sure it's…I mean, he's, going to live and be born. We thought that if we'll start thinking up names it'll be bad luck.."

The nurse's duty was done and he re-wrapped the baby, smiling and winking at it, "yeah, we've been seen' you comin' here that time. I have to say this baby, if there's somethin' he has nothing of, it's bad luck. I've seen lots'a women comin' here and aborting coz they weren't strong enough for it. But, godamnit, this baby's the luckiest thing I've seen."

Karen choked a whimper and wiped at her tear drenched face.

"A'right, gatta get back to work, see ye'z later." Tony left, shuffling lazily out the office.

"I-I always wanted to name the baby after the old man, babe." Sorata stared at his wife hopefully.

Arashi's face was stern, "you heard the nurse; our child is lucky. We shouldn't ruin this by giving him an unfortunate name."

"Unfortunate!" Sorata's brows knitted, "How was gee-san unfortunate!"

"He saw the future in the stars like Hinoto saw it in dreams. Just like Hinoto, his life must have been hindered by that ability. He might have not shown it to you, but I'm sure it was true."

Sorata looked away. He searched his memory for images of the old man. This was difficult; his mind was filled with images of his son's face.

Then it came; a sliver of memory, a fragment of a second trapped in his mind forever. The Stargazer's face twitching as he told child Sorata of the way he will die.

Yes, like Hinoto, his master and spiritual father was riddled with the pain of knowing the future.

He will not give his miracle of a son a name linked to such a painful fate.

Yuuto gently inched the office's door open. His face was beaming and fresh, as if he had just woken from a long healthy sleep. A rosy blush still clung to his cheeks.

"Well, I believe the City has a new resident. Better be a good clerk and put it to paper, eh? I'll just issue him a birth certificate, won't be long, and then you can get cleaned up and leave this hectic place.

"A-ah, I'm sorry, Kigai-san, b-but we haven't thought of a name for the baby yet…" Sorata whimpered, feeling again like an irresponsible child.

Yuuto, his back to the new parents as he dug around his table's draws, gazed at them across his shoulder, "well, that's understandable; when I worked in Tokyo, god it seems like ages ago, I helped a lot of first-time parents choose a name for their babies. Why, sometimes people were so excited they couldn't make up their mind at all, and I had to make the choice for them!"

"Well," Karen spoke up, having finally taken control over her emotions, "how about something that's linked to both your names?"

The parents ogled at Karen, "Our names?" Arashi piped.

"Yes, 'Sorata' has 'Sora', 'sky' in it, right?" Sorata nodded slowly, transfixed by the notion, "And 'Arashi' means 'tempest', then how about something that's in the sky during a storm?"

Yuuto pulled an empty birth certificate and a form to report an adding of a citizen, placing both of them gingerly on his table. He placed a pen in an orderly fashion next to them. Sitting himself gracefully at the table, he took the pen in his hand, ready to work.

"Thunder, maybe?" he suggested, snapping the parents out of the dazed silence they sank into.

"No," Karen answered for the stunned pair, "thunder isn't given directly from the skies; it's a natural side effect when lightning comes, it's more in the air than in the sky."

"Then how about 'lightning'? Raikou?"

The adults hung expecting eyes at Sorata and Arashi, who seemed to have cowered at bit as if in fright.

"It's a good name," Karen nodded proudly, folding her arms on her chest resolutely," A good, strong name for a good strong baby. He had to be strong to live and be born."

"…Raikou…" Arashi whispered.

"…Raikou…" Sorata said, wrapping his tongue around the sound and learning it for his son. "What do you think, nee-chan?"

Arashi stuck huge happy eyes at her husband, let her emotions loose finally, "It's a wonderful name!" she wept.

"Raikou it is then!" Yuuto played with the pen a little before putting the information to paper, "Son of Arisugawa Sorata and Arashi. Congratulations!"

"Arisugawa Raikou…" Sorata mumbled, squeezing his wife's shoulders gently.

"Now," Karen climbed to her feet, "let's get you cleaned up and treated, Arashi-san, and put a diaper and a proper blanket on young Arisugawa-san."

(**A.N:** this is where the author ran to the bathroom to vomit from over-kitsch writing.)

* * *

As Arashi and Sorata exited the infirmary, escorted by Love and Karen, they brushed past Ice Man.

Walking past Ice Man's Fenrir, Arashi pressed her newborn son to her chest, sensing evil from the huge animal.

The great frenzy in the infirmary was finally winding down as twilight painted the still clear sky in breathtaking cherry and ginger.

Outside the building the lines of seated lightly wounded finally dispersed and as the god entered the building, the last of the wounded (a slightly concussed young girl who just needed a bit of time away from the ruins of her house) left the premises.

Now it was the deads' turn to come to the infirmary's hill. The small army of carts and carriages Jacob helped gathering, along with the Noters' vehicles, were now bringing the bodies of those who perished in Death's attack to the graveyard.

The Noters were able to unload their carts of the bodies but the task of putting them all in one place proved too much for their nerves.

Jacob understood their feelings, but not without his usual complaining rant about how healthy young men and women are chickening out of such a needed task.

The Noters were now in a moral trap; the sight of Jacob dragging tens of bodies and arranging them lazily in a pile reminded them too much of footage they've seen from where Jacob was once imprisoned and places like it. As Jacob folded up his sleeves for the task, his tattoo flashed before them and the poor pack of young uniform clad men and women cringed and huddled together, hanging their eyes sheepishly at Lion.

The commander arrived right into the peak of the awkward scene, driving a civilian cart loaded with the last five bodies. He sighed and walked up top Jacob, mustering as much politeness and tact as he can before catching the older man's attention.

"Jacob…do you need our help? If this is too…" he waved his hands around a little, awkward.

Jacob cocked his head a little with mock honest attention, folding his arms on his chest so Lion would be made even more awkward. Lion was a stumpy man and Jacob a lithe and tall. Jacob's arms folded like that pout the number tattooed on his arm right in the middle of Lion's vision.

"If you don't want to do this I can understand you, "Lion finally exhaled, "I'll tell my kids to do this and you can go lie down; you've done enough for the City."

Jacob stayed quiet for a while, stretching time to savor the other man's discomfort as much as he can.

Behind them, the Noters worked in twos to add the bodies Lion brought to the pile Jacob made. They held the corpses by their feet and hands, moving gently and placing them gingerly one next to the other as if fearing to wake the stiffs.

They stood where their task left them then, brushing their hands on their pants and shifting their weight from one foot to the other, staring at Lion and Jacob pleadingly.

If David was awake to see this he'd scream his head off at Jacob for abusing the poor Noters like that and would shoo them all away from his haven, waving his arms madly like they were geese.

"Nah, take your babies back home, Lion, they've seen enough in one day for their fragile young minds. I'll be alright here." Jacob nodded finally, waving at the miserable band of Noters that they're excused.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yeah, yeah; David's gonna wake up soon anyway, he'll handle this better."

A long sigh wrenched out of Lion and he retreated, shaking his head as he realized Jacob was doing this for a bit of a laugh and the fact that there's not much he could do about it.

The commander was finally winding down and as he did he began listening to his body's needs. He was exhausted (but, who wasn't?) and, if he took the slight nausea and lightheadedness in account, dehydrated as well. His shins hurt; he rolled up his pants and discovered mild frost bites on his legs, which he now had time to treat,.

Lion stepped into the infirmary but instead of grabbing a nurse's attention his eyes fell upon Ice Man,.

The god was sitting on a chair (hospital beds were all taken) as the pink haired nurse gently pealed his fur coat off his right side.

The god's body was weak and so it quickly reverted to imitating a human body's reaction. This mean the stump at the tip of his shoulder bled heavily, sticking the fur to the wound when the blood congealed.

Ice Man cringed as the nurse treated him but his face remained the same dark mixture of worry and a frowning discontent. His expression brightened only whenever his eyes fell upon his pet, who was sitting at his feet, head resting on the god's knees.

Ice Man was running his fingers through the golden fur, twitching a bit whenever his treatment causing him particularly strong pain.

As Lion stepped to greet his second in command the god's face lit up like a child's, "Sir…you're alive…"

Lion beamed a brilliant smile, wrapping his arm around the god's shoulder, "Yes, it's over. Ah, but at what cost…" he sighed and brought Ice Man's head to his chest, embracing the bigger man fondly.

Ice Man closed his eyes and the pain was disregarded.

Fenrir had unloaded Will to the nurses' care and was now watching the boy with nervous eyes. Will had yet recovered his comatose sleep and was laid down on a sofa in the little room used by the infirmary staff as a haven to rest in. The room was directly in Fenrir's view and so he was able to let the cub rest away from him and still note if anyone dangerous neared Will.

Walking into the room to treat her self inflicted wounds, Yuzuriha spotted the sleeping werewolf.

She loomed over him, studying his face and his features. A mixture of Kamui's looks and a dog's features were extraordinary to her, yet delightful and welcomed.

She reached for the boy's shoulder and gave it a gentle shake.

The cub jerked, eyes flying open, filling with terror in seconds. He gave a frightened yelp, trying to push himself away from the stranger, backing himself against the wall.

"Hey there, please don't be afraid of me, I'm a friend." Yuzuriha cooed with her sweetest voice.

This alone had an amazing effect on Will's nerves; he stopped trying to escape her gaze and relaxed a little. His eyes, however, still looked at her suspiciously.

"Aw, poor thing, I didn't mean to frighten you. Here," she brought her palm to Will's nose so he can sniff it, "I'm Nekoi Yuzuriha, pleased to meet you!" Will was examining her hand curiously, "what's your name?"

"V-vill…"

"Bill?"

Will sat up slowly, frowning at the girl childishly, "Vas! No, it's Wwwvill."

"Oooh, you're German."

"No, I'm not." The werewolf's face darkened.

"Will, right?" the boy nodded, "You're adorable, you know that?"

Yuzuriha sat herself beside Will and scratched behind his ears, rubbing at his scalp gently.

He should have been surprised and alarmed by the sudden invasion of his private space, but for some reason Will was not. This girl has something in her, a skill of her movements and expressions that relaxed him. He could not bring himself to think Yuzuriha was about to harm him, or even capable of it. Besides, she knew exactly where to scratch him to turn him into a pool of happy goo.

"Look like the little cub's found a friend, huh, Fenrir?" Ice Man beamed at his dog.

The wolf sighed; he could sense no harm from the girl by Will and he spotted how pleasant and relaxed she made him, and that was great, however he could not help feeling a pang of bitter jealousy and suspicion might this girl steal the cub's heart.

"You know, Will, you look a lot like a good friend of mine…"

The girl was Japanese, Will, perked his ears, perhaps she knows where Kamui is. The boy lost track of his master's scent when he fainted and was still desperate for Kamui's well being. "Zis friend of yours, vhat's his name?"

"Kamui. Accept for the hair and the ears, the two of you are practically twins."

Will grabbed Yuzuriha's palms in his (which made Fenrir stifle a growl), big purple eyes glittering with excitement, "Kamui, who ist my exact copy? Viz black hair and no ears or tail? Are you sure?"

Yuzuriha nodded, beaming.

Will leaped off the sofa, "Do you know vhere ist he? I haf to find him!"

The inugami mistress mused for a while, stopping to ponder why the obviously canine boy was ignorant to Inuki's existence. She knew earthly dogs were aware of Inuki's existence, both in her home world and here, but Will was unaware of the inugami.

"I don't know, I hope he's home and safe./…after all, I haven't seen him coming in for treatment, so he must be well…"

"C-coming for treatment? Vhy, ist this a clinic?" the werewolf began sniffing the air in search of the sharp, stinging scents of medicine and detergents. All he could smell were strange herbs, a hint of sulfa here and there, and a rainbow of scents he never sensed before.

"It's...well, I suppose you can call it a hospital."

"Vhy am I here? How did I get here?"

"Ice Man brought you here, he and some huge wolf he said is his 'Fenrir' or something.."

Fenrir, another echo from the past. Will remembered a person he did not which to see in his mind's eye at the moment, or ever. The man was sitting by a fireplace, reading to Will from a book of Nordic mythology. Standing by the fireplace in Will's glimpse of a memory, was the Captain and as the name was read out something in the tall man quaked.

Could it be?

"B-but…j-just because he didn't come in for treatment, doesn't mean he wasn't…wasn't affected at all…" Yuzuriha's faint voice cut through Will's thoughts.

The girl leaned into the sofa, face paling rapidly. She covered her mouth, eyes filling with tears, "He…he could be dead…on no…"

"Kamui! Kamui dead? Vhy!"

Yuzuriha's tearful gaze met Will's panicking one, "Because A-Alex…Alex could have killed him…or Fuma-san…"

"Alex!" now it was Will's turn to pale, "Vhat happened viz Alex?"

Tears rolled down the girl's cheeks as she told Will of last night's disaster, her voice numb and broken erratically by sobs.

Will closed his eyes, collapsing on the sofa by Yuzuriha's side, covering his face with his hands.

Kamui could be dead.

A horrible cold spread through his body, sending shivers down his spine to the tip of his tail.

He was on the edge of that gorge again, surrounded by wild winds which whispered in his ears with sickening voices and the gorge was filled with whitish-grey skeletal naked bodies,. The notion was so realistic that Will could feel the wild wind blow through his hairs.

Then the vision brightened, the air in it beating around him. He was suddenly wrapped by pleasant warm breath, embracing him like a loving hand. Inside this ethereal embrace, which filled his surrounding with white light, was a voice softly calling him.

"Don't be afraid, Will, I'm alive and well." It was Kamui's voice, Kamui was alive!

In his mind, Will turned around and faced a wall of white light. Standing silhouetted by the light was Kamui, safe and sound and smiling brilliantly at him. At Kamui's side stood another, a tall broad shouldered young man the face of which Will could not make out yet due to the intensity of the whiteness.

Will opened his eyes, hands dropping to his sides with relaxed limpness.

"They're safe," he exhaled sweetly, "Justice are in their home, they're resting, and they are safe."

Yuzuriha wiped her eyes and turned to Will, "H-how do you know that?"

"They beckoned to me," he turned to her, eyes beaming, orbs almost white, "they call at me, as Justice."

Yuzuriha gaped at him, brows arching.

* * *

Alex was taken to the City jail.

The solemn square building stood at a safe distance from the main City body, on a hill a few miles off the infirmary. It's walls fortified by the ancient people who once lived where the City now lay half in ruins, it still would have not withstand Death's wrath if it was nearer to the City center.

Ironically, in his rampage, Death chose the wrong location to start his attack, thus spearing the place where he will serve his punishment for his doings.

Subaru and Seishiro followed the twenty-strong pack of Noters who carried Alex on a stretched and surrounded him on all sides.

The onmyoujis were not allowed to be too near the pack; close proximity to Death will only be granted them the moment Alex will be fully imprisoned.

To Seishiro, this walk bore a great resemblance to his march to the execution site on the morning he was supposed to face his sentence. This made him angry and rebellious yet frustrated as his powerlessness in helping Death, making him grave and silent.

Unlike his lover, Subaru was not al all a victim of gloomy thoughts. There was still hope for Alex; a tiny, faint beam of light in the pendulous black cloud of Death's doings, but a hope still

This City wouldn't be so heavily populated without Alex's direct acts. The famine's full impact on the City was never to be found out due to the Light Side's aid; who knows, maybe the City would have become a ghost town without Alex' help.

He didn't know how much this argument would work to sweeten Alex' punishment, but he was hell-bent on doing his best to save Alex from his deeming.

The ghosts that woke him into this fateful morning were not in a state of panic for no reason; the Noters had taken Alex' sword from him and handed it to a member of the city council when it was decided the council, and not Justice, will be the ones to deem Alex.

The sword's taking and the pure look of disgusted horror on the council member's face as he looked down at Alex meant only one thing: Alex was to be executed for the destruction of the City.

This sentence, Subaru was resolute, will not come to pass if he'll have a word in this, which he will.

Once it was him and his who were facing the death penalty, Alex then made the greatest sacrifice to save them. Now it was time for them to return the favor.

Arriving at the jail, the group was welcomed by the Noter jail commander, Owl, who once ran the Noters' HQ and now took Gala's place after the jail's brand new prisoner killed her.

He nodded sternly at the onmyoujis and held them at the reception until the prisoner and his escort were by Death's temporary home.

They brought the stretched through the illuminating transparent green walls, moving the stretched inch by inch through the barrier so the gates on the bearers of which the wall was stretched could learn Alex' body and block its passage in the future.

"weren't these walls powered by Galla?" Seishiro grumbled at Owl, glaring at the working men bitterly.

"They were."

"Then how come they're still working while she's dead?" the assassin spat the last word at Owl.

"The walls are not Galla's direct powers," the officer answered calmly, his face a polite blank, "they are technology Galla brought with her when she came here. She had the mechanism's blueprints in her mind and built it into the jail when she formed this jail. Newer days the walls are powered by Ice Man."

Seishiro stopped himself from huffing resentfully. He realized his bitter emotions have gone out of control again and he was now behaving quite childishly. The last thing he wanted right now is for these people to see him in his degrading state.

Finally, they were allowed to go and see their caged Death. They brought chairs from the small waiting room in the main hall and sat down, settling down for a long watch over Death.

* * *

"Oh, those filthy bastards!" Seishiro hissed through his teeth, glaring at Alex' still body lying on the cot in his cell.

"What is it?" Subaru rose from his chair where he was just starting to flip through a car magazine he found in the waiting room.

"They put shackles on his hands and feet."

"Oh god…"

"They chained him to the bed like he was some kind of wild animal!"

Subaru thought of the destruction he saw on their way to Death this morning. He looked at the images burned into his mind and understood the Noter's dread and their need to take every step of precaution to keep Death from escaping. The City indeed looked like a wild animal rampaged through it.

He decided not to share these thoughts with his lover; Seishiro was in no state for that.

"He's already so much weaker than he used to be, you can sense it, can't you?" Subaru nodded, "And they think he'll run off and do it all over again! He looks like he can't even lift a cat."

"I'm going to brew myself a cup of tea, would you like some as well, Seishiro-san?" Subaru cooed gently, rubbing the Sakurazukamori's back soothingly.

Finally distracted, Seishiro grumbled a yes and walked away from the wall, to sit and seethe on a chair facing the cell.

They had a cup of tea, then a cigarette. They returned to their positions and tried to make light conversation about unpacking their Light Side purchasing and maybe get a new closet for their room, then had another cup of tea and another cigarette. Finally, they gave up their attempt to kill time with conversation and sank each in their individual thoughts in tense silence.

Another cup of tea, another cigarette, outside the sun-clock's shadowy hand crept on stone until it was the moon-clock's turn to tell time.

As soon as the sun set and darkness enshrouded the City which now had far less light-filled buildings to provide anyone who chose to walk its streets with proper illumination, Subaru and Seishiro were relieved of their watch post.

Lestate sauntered into the jailhouse with the air of a man walking across a lively party's dance floor on his way to an important social meeting.

His rich red velvet riding cap, which he still wore from last night's early riding, was filled with sand and earth as was his hair. The heavy cloak he used to shield himself from the sun he left at the cemetery. He carried with him the scent of damn earth and rot, which indicated where he found refuge from the scorching sunlight when his healing duties were over. In his hand he held a cold dead rat, one of a great many of his kind who were sucked dry to compensate for Lestate's blood loss that morning.

When Owl tried to speak to the vampire and brief him of the things he is prohibited from doing as a Creature of Death come to meet Alex, he received a glare from Lestate, "My dear boy," the blond spoke softly but harshly, "I formed the Rescue Team years before you were vomited into this damned dimension and by the time you managed to settle in and pass all your laws and regulations, I acted to save your pitiful mortal life a dozen times. I believe I have the right to do whatever the hell I want to do here a suckling babe like you have no say about it."

Owl looked at the vampire's stance and couldn't help thinking of a proud Victorian upper-class woman defending herself after someone remarked about her dress in her own coming out ball, "whatever," he shrugged carelessly , "but you can't pull him out of it, no matter how hard you'll try."

Lestate flashed a small rigid smile, eyes glittering with bloodlust, and thanked Owl for his hospitality. Leaving the rat's stiff corpse on the reception desk, Lestate stepped pompously towards the onmyoujis' seating, cape waving behind him gallantly.

"Good evening gentlemen," Lestate beamed at the worn and gloomy pair, "why the long fa…" the words were plucked from his mouth as his eyes lay on the green-tainted room.

Lestate walked up to the wall, feet sliding soft and smoothly as if on air. Staring at Death, he put his hands on his sides and realized the time for a merry attitude, and he didn't know of Death's impending sentence yet, though he was slowly picking on the hints of it.

Subaru and Seishiro looked away, shifting position on their chairs awkwardly and hanging their heads.

"They took his sword from him." Lestate's voice was cold but not angry, "I suppose they didn't do it because they're afraid he might try to cut his way out of here." The silence of the men behind him answered the question.

"No, that's not why they took it away. They took it be cause they knew something and they're going to use it against him…"

"I'm…I mean, we, are not going to let it happen." Subaru spoke up strongly.

Lestate kept his eyes on Death for a while. Then his mind fully analyzed Subaru's tone and he turned his brilliant undead eyes to the onmyoujis, "you thought something up?"

Subaru explained his plan, keeping his voice low so none of the prison staff might hear it.

"Ah, my sweet, precious, ingenious Subaru; there is only one flaw in your marvelous plan."

"Oh?"

"Who, but us Men and Creatures of Death, know that it was Alex who argued over this City's salvation? Surely you've noticed that now, because we are often under his powers' spell, we're considered as trustworthy and reliable as the defendant himself. They will not listen to us."

"They'll listen to Justice," Subaru sat up in his chair, eyes blazing, "Kamui was there to see the long haggling Alex had over each grain and cob. The City council will have no better person to follow the advise of than Justice themselves.":

"Justice were at the eye of the storm, beloved medium, they were on Death's aim. Why, after all the trouble Death's brought upon them, would they do anything in his defense?"

"Because they are Justice and they cannot lie about this, they cannot let a wrong judgment be passed!"

Lestate turned his eyes back to Death, musing in tense silence for a long while. "You trust them that much?" he hummed finally.

Subaru sighed, preparing himself for a defense, "I know you despise Kamui, Lestate-sat, but I know the boy; his hear is pure and true deep inside. He saw enough in the Light Side to know Alex deserves the full credit for saving the City's population from famine. What he didn't see with his own eyes he will see with Justice's eyes."

Lestate looked deep into Subaru's mind for a while, "And you trust him."

The light onmyouji nodded.

"So, what else have you in store for Death's trial?"

Seishiro, listening to his lover as Subaru unfolded the rest of the plan, was finally wrenched out of his swamp of bitter defeated resentment at the unfairness of it all. He decided to be at Subaru's side to speak to whomever needs talking to as long and as much as Subaru does.

He knew his past and his reputation in the minds of those they'll be pleading to will immediately make their listeners disrespect him. For a moment he was set back by it and the tempting poisonous gas of helpless submission to fate's cruelty spread in his mind.

Then he looked at Subaru again. What was fighting against fate in this petty battle when compared to the war his heart raged against his family's ancient tradition and bonds? Since he was a teen and first lay eyes on a boy, now a man ready to give his all for the one who saved both their life, he was pushing fate out of his life, why give up now?

No, Seishiro will not let other people hinder him because of his past doings; he will do all he can to help his Subaru and his Death.

"Very well!" Lestate turned away from the wall, casting his beaming eyes on the two before him, "that's how it'll be. And now, I'm afraid I'll have to send you on your way home. You look like you're going to collapse of exhaustion if you'll stay here a moment longer. Our plan demands that you have all your energy back for tomorrow and for that to happen, you need some food and a rest."

They did not need to be told twice; Subaru and Seishiro hurried out of the claustrophobic jail so fast they were almost running.

When they arrived home they saw nothing and heard nothing of the small party the house threw for Raikou's birth and Will's welcoming. They ate a hearty meal and climbed to their bed, falling into an abyss of sleep.

Without them, in the jail, Lestate was once again staring at his Death, thoughts racing.

"Oh, Alex, what are we going to do about you?"

(TBC)


	42. Resurrection part 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** To cocoke5 (Ha ha ha, the suspense killed you, eh?), to Kakyou-chan (Lestate? Have you read Anne Rice's original stuff? Because I sometimes wonder if I write him right. Enchanting! Enchanting! Oh, you do make me blush sometimes. Thank you so much for your seriel lovely reviewing!), to LadyoftheBlackWings (Yuuto falling for Vash, well, you know; Love's gotta have someone to love. And, unlike Alex, I can write a character not of my own creation with another character that is not my creation because like this I'm not Mary Sue-ing anyone. Ah, you don't like Yuzuriha? Well, that's odd. Indeed, being a vampire in any other world might be gloomy and annoying but when there's a Death around to feed her and keep her from killing people all that's left is to be forever alive with her good friend Victoria. Also, you'll see this chapter that another thing is added to make Yuzuriha's life better, tee hee. Oh, Subaru treading lightly on the web kyaaa! Seishiro the stereotypical teenaged girl – damn I love your description..) and to Sesshy's Girl 00 (The City being rebuilt. Yes, but not quite the way it was. Ah, but we'll get to that in a long, long time from now. Well, not so long but definitely not in the new few chapter.)

**Youz Guyz out there:** A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN ITS CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!

Author's request: Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

Question: Which chapter number is this? Answer: 42. See, 42 _is _the answer to every question about life, the universe and everything.

**Chapter 42 – Resurrection (part 1)**

David opened his eyes slowly, head and eyelids heavy from too much sleep. He could smell bread being heated and tea made in the pleasant warm air inside his tiny home. For some reason he felt another thing on the air which was very similar to smell; like delicate sound waves, something was in the air that made him think of Victoria, her beaming smile and her sweet kisses.

The undertaker sat up and saw a naked woman with her back to him, standing at his modest rackety cooking corner, busying herself over toast , egg and a pot of tea. The flowing blond hair hid most of her bare back so it was merely from David's familiarity with the woman that he knew who she was and that she was completely naked behind the curtain of golden hairs.

Venus turned her head towards him and beamed a motherly smile, "Good morning, David! How are you feeling?"

He ran his fingers through his short hairs and sighed, squinting at the light coming from the window to his left and rubbing at his side. "I'm alright, I guess. I'm not sure how I got here or what you're doing here, but I can guess."

"Jacob's outside, but maybe you aught to eat breakfast first…" tiny wrinkles decorated the corners of Venus's eyes as she winced gently, indicating David that his undertaker's duty is waiting for him outside.

He sighed and got up from the bed, noting he was still dressed in his riding gear and wondered where the rest of his stuff was.

He walked up to Venus's side, letting his eyes wonder to the warm tea and the egg the goddess was frying. Her nudity was like her hair color to him; simply there and not worth the attention.

"Jacob brought me in here?"

"No, I don't think so; he was too busy getting things organized in the City after…"

"After Alex freaked out."

The goddess turned great big blue eyes to him, "You remember that?"

"No, I guessed. What happened?"

She shook her head, focusing on the egg and toast again, "I don't know. Love was quite faint during most of it and so was I. Jacob was very busy, but he still hadn't told me much; too busy to have time for it."

David hummed, pouring the tea from the shoddy metal pot into a mug and sipping at it. He took the plate of toast, jam and egg from Venus as she put it on the small table by her and walked out of the shed.

Nibbling on the toast, he sauntered through the graveyard, making sure all the headstones were erect and the graves were still in nice, neat rows.

A small landslide happened sometime near David's stay in the City of Men and had damaged a hillside grave. The land moving had exposed half of the body buried, allowing rats and other vermin access to the flesh. All that was left of the corpse were a few scattered bones and a gaping skull.

David lingered before that grave, musing over how he should re-bury the deceased while dipping bits of his toast in jam and eating it.

Finally, after fully inspecting the graveyard, David arrived nearer to the infirmary, where Jacob sat on a rock facing the pile of corpses from Death's rampage.

The other man was slowly, thoughtfully smoking a pipe.

He got up as he spotted David, and walked towards the undertaker, arms spread sideways to embrace him.

They hugged, patting on each other's back powerfully and giving each other light squeezes.

"Long time no see. Too long."

David smiled gently, keeping a dull focus on the pile and bringing his plate and tea mug back to his attention. "And now I'm back."

"Finally, I was worried for you."

"Worried for me? I was with De…Alex, I couldn't be harmed in any way."

Jacob nodded, arching his eyebrows momentarily like a parent hearing his child speak of a good friend with whom he has a secret bond.

"Oh well."

David coked his head at the pile, "From yesterday? How many?"

"Around thirty or so. Didn't have the time to count them really."

"Did you post a notice for family members to come and identify them?"

"Eh? N-no…where would I do that?"

"In the center of town, on the Rescue Team home's…what?"

Jacob was shaking his head, pointing silently towards the infirmary.

"What?"

"Come see something." He took David by the shoulder, leading his around the infirmary, to the spot from which the fire-keeper can see the full view of the destructed City.

There was a hole in the middle of the City. A hole of rubble and earth for by now most of the big stone chunks were evacuated and all that was left now was the clean cut round shape best indicating Death's work on the City.

David mouthed for a while, blinking at the view.

"A-and Alex, where is he?"

Jacob shrugged, "I don't know."

David shot angry eyes at him, "What do you mean you don't know!"

The glare was reflected immediately, "I mean I'm not one of his Men so I can't _sense_ where he is."

David looked away, back to the City. He could make a rough picture of what led to this, based on assumptions and guesses, now all that was missing were the fine details and Death's whereabouts.

What he discovered, as he thought about the City and its fait, is that he doesn't really care about the civilians of the City. He wondered where Alex was, were all Men and Creatures of Death used for this attack or were they all paralyzed and 'switched off' as he was; but he didn't _really_ give a damn about anyone who wasn't of Death.

Sighing, he walked back to his breakfast which he left near the rock in the graveyard. As he took the plate and mug back to hand a thought accrued to him. He swallowed the egg in one gulp and chugged the rest of the tea, making room for what came next.

"Jacob…"

"Yes?"

"The City was in famine when I was away, right?"

"Yes."

"A very grave famine, so I heard."

"That's true, many died."

"Yessss," David's eyes narrowed to two angry slits, "Many died, but for some reason," he walked up to Jacob, arms on his sides and back arched to make the difference in height between them seem like David was looming over Jacob, "I don't see any graves here for a great amount of people."

Jacob folded his arms on his chest carelessly, yet taking a battle stance just in case, "I was here to replace you when you were gone, I took care of burials and things."

David loomed eyen closer, eyes almost red with anger, "Yeah, so where is everybody, huh? What did you do with their corpses that left no gravesite? I don't see a single grave here that didn't already exist when I left."

Composure still cold and calm, Jacob pointed towards a red stone stuck quite oddly in the ground to their far right, "There's a grave over there," he now pointed at a green stone, quite similarly stuck in the ground, "a grave over there," finally he pointed at a blue stone on the far left of the graveyard, "and another over there. See? All properly buried."

David glared at Jacob so hard it could have melted the man. A vein on his forehead pulsed and twitched.

"You aught to thank me for taking care of all that mess for you while you were away, it was a horrible duty that…what?"

"_Mass graves!_" David huffed through his teeth, voice hoarse with anger, "_MASS GRAVES!_"

"Well what else could I do? To dig a grave for each and every person would have taken too long; do you know how many people died? How many were brought here for burial each day! If you were here, I assure you, you'd be so overworked you'd wish to have those ovens by you and get the job done…"

At this point Jacob was grabbed by his shirt collar and held slightly above ground by a shaking fist. David stopped himself from punching his old friend yet kept his other fist floating in the air, poised to charge in case Jacob's tongue slips again.

They stayed like that for a while, David with his fist still threatening and Jacob slowly raising his hands in surrender and beg for forgiveness.

"How would family member know on which grave they should put flowers, which grave to come to on the annual day of their relatives' death?" David finally said with a deep, charged tone, "How would anyone know _who_ are the people buried here? How would _anyone_ know people _are_ buried here at all! Where is the memorial mark for these people's passing! How do we even know _how many_ are buried here!"

"Th-there are about a hundred and fifty over there" Jacob spoke of the red stone, "I think somewhere around the eighty people over there," the green stone, "and perhaps a hundred over there." The blue stone.

"'Perhaps'? 'I think'! And how am I supposed to make sure that's true? Dig them all out and count them!"

"I'm sorry, David."

The undertaker finally placed his friend back on the ground, hands still shaking with anger. He turned his back to Jacob, the red marking flashing in the sun, and stared in frustration at the three stones.

What is he going to do now! All he worked for to compensate for his doings, by honoring the memory of the City's deceased, was now so bluntly disrupted! He ran his fingers through his short curly hair again, which had yet to grow longer than a few centimeters above his scalp.

"David?" Jacob neared his friend with soft cautious steps, eyes glittering.

"_What!_"

"You're growing your hair back."

It took David a while to figure out the connection between what Jacob said and words exchanged with Kamui on a ship a long time ago. He looked at the fingers he ran through his hair as if the growth was visible on his thick hard digits,

"Y-yes…I guess I am…"

"That's great. You look better like this; more at peace, so to speak."

Finally, David turned to face his friend again, eyes calm now and a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "I am at peace now."

Jacob's smile lit up his face and tears pooled in his eyes, "That's wonderful."

"Yes, yes it is. I guess you aught to do the same, what with the wonderful wife you have and everything."

Jacob sighed, nodded, "Guess I should."

* * *

While David was threatening to punch Jacob's face in, Subaru walked resolutely into the infirmary, darting his eyes around the packed space looking for Charlie.

The doctor was examining a man's arm-length burn, making cheerful comments on how well the pink haired nurse tended to the wound as a way to hide the fact that the scarring, once the burn is healed, will be monstrous. The man had a clear, beautiful face and a build that sent most of the girls around his dwelling (which was now a heap of crushed stones on the edge of the City where all the rubble was taken to) into a giggling fit and dizziness. The arm he was destined to have for the rest of his life would mar his beautiful appearance in a rather fatal way.

"Charlie-sensei,"

"Just a moment, I'll be right with you." The doctor mumbled across his shoulder, too preoccupied with his patient and complimenting the nurse to care who was calling him.

Subaru waited patiently, hands held together before him. He beamed a short polite smile at Yuzuriha who was busying herself pretending to help Spina with a patient he was re-bandaging. She used that time to interrogate the man about his outfit and what it meant.

The man's uniform attracted her and she was thirsty to learn of where and when he served and in which army. When Subaru's eyes caught her she was questioning the medic about the eagle patch on his left shoulder.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Charlie whirled around to face Subaru, still very much ignorant to the meaning of Subaru's appearance in the infirmary.

"There's something of great importance I must speak to you about and I need a bit of your time, alone, away from here."

Charlie leaned on the bed, folding his arms on his chest casually, "How away?"

"In the Noters office, if it's unoccupied."

"It is occupied."

"Well, then in the backyard or at the front of the infirmary."

"Why in such secluded places?"

"Because what I might talk to you about can make the people here very angry with me."

"Ah, you want to talk about _him_."

Subaru's resolute, powerful eyes fixed Charlie.

"Fine, come along then." Charlie grabbed the onmyouji by the arm and led him out to the front of the building, brushing past a few nurses and notifying them that he's taking a short break outside.

They found a small stone bench (congealed blood frozen in time on its side as it dripped down the far left corner, stopping there forever, marking the passing of a man brought here yesterday) and sat down on it, facing the destructed City as a view and atmosphere for their conversation.

"I'm not sure if you know this but Alex is currently held in the City jail and is awaiting trial by the City Council."

"Hmm. Makes sense. I don't think those boys are in any condition to give him trial, not for the next century or so."

"Another thing you might not know is that his sword has been taken away. That sword can kill him, he designed it so. I found out the trial's outcome will definitely be a death sentence." Subaru let the words hang in the air, checking on the doctor from the corner of his eyes.

Charlie winced at the City before them, nibbling on his lower lip. "Hmm." Is the only reaction he could manage. Luckily, it was not an agreeing 'hmm' but a musing one.

"Do you find it a proper deeming for Alex?"

Charlie sighed, leaning into the bench and spreading his arms on its back, "I don't know. On one hand anyone who would have come here out of the blue and would have caused so much damage would have been killed by the Rescue Team immediately. It's been done for years now; threats to the City were eliminated, which is what the Rescue Team was formed to do.

"On the other hand, this is no ordinary threat and no ordinary reason for destruction. It's Alex we're talking about and Alex _was_ a Rescue Team member for a long time."

"That's right…"

"I'm not finished, Subaru. However, when he had first arrived here, Alex was full of anger at his kidnapping to this hellhole. You see, he was taken here from a heaven dimension, where he rested and relaxed from what I imagine was quite a tormenting and trialing lifetime. Suddenly being snatched from paradise to the hell of this place, it left him angry, as I said before. His anger he took out on us, Rescue Team members as we were back then, because we tried to harness his powers for the City's sake like we've done with our powers. He never harmed us in any way too grave, but he did give us quite a few scares," the doctor felt for his upper lip where bristles marked the beginning of a new Chaplin mustache, "and he psychologically crippled a few of us to keep us from acting out as we would usually do."

Subaru shook his head, "But he stopped, he was calmed, he became an important Rescue Team member!"

"Listen to me, young man, because this City has laws you've never heard of.

"Now, due to the way this dimension has of taking all sorts of people from all sorts of places, a notion of 'a second chance in life' was made here. Like the nursemaid apprentice, who was once a mobster and decided to start a new life with a new occupation, each and every one of the City's citizens and workers have a right for a second chance.

"That means that if a man arrives here and does something wrong he is not immediately trialed for his wrongdoing if what he did was what he used to do in his former life. Often people are forgiven for what they did here on their first few days or months in the City because the shock of arriving here often drives people into madness. You can ask your righteous young friends if you want to make sure it's true; the Noters aught to have notified them about this unspoken-of law.

"Now, Alex, he already used up this law. His actions during the first days he spent here in the City were turned a blind eye to and forgiven and thus he used up his second chance. What he did now he is going to face the full responsibility for, there is no law to protect him and give an excuse for. Do you understand?"

Subaru leaned into the bench as well and placed a cigarette between his lips, lighting it and taking a few huffs to sort his thoughts out.

"I understand what you mean. However, that is not what I came here to talk to you about."

"Oh?"

"As a doctor, as a Rescue Team member, as one of the oldest citizens in this City, how would you say the latest famine would have ended?"

Charlie realized what Subaru had in mind and he liked it very much. "The food shipment, Alex took care of it?"

Subaru met the doctor's eyes, "When we were traveling to separate one Justice from another we rode across a border between two sides of this dimension; the side we came from was full of dangers and darkness, while the side we arrived to was full of good, healing things." Charlie's eyes widened in amazement,

"We came across a wide land of booming agriculture, run by women. We came across a city of men where they were armoring themselves to the teeth though no real dangers were ever visible around them. We came across _elves_; elves with supreme magical manufacturing technology and healing abilities. We came across a desert in which you can never be dehydrated and finally we came across the pirates you must have heard of a long time ago. There's a lot of things to talk about regarding this 'better side' of the dimension, but now's not the time to do it.

"I mentioned a land of women with lush agriculture. We rode into it and were immediately attacked by guards because we were men and men were not welcomed in the land. Kamui looked around the huge lush fields a noted how food in abundant here while in the City food is scarce. Alex, who had spoken to Yuzuriha a while before we arrived in the women's land, learned from her of the famine in the City and put two and two together.

"He asked the queen of the land to give half of her products to the City to stop the famine and when she refused he threatened her like only he can. No one else was part of his threats, he put all the responsibility for any action of retaliation in case the queen gave her final refusal, to himself. He made himself appear as a warmongering growling beast to them so they will be frightened enough to give him the food. And that is how the City got her food delivery, this is how the famine was stopped in the City.

"If you, or anyone in that matter, refuse to believe what I say they can ask Kamui; he was there and saw it happen, he will not lie, not in court."

Charlie was gaping, eyes huge, smiling slightly, "Is that so?"

Subaru glared.

"Well….that _is_ something completely different."

"I need you to come and testify before the City Council that without Alex' food delivery the City would have suffered a huge loss in life. Without your testimony Alex' life is doomed."

"The City would have not been anymore. The famine took a toll of half the City's population, though you might not know it. And the time the food came was not yet the peak of starvation; some fields and cattle farmers still had small emergency rations, though the hunger was too great. Without that food….without that food…you would have ridden back into an empty city."

Subaru leaned towards Charlie, nearly bending himself over the man with eagerness, his eyes ablaze, "As a doctor, will you vouch for that? Will you swear to it?"

The doctor sighed. He thought back of the conversation he had with Alex when Kamui was brought in with the concussion David caused him. He remembered how old Alex seemed, how weary and sad. Will ending his life be such a bad thing?

Then again, he was never a fan of euthanasia and whenever he could he fought death off his patients, even when he was sure no hope was left for the patient.

No, death must be fought against; no one deserves death, death will never benefit anyone. Not even Death himself.

"I'll testify for Alex. Just give me the where and when."

Subaru finally allowed himself to take a deep breath and relax. "Thank you." he beamed a proud smile at Charlie, thought immediately resuming their frantic pace to try and plan the next move.

"I'll tell you, and the Council, another thing about Alex. When Karen and Sorata were brought in with the injuries they sustained from Alex, he sent Lestate to heal them. You see, here, to hurt citizens and to hurt Rescue Team members are two very different crimes. Citizens come here more often than Rescue Team members and every one of us saviors are highly valuable. So when someone or something hurts of the Rescue Team members, not even the second chance rule stands to protect them.

"Karen was mortally injured, she was dying on the operation table and there was nothing we could do. Sorata was badly hurt, all our treatments could do would only amount to him staying alive; his injuries would have crippled him beyond the ability to work his body too hard or stay in the Rescue Team.

"But then Lestate came in, in full daylight, and healed them both with his blood. I asked him if he did this from his own will and he said he was unable to perform such things; only Death can make a vampire stay awake during daytime. Then he said Death was not trying to minimize the damage and sweeten his crime; he was asking for forgiveness. And that was at a time when Alex was already long gone and asleep; he fought against the medication we pumped into him and used his powers not to fend off the people who took away his sword, as you said; he worked for the direct benefit of those two Rescue Team members."

A shivering smile stretched on Subaru's face, "You see? You see, he's not a monster after all, he's a good person."

"Ah." Charlie looked away, back to the destructed City, "I wouldn't go so far as to say that. Alex is, indeed, a monster and there's nothing he can do to change that. But he is a humane monster and will not let go of his human traits, luckily for the City and for the Rescue Team. I wouldn't say he's a good _person_, rather a good monster."

"B-but…to call him a monster…"

"It has bad connotations, true, but not all monsters are bad. Some, like the river's fire monsters, are merely animalistic creatures who attack only when tempered with. Alex, I believe, might have not started off as a monster and wasn't one when he arrived here, but things happened to him that made him one. I'm sorry, but despite all the good things I know about Alex I won't change my mind about that."

"I see." Subaru mumbled silently.

"A monster, but a good monster."

"Hmmm."

* * *

Staring at the pile of corpses awaiting his treatment, David sighed impatiently. He didn't want to get back to routine, not yet, not when he still doesn't know the full story behind what brought these poor bodies here, not when he doesn't know where Alex is.

Concentrating on the matter, David was able to sense his Death. He could see, though his eyes were closed and he was standing behind the infirmary, an image of the City as it were. A long column of turquoise torrent was climbing up the sky from the jail, like smoke.

Then Death was in jail. What it meant, the undertaker didn't know and he needed to find this out before he re-starts his life in the City.

Leaning the shovel he balanced on his shoulder on the pile, David turned his back to work and walked towards the jail.

The City was coming back to life, with people in its street going about their business as in any other day. There were no longer any piles of rubble and destroyed houses to avoid in their path, not even half-ruined walls from which a brick might loosen and fall on a passerby; that has all been taken care of.

As he walked towards the jail David saw Karen en route with Ace and Spike, doing their usual Rescue Team patrol. The two firemasters' eyes met and glares were exchanged. Business as usual.

The Noters were also present in the City, as was their costume. Only now noters from various bases patrolled the same area; the City itself had shrunk in size and so the patrol territories of the policemen overlapped.

Something tugged at David's senses and he turned to his right to see Ice Man walking out of an alley, a second in command toeing after him. By the god's feet walked a huge bright wolf, which was the center of the disturbance in David's thoughts.

The undertaker stopped in his stride and backed off behind a house's corner to better observe the three characters.

A bandage was wrapped around Ice Man's chest, visible under his shirt at his neck, which kept his wound. He was still wearing his heavy fur coat and his Noters officer uniforms under it, only now one of the coat's sleeves were sown folded in half.

The god stopped to speak to his second in command, pointing at buildings around them and then showing the younger man the same building in a map the petty officer was holding.

But that was none of David's concern; he was watching the wolf. Something about the large beast triggered anger and suspicious in the man and he didn't know why. He remembered Alex and Seishiro's accounts of a large wolf-like creature which was the one who followed them from the Elves' forest. Could it be the same creature, and if so, what was it doing here with Ice Man?

The wolf was smelling the air around him, observing the people and the City's structure and it was obvious that this is the first time it's around here. The wolf's eyes, which struck David as completely human in a worrying bizarre way, were always darting from whatever he was investigating to his master, to make sure he was alright.

What was it about that wolf that made David so suspicious?

He had very little time to think about it because Ice Man changed his stance and a familiar twinkle caught David's eyes. He spotted, in a sheath tied to Ice Man's belt, was Alex' sword.

So, they've taken his sword and put it in Ice Man's trust. The injury Ice Man now sported was definitely Alex' doings (something David concluded with some glee and pride), as was the damage to the City. The sword being taken from Alex and kept by Alex' nemesis, Ice Man, mean that Alex was taken down completely to stop him, and god knows what that means.

Death was definitely still alive, but what's his condition, David didn't know.

He walked out of his hiding, making him visible to the god.

"Hey, you, stop right there." Ice Man's deep, icy voice boomed in the air.

David stopped, turning slowly with a look of sheer scorn burning in his eyes, "Who do you think you're talking to like that? I'd shut my mouth or talk with more respect if I were you."

The wolf began growling, bristling and exposing his teeth; its human eyes glared death at the fire keeper.

A short exchange of glares ensued, with David glaring with condescending scorn and the wolf with pure hatred.

To Ice Man's shock, the wolf stood up on its rear legs, growing its body to a human shape, keeping his fur and the beastie head.

"**_Fenrir! _**What on earth do you think you're doing! This man doesn't deserve it; get back to your original form, at once! Behaving like that all of a sudden, what's wrong with you!" The wolf shrunk and resumed its doglike shape, "Honestly, I don't know what happened to you until I met you again but you've been doing that thing too much."

"Better keep that mutt on a leash, _god_. Who knowa, maybe it's rabid and you'll have to shoot it."

"That's none of your business. Where are you headed?"

David ran his eyes mockingly on Ice Man, as if sizing a petty enemy who's not even a real threat to him. Without answering, he turned around and resumed his walk to the jail.

As with every time Alex or Jacob or David gave him the scornful approach, Ice Man was neutralized and defeated, left with a stinging frustration. He sighed, pulling gently on Fenrir's ear, "Great, just great. He's going to the jail to see Alex. Ah, but he can't take him out and soon Alex will be no more." He felt the harmless hilt of Death's sword, "and the City will finally be safe."

David arrived at the jail, walking past the lobby and the front desk much like Lestate did; with an air of pride and condescending. He spotted Seishiro, sitting alone in front of Alex' cell.

The two men never spoke much to one another, never really bothered to acknowledge some kind of bond between them aside for that between two Men of Death, and both of them were not known for being great speakers to people other than their loved ones.

Suddenly, they were thrown into a situation where they need each other's information to sate their nagging worries. And so, awkwardly, they darted their eyes from the other to the cell, stalling an inevitable conversation as much as they can.

"They chained him." David said finally, as if whispering to himself.

"Yes, they did."

"They sedated him somehow."

"So it was."

"They've taken his sword away, that's not good."

"No, it is not."

David sighed, anger boiling harder and harder within him. "He can't wake up in jail, he mustn't!"

"Oh?"

"It'll drive him mad. You might not understand but he was a prisoner once and it'll break him to be one again."

"I'd say there's a difference between the two but then again I don't know much about anything, I suppose." Seishiro's voice was low and grim, yet calm.

"Subaru-kun's doing something about it."

David turned sharply to the assassin, "Doing what?"

"The City Council's going to put Alex to trial, probably without him actually present. Subaru's working on getting witnesses to sweeten Alex' sentence."

"So they are going to kill him."

Finally, Seishiro's strong gaze met David's, "Not if we have anything to do with it."

David mused in silence for a while. "Is there anything I can do?" he finally said, his voice much calmer, much more sensible now though his eyes returned to be fixed on Alex.

"I doubt it. We're under suspicious because we're related to Alex. We'll need people outside our circle to testify for him." David shot him a look, "There are people like that, we have it all planned."

"Let's hope."

"There's nothing to hope for, we won't let him die."

* * *

Subaru entered his home, rubbing at his temples and taking shallow breaths. His head hurt and if he took deep breaths an ache in his chest would remind him that he has been smoking way too much these past day and a half.

He had just returned form the City Council, where he argued with its members to delay Alex' trial until Justice will be free to attend it. At first he was greeted with suspicion and scorn but his leveled words and polite tone managed to soften the hearts of the two female members. Finally, after about an hours of talking with little breaks to breath properly, Subaru managed to get the makeshift court to meet only when Kamui and Fuma are able to attend it.

As he entered the house his mind was still preoccupied by a nagging thought; when will Kamui and Fuma be available to attend the trial? He hated to drag the boys into the mess again, yet his loyalty and determination to help Alex tore him in half.

To add to that, and the unbearable heat of the day (it was mid noon by now and the sun's heat managed to break through the renewed clouds to make anyone who could sweat be covered with it), as he stopped at the jail he came to learn from Seishiro of what David said. Alex must not wake up in jail or his spirit will be shattered beyond hope.

Subaru went to meet Charlie again and ask him to estimate how long will the drugs he slammed into Alex keep him asleep. Charlie didn't know; he pumped as much of the chemicals into that dart, adding a little more to the dosage he roughly calculated, and the mixture he made was of not one sedative but of two. In short, Charlie had no idea how long will Alex be under the influence of the drug. This means that Death might wake up at any given moment, and that of all bugged Subaru the most.

His worrying mind came to a complete silent halt as he spotted Kamui and Fuma sitting in the kitchen, nibbling on lunch and chatting cheerfully.

They looked better now; still a bit pale, still a bit sleep struck, but their moods were definitely brighter. A kind of frantic twitch was still very much visible in everything they did, from looking at one another, the way they sat so close to one another though the kitchen table was rather large and they had room to sit in more comfort, to the way their hands and arms often brushed in assurance when they ate, the way they held the chopsticks and chewed on their meal.

Subaru took a deep breath; he's going to do something very unpleasant and slightly humiliating, but he has no choice. He must bring this matter to a close as fast as possible.

He walked into the kitchen, edging towards the counter, then forced himself to be more assertive, and sat to the kitchen table, directly opposite to the boys.

They stared at him with astonishment at first. The more he stared at them in silence the more they realized what this was going to be about and stopped chewing, placing the chopsticks aside.

Subaru did not look any better than they did; his hair was ruffled and his clothes unkempt. He had too much on his mind when he was preparing himself for the day this morning and his endless running around in the hot day left him almost scruffy.

"Good day, Kamui, Monou-kun." He started, voice deep and words charged.

Kamui tried to change the subject, "How are you, Subaru, I haven't spoken to you since we woke up."

"Yes, I've been very busy with important things." He darted his eyes from one youth to the other.

While Kamui kept soft, friendly eyes on Subaru, Fuma was keeping his away from the man, pretending to resume his feeding.

"You mean Death…"

Subaru stopped whatever Fuma was about to say with such a hateful, angry, challenging glare that he took both young men aback.

"Subaru…" Kamui whispered. He was terrified to see his friend in such a state towards Fuma, towards anyone. He never saw Subaru so visibly angry, not without the usual veil of politeness the onmyouji used towards anyone who wasn't Seishiro or Alex.

"I don't want to speak to _you_ if that's the way you're going to behave, Monou-_kun_. I came here to speak to the both of you as Justice, not as my friends and not as my housemates. I suggest that you'll bare that in mind and act accordingly during this conversation."

Kamui pushed his plate away, fighting back tears of desperation of fear, and leaned back in his chair.

Fuma resumed his iron approach, "You come to us in _this time_ to talk about _that monster_?"

"I find your approach immature, Monou-kun. Luckily it's not you I need, so I'll just speak to Kamui and let you cool off and maybe grow up while you're at it."

"Subaru…!"

"Kamui," Subaru leveled strict powerful eyes at his friend, keeping a businesslike approach, you've been in the Land of Anthrax with us when the food talks were underway, correct?"

Kamui blinked, surprised, "Yes…b-but what's it got to do…"

"And you've seen how Alex worked night and day to make sure the women gave the famine-stricken City as much food as they could, correct?"

"Y-yes."

"And from what you've seen, can you honestly say that it was all Alex' work that the City was saved from annihilation by the shipment of food he made sure of?"

Kamui's eyes darted around the kitchen. He tried not to think of other things he's done in the women's land, but he saw where Subaru was heading and he could guess the man's next question, "Yes, I can say that."

"Good, now, the City Council is going to trial Alex for what he's done in the City because they think you're too tired to run the trial on your own. They're going to sentence him to death, this has been made clear in several things they've done, and it's also been said plainly by the City Council members themselves."

"And you want us to go there and testify for Death so his life would be saved!" Fuma cut into the conversation, glaring at Subaru.

"You, shut up."

Fuma backed off, leaning back in his chair and looking away. Once again, things were swirling out of his control and, once again, Alex and Kamui had to do with it. When will this curse lift from his life!

"Kamui, what I'm going to say now is in no means a threat to our friendship, our mutual respect or the relationships and respects you have and had with anyone both me and you know. But I can say this; naturally, if you say no now there will be consequences to the things I just mentioned.

"Kamui, as Justice who cannot lie or let a man be sentenced to death when said man did things which clear him of some of his guilt, I expect you to come to the City Council's trial and testify that you've seen Alex working alone solely to care for the City's wellbeing."

The two stared at each other for a long time, Subaru leaning foreword on the table and Kamui leaning away, pressing himself into the back of his chair as much as possible.

"I have to do it." Young Justice said finally, looking at his hands under the table.

He turned to look at Fuma, who was looking at him with a mixture of anger and frustrated sadness, "I have to do it. It's true and there's no way to deny it. If he's to be blamed for the destruction he's made than he's to be credited for the salvation he did. As Justice, we cannot overlook it, nor can we deny that information from the City Council."

"But, Kamui, it's not even been two full days since it happened."

"I know, but without it done we won't be Justice as we should be. Fuma, we've been bad Justice when we trialed Seishiro, this is our chance to properly pay back for what we've done wrong."

They stared at one another, arguing silently each in his own mind. Finally, like with any other matter, Kamui's determinate subdued whatever disagreement Fuma had of the matter.

Kamui turned to Subaru, "We'll come to the trial and we…well, I, will speak to the City Council."

Finally at ease, Subaru allowed himself another, relieved, deep breath and leaned back in his chair.

A moment later his mind was at work again. If Justice are free to testify so early then they might as well start the trial now, waste no time in finishing this business.

"I'm going to the City Council to tell them the trial can begin, we have very little time until Alex wakes up and he cannot wake up in jail. I don't want to hear any arguing about this," he got up, "I'm going now. I'll send a shiki over to call you."

He left Justice with their mouths still open, about to say something against his doings.

* * *

Subaru didn't eat anything since morning time, and only managed to drink enough to keep himself from dehydrating in the burning day. Since he opened his eyes this morning he has been running errands, working feverishly, never stopping for a rest. He was practically chain-smoking, fingers always moving around, eyes always darting, thoughts racing. He was working in turbo but he didn't mind it or paid heed to the possibility that he might be overworking himself.

In his mind he bore the image of the chained Alex and of Seishiro before the Noter's firing squad; he must not let the death sentence be passed.

He darted to the City Council, arguing to have the meeting adjourned now.

"Why are you in such a rush? Have you put some kind of spell on these witnesses you talk about to make them testify for Death's sake?" One of the Council members glared at Subaru impatiently.

"Mr. Dike, I will not have that kind of talk from you; it's degrading." An elderly woman, the head of the City Council, reprimanded the man who teased the onmyouji.

"I'm sorry Wendy." Yet the man still kept a low-burning glare at Subaru.

"However, just to ease the minds of all that are present here," Mrs. Wendy gestured towards the other members sitting behind her in the large, round, darkish, cool Council chamber, "I will send a Noter officer with you to call for the witnesses. Is that alright with you, Mr. Sumeragi?"

"Yes, it's absolutely fine. Thank you very much." The onmyouji bowed before the woman.

"Also, and I'm quite uncomfortable to be doing this, but I have to order that no Death-related creature or person will attend the meeting."

Subaru snapped his back straight, gaping at the woman, "W-why?"

"You all have tremendous powers that we, petty humans that we are, have not. If at any given point one of you might be unpleased with the meeting and might act upon it."

"I can vow that none of us will do such a thing, Wendy-sama."

"I'm sorry; I will not take back that decision. You will just have to wait and put your faith in your witnesses."

Subaru mouthed a little more, edging pitifully towards the woman, whose back was so snapped rigid she was almost bent backwards. Though she was a petite thing, rather thin and too old to be able to put up a proper fight or defense, her composure radiated authority and undoubted power.

Subaru slumped, letting his back arch a bit. Then he bore in mind the clock ticking against them with Alex' consciousness and he hurried out of the building to meet the Noter who will be escorting him.

* * *

"We ride to the infirmary. We'll pick up Charlie from it. Then we'll ride to my house from which we'll take Kamui and Monou-kun."

"Is that so?" Ice Man busied himself with his carriage's reins to avoid eye contact with his proud passenger. He, of all people, was assigned with helping Subaru bring his pro-Alex witnesses.

Subaru refused to grant that obvious challenge with an answer. Instead he eyed the huge wolf who sat on the floor of the carriage, a good correct distance from his feet.

"What is that?"

"That is Fenrir. He is one of my holy animals from when I was a god. He appeared out of no where when that Death monster of yours attacked the City."

"You mean when Alex defeated you and cut your arm off?" referring to Alex in the manned Ice Man just did was unforgivable to Subaru. Besides, his nerves were frail enough to allow himself to lash out impolitely like that.

The god's fist tightened around the golden hide reins but he stopped himself from displaying any more signs of emotional reaction before someone who was making himself more and more of his enemy as time ticked by.

"I believe an animal similar to this wolf followed our caravan for a while. Perhaps it's the same animals since Seishiro-san claimed he could sense something similar aboard the ship we took to this shore."

The subject changed completely and turned to a harmless point as his Fenrir, Ice Man lowered his defenses and even darted a harmless surprised look across his shoulder at Subaru.

"Really? Are you sure it's the same animal?"

"Well, Seishiro-san took a look at it, he said, and told me it was a very large wolf of the same coloring of your Fenrir. Also, it only appeared by your side when we arrived back in the City. I say there's a high chance it's the same animal."

"Amazing." Ice Man mumbled to himself. "Why were you following them, Fenrir?"

"He never approached us, though, always stayed out of sight unless he was sneaked upon. I don't know why he was following us."

"The wolfboy, the one who looks like Kamui," Ice Man blurted casually, "he came with you when you were traveling?"

"Who, Will?"

"If that's his name, I don't know, yes."

"Yes, he was with us before that thing started following us….why?" Something was starting to make sense for Subaru, but he didn't want to draw conclusions yet.

"Well, he brought that boy along with him when he found me, wouldn't leave his side when they treated me in the infirmary, he's quite attached to that boy. What a strange phenomena, I think the boy's some kind of a werewolf as well, like Fenrir is; only he tends to stick to his more human side. I think Fenrir's maybe taking care of a cub of his kind."

Subaru's eyes sharpened, turning to glare wisely at Fenrir, "Or maybe," he said quietly enough so the god's ears will not hear but the dog's ears will, "they know each other, from where they came from."

The wolf narrowed his eyes at Subaru, proving his suspicious true.

"Perhaps 'Fenrir' knows, oh, what was his original name? Ah yes, Schrodinger, funny sounding name, isn't it?"

The wolf looked around them. They were now driving through rough territory, where big rocks were sticking out of the ground and the road stretched by the river so Ice Man was forced to keep his attention full on the ground, their path and on the river to make sure no fire monsters of muddy spirits might threaten them.

This Fenrir used; he changed his shape again, towering over Subaru with claws out, only now he exposed himself completely, changing his appearance to that of a complete human. Now a tall, muscular, very angry young blond man arched himself menacingly over Subaru, hands reaching out to suffocate the onmyouji.

Subaru remained unfazed; He pulled an ofuda from his breast pocket, quickly chanting a spell the like of which Seishiro used to put Will to sleep once the boy was hit by the assassin's arrow. He held the charged ofuda before the man's face, eyes ablaze behind it.

Fenrir was frozen, unable to move a muscle beside to roll his eyes or flash his pointy teeth. Ice Man was almost at the end of the problematic road and soon he'll look over his shoulder to check on his passengers and see the complicated situation.

"Now, Alex is going to wake up, you know what Alex is because you 'know Will' and you've seen the number on Alex' arm. I'm sure you know perfectly well what that means. So, Alex is going to wake up," Subaru kept hissing quietly, "and when he does I want you to avoid contact with him. Completely. I mean it. You won't dare to provoke him, or bother him, or even make yourself visible around him. Not near him, nor near David. If you do dare to start even the tiniest problem I'll tell your master everything. He'll kill you, you know that.

"So, you don't bother Alex with ghosts from the past and I will keep my mouth shut about said ghosts. Deal?"

Fenrir narrowed his eyes, then darted them away, snarling displeased.

"Good." Subaru crumbled the ofuda, breaking the spell.

The carriage was now climbing the infirmary road and had reached the end of the complicated path. Ice Man shot a checking glance across his shoulder and saw all was well; Subaru was sitting neatly on one side of the carriage while Fenrir was sitting with his back to the man, on the other side.

All was well.

* * *

Charlie hopped into the carriage happily, folding his mucky white doctor's robe under him like it was a lady's dress. He beamed at Subaru, chirped at Ice Man and for the rest of the drive nagged the god about his wound.

Was he feeling any itches in the arm he was missing like humans do? Does the stump bleed any more? How is he coping with only one hand?

Soon Ice Man dug himself into a stubborn silence and only shrugged and grunted in reply. Charlie seems to drive a great pleasure from this reaction and would wink at Subaru whenever Ice Man produced an especially annoyed reply.

When Ice Man was no longer fun to play with, Charlie poked at Fenrir, sticking his finger in the wolf's ear or forehead to try and irritate him.

The carriage arrived at Justice's house the same time Sorata and Arashi walked out to take tiny Raikou to the infirmary for a look over.

"Is there anything wrong with the babe, dear ones?" Charlie leaped off his seating and neared the young couple.

Arashi unfolded the bundle in her arms to let the doctor have a better look at her son. Her husband shoved his finger at his boy, trying to make the baby grab it, "Not that we know of, but the nursemaid said we better bring him in for a checkup the first few days, see he's doing alright."

"Ah, well, I can do that for you." Charlie gathered the baby to his arms and ran his fingers over the smooth silky skin, looking into Raikou's eyes and gently tugging the child's lips open.

"He seems just fine. Is he breastfeeding alright?"

Arashi turned beet red.

"Uh…yeah…I think…."

"He's not refusing the tit or anything?"

Arashi buried her eyes in the ground, wishing to be somewhere or not the person spoken of. Behind them Subaru and Ice Man walked into the house to fetch Kamui and Fuma.

"Nope, he got the hang of it pretty quickly. Doesn't spill a drop!"

"_Sorata!_" The miko hissed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"And how often does he eat?"

The young parents stared at one another, puzzled. How could they take time in a place where watches were quickly broken and lost and the only sun clocks were in far off places like the City Council building, the jail and the ruined Rescue Team house?

Arashi's voice was snappy and impatient. She took Raikou from Charlie with a strong grip, gathering the babe to her talked-of bosom, "We don't know, we don't have a way to take time."

The doctor whimpered, "Try to guess?"

"Every….two, maybe three hours?"

"Ah, that's a healthy appetite. Well, young ones, it seems your baby's persistent on being the healthiest, luckiest baby in town!"

"Do not say that!"

Charlie turned big stunned eyes at Arashi's glare, "W-why!"

"It's bad luck."

"A-ah, come along now, babe, if the doctor said Rai-kun is fine then we don't have to take him out of the house, ne?" Sorata ushered his bristling lady back in the house, arms wrapped around her back acting both as a hug and as a way to stop her might she try to charge at the doctor.

The door they were about to pass was opened before Sorata had the change to touch the doorknob, and on its other side stood a rather pale Kamui and Fuma.

Kamui, along with Subaru, walked out the house, straight past the parents and their child. Fuma, with Ice Man at his back, stayed to beam at the baby.

Fuma had a soft spot for babies, though he couldn't for the life of him realize where these extremely parental feelings came from; he was too young to remember his sister as a baby.

And still, he stopped by Raikou's crib whenever he could, cooing and baby-babbling at the child, wiggling the fabric toys Karen made before Raikou's eyes, doing his best to attract the little child's attention.

"Charlie-sensei says Raikou's just fine!" Sorata beamed with pride at the taller man.

Fuma's glittering eyes turned, huge, to the monk, "Really? That's wonderful!"

"I think he needs a nappy change…" Arashi sighed, bringing the bundle to her nose and turning her head away sharply.

"B-but we just changed him!" The monk's shoulders drooped, a look of desperation dripping down his face, "I don't think we have enough diapers for him, we used all of them."

"Oh, I washed the used ones; they should be hanging in the back yard if nothing happened," Fuma beamed, "some aught to be dry already."

The parents stared at him in shock.

"Y-you did that?"

"B-but it's disgusting…I mean, i-it's covered in poo and everything…"

"Nah, it's nothing," Fuma waved it off. Kamui was beckoning for him to get in the carriage already and Ice Man was already politely coughing enough to sound like he was seriously ill.

The young man's happy expression faded, darkening into grave annoyance, "Well, I have to go. Goodbye, little Raikou-kun." The baby grabbed the finger Fuma wiggled at it and involuntarily smiled.

Finally, all witnesses were in the carriage. Ice Man clicked for his horses and took to the air, circling a few times to gather height.

"Well, this feels familiar." Fuma grumbled, trying to be heard by Subaru.

The onmyouji brushed off the comment, pretending to look down at the ground below.

What he saw did not make him feel very good; from above was the best way to fully observe the gaping hole in the City.

"Ice Man-san?"

"Yes, Kamui?"

"What is that wolf?"

The god explained.

"Will's terrified of it, you know. He says that wolf kept chasing him while he was tracking for me by the beach and wouldn't let go. Coming to think of it A….I mean….well….a big wolf followed us around in the Light Side as well…"

"Yes, Sumeragi informed me. Maybe because they're both werewolves Fenrir thought he could help Will."

"Hmph, he scared Will more than helped him. Keep it away from Will, would you? It's making him unnerved and I don't like it. Besides, it looks rabid."

Ice Man shot a miserable look at Kamui, "He's not rabid, he's a good dog…"

"Just keep it away from Will, alright?"

"…Fine…"

Subaru and Kamui exchanged looks. Subaru was wondering while Kamui was quite resolute. After a few more minutes of staring at one another both understood what was on the other's mind. They smiled secretly at each other and turned to look away.

They finally arrived at the City Council hall. Subaru's head seemed to have emptied of thoughts completely, filling with cool air instead.

Everything seemed like a dream now, moving slowly, surreally before his eyes.

He watched Kamui, Fuma and Charlie walk into the great meeting hall, its darkness appearing to engulf them.

Now it was out of his hands, it was beyond his control, up to others. Will they speak the truth before the gathering? Will they convince the City Council to sweeten Alex' sentence? When will it be over with?

He watched the great doors close and hung his head. A sixteen year old boy in his head ran to similar doors in another world's hospital, banging on them and crying.

Subaru walked away, head still reeling from within, and turned to go to the jail.

The boy in his head screamed the name of a man he desperately needed to see now.

More than seeing, or even hearing Seishiro, Subaru needed to _feel_ Seishiro.

The thought of his lover's arms around him for a comforting bear hug released tingles of longing and delight across his body. He needed his man now.

* * *

Far from the court, from the jail, on the long cliff edge above Dragons' Valley was a single rock the City's residents (those who dared to near the Valley that much) called "Blame's Finger".

The yellowish-red rock, surrounded by small rocks to support its bizarre upright position, indeed seemed like a long finger of some earth-made giant, pointed directly at the heavens above the Valley and the City. It even had small cracks and creases in it surface to seem like that of skin and of a fingernail.

Some said that once upon a time, when an ancient replica of the current City used to be here, someone came here and, angry with his landing in the dimension, carved this finger out of the stone and made it so that it pointed at the heavens in blaming. Other says the fictional artist of this rock carved it out because he lost all his loved ones in a monster attack. Who knows.

At the moment no one was around the Finger, since the City was still inwardly recovering its wounds and the Rescue Team patrol passed by the rock an hour or so away.

The Finger was not completely lonely, though, for it was stood upon by a small lone chubby figure draped in black. Grim Reaper stood on its very tip, her eyes like, the finger, turned to the cloudy yellowish sky above.

This woman-looking creature had dropped into the dimension a while ago, like the assistants for Love and Justice, and kept a very low profile up until now. Able to make herself invisible when she wished it, she chose to roam around the City to try and understand how, why and when its citizens died. When she drew these conclusions, she turned to walk around the City, in the Valley, in the Craters, in the forest. She reached all the way to the Hobbit village (where she was somehow sensed) and then returned to the City, sensing Death was coming.

Now she found the sky fascinating for some reason, a reason she did not know. But she felt like staring up at it, her form uncovered and visible to any passer byes. Was she expecting something to come out of it the way she did? Maybe she was curious about the weather, trying to figure out the thin clouds, who knew. She certainly didn't, but she had a habit of following her instincts so she stood there, as close to the sky as she could, and stared up at the light as it changed from yellow to orange with twilight's approach.

She only turned her eyes from the sky when she heard undead hoofs below her. She looked down and saw another lone, dark figure, on the earth below her.

She blinked at the stranger, frowning at his sight and what it meant.

"Hello, Vlad. Strange to see you out here."

A man sat on his horse, staring grudgingly at the caped figure on the Finger. He had long, dirty, wild black hair which hung in loose untamed curls down his back and across his face. A black beard decorated his thin lips and heavy, yet well carved black eyebrows hung heavy above red, untrusting eyes who stared, bloodshot at Grim Reaper.

He was draped in armor from neck to toes, made of long thin plates of iron circling around his arms and legs. A red-ish black cape tattered and torn flapped behind him and blew on the gentle breeze. In his hand he held a long lance, on his waist a worn coarse leather belt held a long sword.

His horse was not alive, as was he, and draped in armor as its rider. Its eyes were empty, thick dark blood oozing out the sockets as from the beast's nostrils. The horse was covered with these thick trails of this sickening dark scarlet liquid dripped all over the horse, splattered on the armor of the man riding it.

The ghastly sight stood boldly before Grim, glaring unhappily at her.

"Oh, fine, I'll come down there. How are you, Vlad? Don't you find the sunshine disturbing." She chirped at the dark knight.

"No," he finally honored her with an answer, his voice deep and hoarse, "it's not very strong. Besides, I never said sunshine can harm me. I simple hate the sun."

"Yes, you would, wouldn't you." Grim walked around the man on the horse, looking the sight over with some suspicious curiosity, "I have to say, you're not the one I expected to see here."

"There are two of us."

"Ah, and there I was, fearing the other was gone."

"No, he won't leave Death for anything."

Grim sighed, stopping with her back to the man, arms folded on her ample bosom, "Hmm….if only he'd appear when Alex is awake, it'd save a lot of agony and trouble."

"You haven't the slightest inkling of how much trouble."

"Seeing you here as a protective spirit, I can only imagine. How do you find him, by the way?" She turned to look at him sharply.

The ancient vampire looked away, "Disturbing."

Grim laughed lightly, harmlessly, "Yes, you'd find him disturbing I guess. Creatures of such deep darkness like yourself can't find comfort around creatures of light and good as him."

"Let's stop talking now. I don't like you."

She pouted childishly, "Awww."

"We have to find a shelter."

Grim began walking away from the knight, "I've already found one."

* * *

Subaru allowed himself to sit down and try to relax with a cup of tea. Said cup of tea was his second already, the first drunk along a cigarette Seishiro gave him (Subaru finished his box of twenty cigarettes by the time he got to the jail, after starting that box this morning).

The Sakurazukamori stood behind his lover's chair, rubbing Subaru's shoulders. His day was as tense as Subaru's, and maybe even more. He spent his day in the jail, keeping an eye on Alex.

To him, this waiting was nerve wrecking. An ofuda was always ready in his hand, in case he'll have to contact Subaru about Alex waking. With all his might he wished not to have to use it.

The wardens walked around him, performing their daily routine as they would in any other day. It irritated Seishiro, for he wished someone would see how strange and wrong this day is, the way he sees it.

Some wardens tried offering him coffee, tea, something to nibble on, something to read, a cheerful smile. Seishiro struggled not to burst on them, and managed to maintain his usual polite demeanor. He found the mask of friendliness he used to fool so many patients in his veterinary clinic in days long past very effective.

He was surprised at how easily he could slip that mask on and off, when he was absolutely sure that inside he's a nerve wreck. This calmness and control in his behavior encouraged him and assured him that he was not an emotional mess as he thought he was; he was still the same cold, confident Sakurazuka Seishiro deep inside.

Yuzuriha dropped in for a visit around noon, bringing Seishiro a boxed lunch. The two shared the same awkward silence and lack of speaking ability around each other as Seishiro did with David.

Yuzuriha was kind and warm, greeting Seishiro with confidence she never had before, which intrigued the assassin greatly.

Analyzing the inugami mistress' new behavior occupied Seishiro's mind for a while and helped him drive his thoughts away from the grim near future. In the end he drew no conclusions but that maybe Yuzuriha was simply being kind and understand about his situation.

Now it was almost evening time and the meeting in the City Council was stretching beyond what the onmyoujis' nerves could tolerate. They kept darting their eyes to the jail's entrance, awaiting a messenger to come and rid them of their gnawing fears.

Alex was still motionless, still lying on the cot like a cast off rag. The metal of his shackles gleaming weakly in the green light. His white skin was green through the magical door, and Subaru often wondered if his green eyes would seem white in this radiance. Then he stopped thinking about it, realizing that if the man opened his eyes in the light it'd mean he will still be in jail and the mental reactions to that he feared most of all.

There was something else the onmyoujis noticed. Well, it was actually noted first by Yuzuriha, who immediately informed Seishiro if it, and he informed his lover. Alex' hair seemed to have grown long. Not too long, though, they estimated it to reach the middle of his shoulders if he was to sit up, but longer than before.

This was strange, since as long as they've known him (which was around seven to eight months now, maybe even more) the length of his hair, like any other feature in Death, seemed to be frozen in time.

Subaru theorized that maybe he was finally letting time take its toll on him; after all, Death was estimated as a few good hundred years old, yet he appeared around his mid twenties.

If he was letting his hair be affected by time's passing, maybe he'll let the rest of his body do the same? But then will he let the full extent of his lifetime affect his body? Surely that would make him a shriveled corpse!

They tried to think of Ice Man, David and Jacob as comparisons. All were definitely older than their appearance, yet each held their own never-aging looks. Ice Man looked in his early thirties, Jacob looked mid-forty, David looked about as old as Alex.

Finally, the onmyoujis concluded that it must be some mysterious reaction of these creatures' inhuman bodies, a reaction beyond the minds of humans like themselves. They hoped Death will not age anymore.

Seishiro was finally starting to feel the relaxing effect his massage on Subaru's tight muscles, when a man neared them.

He was the City Council secretary, the one Subaru hardly heard as he was ushered away from the hall in trial, escorted by Ice Man.

They leaped to their feet, Seishiro taking a defensive stand by the green wall on Alex' cell and Subaru standing a little before his man, arms almost spread sideways to block their path.

"Be at ease, gentlemen, there's no need to get defensive." The secretary was an aging lithe man in a three piece suit without the jacket, a professional secretary's black arm band on both sleeves. A pen was always tucked behind his left ear and a dusty monocle perched before his right eye.

Ice Man was looking very annoyed, Fenrir stayed at the jail's entrance, sniffing and growling at things he never saw before.

The onmyoujis' eyes darted from one man to the other, trying to comprehend the conclusion drawn from Ice Man's behavior and the secretary's words.

"The City Council, having heard of the food delivery's arrangements by the defendant and of the healing of the damaged Rescue Team members a, decided to clear Mr. Michael of the death sentence." He turned to Ice Man dryly, "You are hereby ordered to give these representatives of Mr. Michael's the sword you took from the defendant."

Reluctantly, grinding his teeth and glaring at the onmyoujis accusingly as if to say 'are you happy now?', Ice Man drew the deadly sword from its improvised sheath and handed it gingerly to Subaru. He held its hilt as carefully as he could, with the very tips of his finger, obviously in physical pain from its blade's aura.

Subaru grabbed the sword like it was a child cruelly abducted from him, and handed it to Seishiro who held it by the hilt, poised in half preparation to attack the two men.

"However, the Council did not clear Mr. Michael of his crimes completely; he is still very much guilty. For this the Council's valiant members decided to deem him to exile." He raised his chin up a bit, as if waiting for the onmyoujis to emit a long awful sigh or some such sound.

"What do you mean 'exile'?" Subaru finally said, irritated a bit at this vague sentence.

"He is hereby banished from the City and is forbidden to set foot in it, at the pain of death. If he dares to show up here again he will be attacked and killed immediately."

Seishiro bit down on his words as he wished to spit it in the dry annoying man's face that now that they have Alex' sword back no one can kill Alex. But he decided to let this foolish, human mistake stay out of the Council's mind.

"Therefore, he is released from this jail and must be taken out of the City by midnight today. I suggest you start working on that."

And with that the old man turned around and walked out of the jail. His small, thin, crooked back made him looks unique in a pathetic old way.

The onmyoujis stared after the man, blinking in silence.

Ice Man lingered before them for a while, debating whether he should add a say of his own. Then he decided it was below him and promised to himself that he'll keep an eye on those two, and on wherever it is they choose to hide Death.

At least the City was rid of the demon, he thought, and whether it achieved this by killing the monster or by banishing it,. He didn't mind. He highly doubted banishing the man will really help, for his trust in Death was very small, but he trusted his own abilities in defending the City in case the demon tries to rear his destructive head again.

And so, he turned around and walked out of the jail, cloak blowing behind him. Outside the air was chilly but the scent of snow was not hanging in it.

* * *

The green wall was deflected, fading away from the air like vapors. The wardens held Subaru and Seishiro back as two walked in to unlock the shackles around Alex's hands and feet. Once he was free they walked out the cell, gesturing silently for the onmyoujis that now they're free to do with Alex as wished.

What they wished was very vague to them.

What will they do with him when he's still deep in slumber? Where would they take him when the Rescue Team house is gone, when he's not allowed to be in the City?

How far must they take him to have the new location officially named 'Outside the City parameter'?

"D-do you think we need to wake him up?" Subaru whispered across his shoulder at Seishiro, "I mean…_how_ do we wake him up?"

"We're still in jail, if he wakes up now he'll realize where they put him."

"You're right…but…what do we do with him!"

Seishiro edged towards his lover, wrapping an arm around Subaru in that unsure gesture, "I have no idea…"

For a while they stayed like this, staring down at Alex' still body. His chest rose and fell slowly, feigning breath.

"Well, one step at a time; first we need to take him out of this building, what we'll do later we'll think about later." Subaru walked to the head of the cot, "come on, help me here."

They grabbed Death under his arms and under his knees, carrying him like a dead body.

He was not heavy, more awkward to hold than heavy. Still dressed in his chest armor and strange platted armored skirt-drape, that and his sword (which Seishiro gently slipped back to its original sheath) were basically the only weight they felt.

However, Death's body was somewhat rigid as if in rigor mortis; they had to gently prize his knee bent and arms folded on his upper body to keep his limbs from pocking out in weird angles.

Like this they waddled their way out of the jail, darting their eyes around to avoid contact with the wardens and prisoners around them. Finally outside and a good paces away from the building, they laid his body on the ground in the cold air.

Seishiro sighed, "Now what?"

"I don't know…"

Suddenly they heard hoofs galloping towards them and turned around to see Jacob nearing them, his cart tied to two horses. Behind him, in the cart stood a figure they've never seen before.

The cart stopped by their side and the passenger descended it.

He was a midsized man with soft smiling features and a slight illuminating aura pouring out of his skin. His hair was bright brown and immensely soft looking, brushed backwards but softly falling around his face in gentle angles.

He wore a simple dirty white shirt, covered in colorful smears and small splashes of color as if he's been working on a painting for a long time. His pants, which was the first thing the onmyoujis noticed, were the stripy dark blue and white uniform of prisoners they knew from Death and the poor nerve wrecked man who drove the cart.

To top it all off, the man had huge white feathery wings poking out of his back, folded neatly behind him and beaming softly in the moonlight.

He smiled at them.

They looked at Jacob who seemed to be a mess. He was darting his eyes from them (where they took a miserable 'help me' look) to the man, where they stayed with a great deal of fear. He shrugged at them, cocking his head at the man and looking away. His hands shook a bit as they held the reins.

"Hello," the man said, his voice soft and cool, "my name's Daniel, I've come to help you with Alex."

Silence wrapped around them; tight, awkward, slightly frightened silence.

"W-what are you?" Seishiro managed to say finally as he noticed Subaru was gawking at the man too much to seem to be able to speak.

Daniel laughed sweetly, walking towards Alex' prawn body, "I'm Alex' protective spirit, one of two."

"Protective spirit?" Subaru finally managed to utter something.

"Yes. I'm sure you've grown to know him enough to realize that Alex is not the most stable of people. Many things often tip his mental balance into extremes and often he needs protection from powers he cannot stop." At this point the angelic creature's face darkened, "This is what we're here for. We live within his soul, staying dormant within until we're needed. That's when we reach out and call for those who might help Alex. When that isn't enough we materialize and physically assist him. Now is such a time."

"You live _inside_ him? Like a possessing spirit?" Subaru inquired.

"Yes, that's a fitting description. However, we can only come out when he's in extreme trouble, and now I'm afraid is a time like that."

Seishiro stepped towards the man, "But what are you? When did you come inside him, why are you…"

"I'm sorry, but we have very little time before Alex wakes up. We cannot linger outside him when he's awake; our presence will be too unnerving. Please help me put him on the cart and we'll drive him to safety."

"Who's 'we'?" Subaru insisted, taking Alex in his arms again and motioning Seishiro to do the same.

"You'll meet Vlad soon; he's where we're going to put Alex in."

"I still need to know what you are." Seishiro's stern, untrusting voice clashed with Daniel's soft sweet one.

Daniel waited for them to place Alex on the cart. He climbed in as well, walking to Jacob and placing a soft hand on his shoulder, leaning in to tell the man they can drive off.

Jacob jerked away from the touch and shrugged it off once it lingered, clicking his horses to a canter.

Once on the move, Daniel climbed to the back of the cart and settled, legs folded, on the bottom by Alex. He placed Death's head in his lap and was running his fingers through the man's hair, looking down at him solemnly.

"You didn't answer my question." The sight of the obvious great care towards Alex softened Seishiro's tone a bit and lowered his suspicion of the man.

"I'm an angel, well, I used to be. I knew Alex once upon a time….a long time ago, in a very dark place. I'm sure you can guess where. I died on Alex and he never let go of my memory, he even looked for me in the spirit realms of his world.

"Then one day, as he traveled between worlds he found me. His reaction was not good, to say 'obsessive' would be sufficient. He was unable to tolerate my presence and what it reminded him of, but he needed me greatly. Then he left the world he was in, the world I was in, because he was taken to this place," The angel looked up, at the dark skies above, the moonbeams making his skin glow magically,

"I followed him and admitted myself to his heart, to keep it safe. It might sound enigmatic to you, but I assure you, it's just as mysterious for me."

"Then, if you're an angel, the world you met in was heaven?" Subaru spoke up.

"Yes."

"And you chose to leave it?"

"He needed me. No spirit is torn out of heaven without a great cost to its psyche. He needed my protection. In a sense, I was always looking down at him, making sure he stayed out for too great a trouble. This world, however, demanded more of my attention than ever."

"And what do you think of it, this world I mean; what happens in it, what it made Alex into?"

Daniel's face darkened even more and he ran his fingers slower through Death's hairs, "When I first met him I thought he was human, I thought he was just another one of us. After I died I learned more about him and was forced to watch him go through what led to his death, to the event which must happen so he'll become Death…"

"Like Kamui and Fuma had to have that wrong trial and made to stand corrected to become proper Justice," Subaru explained to Seishiro who was looking very, very confusedly at him, "Kamui told me that once. Maybe even Kigai-san has to go through something to truly become Love."

"Yes," Daniel sighed, "this is what they all have to go through."

"They all? 'They' as in 'Justice, Love and Death' or….or others?"

Daniel looked away, towards their driving direction, brushing the question off.

"Where are we going anyway?" Seishiro asked, edging a little towards the perched angel to grab his attention.

Daniel turned his eyes to Seishiro and they were once again filled with warmth and good, "Vlad found a cabin on the edge of the cliffs overlooking a place you call Dragon Valley. It is outside the City parameter and is considered not the City. You can put Alex there, he'll be safe there."

The onmyoujis stared at one another.

The wind blew coldly around them.

Daniel looked down at Alex and sighed.

Jacob drove the cart in tense silence, wishing to be home already and away from the angel.

Alex slept on.

* * *

The cabin Daniel described was not so much a cabin as much as it was a real house.

Belonging once to ancient guards who watched over the valley (which was always harbored by dragons, even before the current City's residence dared into it to realize what inhabited it) to make sure a long lost other city was not about to be attacked by the gigantic lizards.

It was two stories high and contained three rooms for dwelling, a small kitchen, a very large hall at its ground floor where the guards once had their briefings and meetings, and a small cramped smelly cellar.

The house has been so close to the boarder with Dragon Valley, one of its porches hanging directly above the abyss' drop, and kept so dark and cool that modern City dwellers who tried to get near it labeled it as probably haunted and stayed away from it.

It was, in fact, haunted; guarded by spirits of these ancient guards. These ghosts, silent and almost invisible most of the time, kept the house as it was during their stay in it; clean and neat. They used their ethereal faint powers to chase away spiders, roaches, rats and other pests; they even blew the dust off the beddings and furniture.

When Grim and Vlad stepped into the house they found it dark (for the curtains were drawn and the door blocked by wood and rock), cool, but well preserved.

The spirits who dwelled in the house, locked to its walls by their mental connections to the place, were released of their spiritual chains, commanded to leave the house free by Grim Reaper.

Now all that was left of the house were the walls and the furniture; perfect for Death's dwelling.

Each of the second floor's three rooms had a bed, a closet and a table of dark brown thick wood the kind that used to grown in the new City's current location. Each bed had a simple, thick mattress of wool and cotton farmers of the former City used to sheer off their other worldly sheep, and covered by clean crisp white linen sheets. These furniture were religiously kept from moth and age like only obsessed spirits can keep it, and the old guards were quite obsessive about their watch-post.

Finally dismissing Jacob of his unnerving taxi task, Daniel led the Alex-carrying onmyoujis off the cart and into the room. He walked around the main hall, reaching for ancient bee wax candles left there for centuries, and lit them one by one to slowly light up the house.

"Whoa…" Seishiro exhaled, "What is this place!"

"How did you find it?" Subaru whimpered in awe. Daniel' appearance, his words about Alex and his actions led him into quite a miserable state of near-childish gratefulness.

As the last candles in the furthest corner were lit, the founders of the house were revealed, causing the onmyoujis to startle and nearly drop Alex.

In the furthest corner, by curtain-drawn window, stood Grim and the dark knight, staring directly at them in the darkness.

Subaru and Seishiro, so frightened they backed off to the furthest wall from the due, stared back at them in horror.

Grim beamed a bright smile and walked towards them, using her scythe as a walking stick, "Hello mediums," she chirped with her British accent, "you better go up and put him in one of the rooms, eh?"

They obeyed, fleeing away from her as fast as they could. The laid Alex on a bed in the first room the found. Exiting the room, they lingered by the stone staircase, fearing to climb down to see the Grim Reaper.

"Oh, don't be afraid of me, I'm your friend."

"W-what are you! What is the other man! Where the fuck did you all pop out of!" Seishiro hissed, keeping Subaru behind his back protectively.

Grim walked to the bottom of the flight, staring up at them amusedly. Deep inside she drew great pleasure from frightening mortals like the onmyoujis and couldn't help giggling a little at their reaction.

"My name's the Grim Reaper and before you get any ideas into your heads that I'm here to collect you, rest assured; I'm merely here to help you help Alex. Now, be good boys and climb down here so we can talk a bit. I'll make you a cup of tea, how's that for a peace offering?"

"We're leaving." The vampire informed Grim, walking up the stairs (thus making Seishiro squeeze himself and Subaru against the wall to make room for this new being to pass by them with as little touching as possible).

Daniel followed suit.

She whimpered, "So fast?"

"Our job here is done. I want to go back to oblivious sleep, if you don't mind." Vlad grumbled.

Daniel stopped before the terrified onmyoujis, his wings' size forcing him to stand very close to them as the corridor was not very wide, "Thank you for your assistance, I would have had great trouble caring for Alex if it wasn't for you and that frightened friend of his."

"Y-you're welcome." Subaru mumbled, somewhat stifled by Seishiro's shoulder practically pressed against his face, "Are we going to meet again, ever?"

"Hopefully not." Daniel beamed and walked into the room following Vlad. They both vanished then, like ghosts leaving.

"Right, now, let's get talking then, shell we?" Grim chirped at them, rubbing her palms together.

* * *

Alex opened his eyes, and yelped in terror. He didn't know he was in a dream, which accounted for his startled reaction.

What he saw, when he opened his eyes, would obviously startle anyone who came from where he did. When he opened his eyes he realized he was in a cattle cart, _those_ cattle carts, so notorious in his memory. To add to that, he was dressed in his stripy uniforms, tattered and filthy as they were ages ago. It unnerved him, to say the least.

What was worse is that he was sitting near the cart's sliding door, curled up into a ball. He curled even more, pushing himself back into the corner. From his new position he could see, through the door, the concrete platform outside by the railroad. A shipment had just arrived, obviously from the train he was hiding in at the moment, and its people were already being sorted out into two groups, arranged in a five columns.

Dog barks, screams, yelps, whimpers, shouted orders; the usual sounds of the place in such a time seeped through the wood and the door and reached Alex' ears, frightening him even more.

He was still very unaware of the fact he was in a dream, and so Alex began whimpering, taking quick heavy breaths to try and calm himself, or simply give in to the hysteria.

Suddenly, the train jerked, and started moving backwards on the long railway. It was driving in reverse, or backwards, at an increasing speed.

Curled up in his corner, Alex stared out the door until it slammed shut with the cart's growing movement, slamming with an ominous rattle.

For a long moment the train drove, keeping Alex oblivious to its path in his sealed cart. The only hint of where he was going he could gather from the narrow windows, the view from them torn by thorny barb wire jammed in it. Through the windows he could see that the dim grey somber light of a cloudy east European sky was brightening, brightening and brightening still.

Into the windows' view came flashing green things, beaming with their vital color. Some branches even stuck into the windows, fluttering for seconds then getting ripped out by the train's movement.

'Branches!' Alex thought, 'Looked like some tropical plants, but what are they doing here!'

The train came to a startling, violent halt, throwing Alex out of his corner and flat on the filthy wooden floor. He stayed there, waiting to make sure the train definitely stopped.

When he assured himself it was definitely over, he pocked his head up, looking at the windows franticly. Outside the sun was strong, shining through a very visible wall of greenery. Sounds of birdsong, strange screeches of animals and the buzzing of summertime insects came along with the fierce sunshine.

Alex climbed to his feet unsurely, his crude wooden clogs clacking on the floor, and stumbled to the door. Where was he, that this damned train took him and was apparently tropical, he didn't know, and in a state of mind still oblivious to the fact that this was all a dream, he feared coming out.

Finally, he gathered enough courage and, with shaking hands, he pried the door open. It slid open as quickly as it was slammed shut, which was odd because usually these doors were locked from the outside and impossible to open from the inside.

This failed to bother him because his attention was completely drawn to what was revealed to him behind the door.

As soon as he opened it a lush jungle burst into his sight; beaming green plants rampaging everywhere, tall trees with creepers spun around them, flowers, bushes, the erratic movement of animals scurrying in the bush vibrating the branches, huge palm shaped leaves, strangely colored fruits and that amazing bright sunshine everywhere, exploded in Alex' eyes.

He blinked, overwhelmed, and shaded his eyes, as if trying to block the unusual sight. How did he get here, from that hell to a jungle!

Then he heard a man's voice, in a terrorizing scream, yelling away from him, "Speedo!" it said, "Speedo, speedo, speedo!" and the accent was definitely Japanese.

Alex poked his head out the door, looking to his left. He saw an Asian man, dressed in a soldier's uniform, lashing his whip at someone behind the cart.

Whoever it was, he was enjoying it, for Alex could hear him grunt and moan with pain.

Other voice crept into his ears; metallic beating by the hundreds, rocks being moved, heavy thuds of rock on rock, shuffling of feet and screams in Japanese everywhere ordering to work faster, harder or else.

Curiosity finally drew Alex out of his shock and he climbed off the cart gingerly, trying to cower towards the greenery to avoid being seen by the whipping soldier.

But as he tried to hide in the greenery he noticed that he didn't move it and didn't feel it; it went _through_ him. He was with the body of a ghost here.

Startled, shaken yet still powerfully curious, Alex stepped away from the jungle and forward, towards what lay beyond his vehicle.

The cart stood there still; obviously invisible to the people in this strange location for no one noticed it even if they were staring right at it. With its dark wood and its dirt, it stood out like a sore thumb in the sunny, colorful environment, so Alex put it behind him and moved on to investigate this new location.

He was at a railway in process of building, teeming with work. All around him European-looking men were toiling to build the railway, crushing g rocks to flatten the ground, carrying long metal strips to form the railway, placing sleepers in a neat straight row. They were dressed in tattered khaki uniform of various designs with several common features; their pants were short, their heavy boots short and topped by a shortly folded sock. Some of them missed an item or two, some wore wide brimmed kaki hats folded on one side, some wore officers' peak cap hats, some still had ranks of shiny metal glinting dirtily in the strong sun.

All these men were skinny, filthy; obviously overworked and underfed. Yet they toiled relentlessly, often dragging their feet with exhaustion, but performing their duty.

They did not perform this task without a force to drive them for it, the same force Alex heard screaming. On both sides of the column of scattered workers, often crossing into the line of the assembled railway, were the Asian guards. These either stood aside or supervised the work; others screamed, whipped and kicked at the workers, some others simply patrolled around the workers, one hand held behind their back with a bamboo cane or a whip ready for operation in case they'll see something they don't like.

In a small makeshift tent to the right of the work scene sat a small bespectacled Asian man, lurched over a small rickety table on which blueprints and maps were scattered. He was attended to by one of the guards who looked very obviously as an officer of whatever army these guards belong to. These two were talking amongst themselves, often pointing at the papers and then at the workers or the railway itself, speaking in Japanese.

Alex walked into the tent, still slightly sneakily in case of the men will be able to see him, and looked at what they were doing. They were planning the railway, most obviously, but none of the maps could tell Alex where he was or how the hell this railway was connected to where he came from.

He stepped out of the tent and walked amongst the workers some more, squinting at their uniform, their sweaty faces and their sunburned flesh. He managed to gather a few conclusions from their patches and ranks; they were British soldiers, Australians, several Scotsmen, few Dutch (which he only realized as they spoke to one another in their soft jiggered language), several were Americans.

As they spoke hushed, or hoarsely to one another, their accents in English assured Alex of his conclusions, which only worked to confuse him more.

He was with his back to something now, something that required his attention for his senses were pulling him to turn around.

He did, and emitted a long gasp. Someone was standing with his back to him, crushing the ground into leveled flatness with a heavy tool and that someone was _glowing_ lively green.

It was obviously not a glow that came from his body, but more of an aura; the kind his Men and Creatures saw when they looked at him and Alex realized it without even thinking about it. This person, though oblivious to the aura as was his surrounding, was _Death_.

He was tall, broad, dressed in tattered mucky khaki like the rest, with the short trousers and the wide hat folded on one side, hiding under it a short main of golden curls.

Alex blinked at this man, stunned at the strange view. To add to his stunning, another ghost appeared by the man's side; a young man, dressed like him, only frailer looking and pale, his big blue eyes staring miserably at the working man. His outfit was clean and neat, though at his chest a red dot and a hole marked a cause of death. This young man, with innocent, childish face and a small pink pouting mouth, frowned worriedly at the working man, his own ghastly aura mixed with the green light coming from the one he was watching.

Then the young man turned his eyes to Alex, seeing him immediately. He stared at Alex in miserable silence, reaching to the man before him, trying to grab his sleeves in a gesture so weak and innocent he seemed like a child tugging on his mother's dress. Indeed, the young man looked like a child by the working man's side for the bigger man towered almost two heads above him, he would tower even higher over Alex if they stood by each other.

The young man turned his big eyes to Alex again and his lips moved, his voice soft and almost inaudible, but Alex could not make out the words.

The sound was swallowed by something; noise, silence, a headache which gripped Alex suddenly.

And a figure came into his view suddenly, taller than Alex, dark and ominous. It was a long black cape which hid its body though through the line in its middle Alex could make out a chest armor flashing orange and red. The figure had a mask on its face which hid most of it from Alex, save for his lips, though he could make out big orange eyes the same shape and size as his.

The figure smiled, slashing two long fangs in its mouth, and spoke to him, its voice deep like it came from the depths of hell,

"No, not yet." It said.

The dream was gone, its edges burning white and gone as soon as the figure walked before Alex, until the whiteness overtook everything and all was gone.

When all was white and gone Alex opened his eyes again, this time into reality.

* * *

The room around him was dark mostly, illuminated only by a candle lying on a table to the right of his bed. To the left of his bed was Subaru, perched on his bed, Alex' palm in his. He was running his fingers down Alex', eyes focused on the digits.

The onmyouji raised his eyes to his Death' face and noted his awakening, "Alex!" a wonderful smile flashed on his face, lighting his jade eyes more than the candle's twinkle ever could, "Good morning."

Alex frowned at the onmyouji, still trying to figure out the dream he just had.

But it was fading, escaping his memory like sand through his fingers, and soon he couldn't remember much of it; the jungle, the cattle cart, the whipping guard, the green aura and that young man's face, lips moving yet unspeaking.

"Are you feeling alright?" Subaru squeezed his hand gently as he noticed Alex' attention was drifting.

"I had a dream…but I can't remember anything from it now. Someone came in and interrupted…"

"Kakyou?"

"No…something else…it was me…I think…but it didn't look like me….it said 'not yet'…"

"What did you dream about?"

Alex shuddered, looking at the candle as if looking for a light as bright and powerful as that in his dream, "I-I can't remember now…like someone pulled it out of my memory…"

Subaru silenced, looking towards the door. Seishiro sensed Alex had woken up and came to the doorstep.

He stayed there for a moment, staring at Alex and Subaru, and then finally sauntered into the room.

"How long have I slept?"

The onmyoujis exchanged looks.

"Oh, it seems like such a long time. Two, almost three days now." Subaru was the one to answer.

"Where am I?"

"You're in a house by the Dragon Valley cliff…well, _on_ the Dragon Valley cliff is more accurate." Seishiro settled on the bed on Alex's other side.

"Why am I here, how did I…"

"We brought you here. The City Council decided to banish you for what you've…" Subaru's speech faltered, "what's the last thing you remember?"

Alex looked away, his face darkening, "I remember how they put me to sleep, and the damage I did to the City. For that they only banished me!"

"They wanted to kill you," Seishiro's voice was charged with anger, "but…well…we kind of brought people to talk them out of it."

"Who?"

"Charlie to tell them how the City would have died of famine if you didn't bring the food from the Light Side and of how you sent Lestate to heal Karen and Sorata…" Subaru looked to the floor, pondering on how to say the name to Alex, "A-also…Kamui and Fuma came, to speak as Justice about how Kamui saw you make the Anthrax land queen give you food…"

Alex sank into silence. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

After a long pause he spoke again, "So, now I'm banished."

"Yes, but we'll be living with you," Subaru's tone brightened, "Seishiro decided he doesn't want to live in that house anymore," he exchanged looks with Seishiro's bitter hating one, "so we've moved in here, there's plenty of room for everyone. This house is surprisingly large. Also, it's not very far away from Anthony's house so Seishiro won't have to ride too much every morning and…."

"And you?" Alex opened his eyes again, looking pointedly at Subaru, "the main City where the Rescue Team patrols start is far from here, you'll have almost an hour's walk everyday."

Subaru looked away, his eyes hardening suddenly, "I quitted the Rescue Team. I don't know what I'm going to do from now on, but I don't want to be in the Rescue Team anymore. I don't know why, it just irritates me."

"They fought him, that's why." Seishiro grumbled.

"They had to," Alex sighed, "I was going to wipe out the whole place. Besides, Yuzuriha didn't fight me. She refused to. I aught to find a way to thank her for that later."

"How? You can't enter the City, or they'll kill you."

"Where is my sword?" Alex looked around the room, sitting up to have a better perspective. He spotted his suit of armor laying on a smalls sofa in the far corner in the room. There he spotted the sword, safe and sound.

A sly smile spread on his face, "They can't kill me. However, I don't want to tease them, whoever they are."

"Good. I want you to relax a little." Subaru half-heartedly ordered his Death.

"Ah, relax. I wish I could. David needs me, and there's Yuzuriha to pay back to. Also the vampires I need to feed. Lestate's been made very weak…"

"So did you," the Sakurazukamori's words came out hard and impatient, "you need to relax!"

Alex' face darkened, twitching almost, "Yes, I've noticed. I lost a lot of strength in that….attack….I need to gather my strength back…"

Subaru rose to his feet, "Yes, you certainly do. So, how's a late night dinner as starters? I brought some food from home a while ago, I can whip up something."

Seishiro also climbed to his feet, already wrapping an arm around Subaru's waist, "You mean I'll cook us something; we know you're not the best of cooks…."

Subaru glared back.

"I'll cook something to myself, and thank you for the food." Alex sighed, throwing the blanket off of him and leaping off the bed to block the onmyoujis' way to the door, "What you need is a rest." They opened their mouths in protest, "I said go to sleep, or I'll make you do it!"

"Ah, that's the good old Alex we know." Subaru beamed.

"Did you eat dinner?"

"Yes, mother, we did. The old Alex alright." Seishiro sighed.

"Good, now go to bed!"

"Yes mom."

"Right, goodnight boys!"

"Goodnight mother!"

Alex sighed, shaking his head, and climbed down the staircase to find the kitchen and prepare himself a meal. Half his mind was still busy with trying to recall and understand the strange dream.

(tbc)

* * *

Good lord! I didn't mean it to be that long! I didn't! 


	43. Resurrection part 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** Many thanks to Cocoke5 (Thank youuuuuuu!), LadyoftheBlackWings (I'll sort out all the confusions later, don't worry. There's some big chunk of plot waiting to come out It's Hellsing's Vlad, available in the yet unpublished but already scanlated volumes 8 and 9 of Hellsing. Yup, one of the guards who attacked the convoy in the Land of Anthrax was Joan of Arc, the purple nurse is Nuriko from Fushigi Yuugi Thank you!), to my beloved Kyouchan (Haven't heard from you in a while, is everything OK? Vlad Tepes? Eh? Oh, my, you're making me blush. Though I wouldn't say stroke, more like losing your sanity by the grams. Oh my…) and to Sesshy's Girl 00 (Yup, a strange dream, but a very meaningful one. Think about it. Thank you!).

**Youz Guyz out there:** A NEW WORLD IS GOING TO CHANGE A FEW STUFF IN ITS CHAPTERS DUE TO IT'S BETA-ING SO, WHEN I SAY, CHECK OUT THE CHAPTERS AND SEE THE CHANGES! YAYS!

**Author's request:** Since the fic's going to go through some massive renovations, I think you aught to inform me of what you want. If there's something that irks you/you want to see happening/you don't want to see happening/would like to see more of inform me via reviews or email and I'll work on it for the new and improved version.

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**Chapter 43 – Resurrection (part 2)**

Subaru grabbed the big clay tub and dragged it to the back yard of his new home. The clay tub was heavy and his lower back complained about the weight. Subaru sighed and grumbled just at the prospect of filling the thing with water and herbal detergent, let lone to bring all his and Seishiro's laundry here.

Yet the simple chore gave him the opportunity to kill time and do something useful as he waited for Alex to wake up and keep him company. Laundry was a good thing to kill time with.

He let the clay tub down to the yellowish hard ground with a thump and walked into the house to get the clay jug and fill the tub with water. The small pack of detergent was in his pocket.

This house was so strangely equipped with everything a person living in it would need, yet it was completely abandoned for ages. Guarding spirits or not, it still seemed odd to Subaru that everything was preserved in mint condition in the house; from linens to kitchen utilities. Even the primitive looking paintings on coarse cotton fabrics hanging in the large living room were preserved wonderfully, the dye smeared on it still vibrant with colors.

Once the tub was filled and the detergent fully dissolved in the water, omitting a powerful mint odor, Subaru turned to bring the laundry; every item of clothing he and Seishiro have been wearing for the past two weeks, some still bearing the scent of sea air, some still soaked with sweat from the Bright Side's desert. Life was strange.

Subaru dumped the huge pile in the water and settled at the tub's edge, folding up his sleeves and dipping his hands in the tub to massage and soak up the laundry.

"Good morning." Alex' voice tore Subaru out of his thoughts of guardian spirits and the new house. It sounded dull and sleepy, turned off in a sense.

Subaru shot a glace across his shoulder and beamed at Death, "Good morning! How did you sleep?"

Alex shrugged, sticking his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a cream colored Russian-styled farmers' tunic and long waving black work pants. He walked barefoot on the sandy hard earth, small feet advancing on tip toe. His hair reached the middle of his shoulders, waving in the gentle wind thinly. "Okay I guess. Did you see any rocks around here?"

"Rocks?"

"Yeah. I need to eat some. Woke up feeling faint and dizzy." The last sentence Alex said quietly, almost slurring.

"A-ah…um…maybe over there?" the onmyouji pointed towards a slip in the ground, where the cliffs began forming as cracks in the earth.

"Hmn."

Subaru followed Death with his eyes, slowly continuing his treatment to the laundry.

Alex looked so fragile and weak suddenly, as if the wind's about to swipe him away any moment. The gentle breeze blew in his hair and clothes and for a moment Subaru dreaded Death will really disappear on the wind's back before his eyes.

He was feeling weak and dizzy, Subaru pondered, which means that he really was getting weaker, it was not just his and Seishiro's paranoid suspicions. Was it the effort of ruining the City that spent so much of Alex' energy, or is it a more spiritual fatigue stemming from his defeat and his final loss of Kamui?

Alex came back, carrying a large pile of yellowish and bronze-red rocks. He slumped down by Subaru, bringing the stones to his mouth and munching through them slowly.

"You look like you're eating onigiri." Subaru laughed lightly, "Some of those rocks are even shaped like onigiri."

A faint smile tugged at Alex's lips, failing to stretch into a full beam, "Yeah, guess it's our kind of onigiri. It's not much of a meal, though." He stared at the rock in his hand, "No minerals, no radioactive matters. Just lots of sand crystals. Oh well." He sighed.

Subaru stared solemnly at the man, turning his gaze back to the laundry to try and recollect his thoughts.

"So, how did you find this place?"

Subaru whipped his eyes to Alex, "W-what?"

Alex poked the half-eaten rock he was holding towards the bulky house, "This house, how did I get here, how did you find it?"

"Ah…uh…well…" Will he believe him if Subaru said he saw this house while one of his Rescue Team patrols? Grim had told them to avoid talking about Vlad and Daniel, but how would he lie to Alex?

Oh no, he has to tell him everything. Subaru sighed. No, he can't lie, not to Alex nor to anyone.

"There's a creature, or a woman, I-I don't know what she is…"

"Grim Reaper?"

Subaru mouthed for a moment, "Yes! How do you know?"

"I can sense her."

"What is she?" Subaru's voice came out small and childish, frightened.

Alex smiled faintly again, amused, "Back in my world, a long, long time ago," he looked towards the Valley with distant eyes, "Grim Reaper was my helper, one of my minions, so to speak. She was a creature who collects people's souls the moment they died. I never quite managed to understand how she gets to everyone who ever dies around the world, but then again she was rarely available and always busy, so maybe that makes sense. I don't know.

"At first, when I was making my first steps as Death, she'd show me to all the creatures and people I have to take care of; arranging meetings with all the vampire representatives and showing me to the realm of dead spirits and stuff.

"She made sure I knew how to control all my powers; to make blood, to bring the dead back to the surface and make them move and speak again, stuff like that. Then, when she was sure I knew enough of everything, she just went off and I wouldn't seen her much.

"If I was in trouble, or had a problem with something, I could summon her, to ask for her advice and stuff. She was always available for that, even when I traveled through time to different periods in my world's history she'd be there if I needed her."

"You time traveled in your world? With what?"

Alex heaved a small laughter and buried his eyes in the ground, "There was an organization called the Time Army in my world, it had time traveling technology, for education's sake only. Sometimes," he shook his head a little awkwardly, "sometimes I'd 'borrow' their equipment."

"The people in your world could travel through time? And they did it only for education's sake!"

"Well, not everyone knew about this technology, you see. It was a top secret project and only the smartest, stronger, most moral people were allowed to work there and only a few of those were actually allowed to reach out and 'touch' the different parts of time's fabric. These lucky few were highly monitored to make sure they're not doing anything stupid with history.

"You see, all the Time Army wanted to do was to study human history and see what really happened where. That's all they wanted. Me, I wanted to change history, so I got into a little bit of trouble with them. Ah, but it's a long and silly story. I'd rather not talk about it."

"Pity," Subaru sighed, "it sounded really interesting."

"Hmn."

Subaru stood up, pulling the items in the tub out one by one, squeezing the water out of them. Each item he took to the (rather abnormally sized) laundry rack by the abyss' edge, and hung it there.

"Subaru,"

The onmyouji turned from Seishiro's pair of black pants number five, "Yes?"

"Grim Reaper is the only one who helped you?"

Subaru turned back to the pants, busying himself with straightening each trunk and bettering the clip's grip on the line and pants. "Uh…um…."

"Or was there anyone else with you? Grim can't organize anything for the life of her; she's horrible with handling a team, she's a lone worker. The house's full of prints from ancient spirits who used to live here, she must have been too busy getting them all out to help you bring me here."

Subaru walked towards Alex, folding his arms on his chest insecurely, "You know there were more than Grim….you sensed something, am I right?"

Alex stared at Subaru squarely, a fuzzy confusion fogging his dim eyes, "Yes. I sensed a very old, very powerful vampire…and also…something very good, very pure…"

Subaru looked away. He won't lie; he'll break his promise to Grim.

"What was it, Subaru? Who helped you bring me here?" Alex' voice was pleading.

"When we brought you out of the jail we were carrying you in our arms and didn't know where we could possibly go that would not be in the City territory. We thought of bringing you to the forest where Kakyou lives, but we weren't sure.

"While we were standing outside the jail suddenly Jacob came over with his carriage, and another man with him. This man had big angle wings, well; he said he was an angel…"

Alex' eyes grew huge, staring into Subaru as if the man was about to tell him the greatest secret in the universe. Slowly, he climbed to his feet, the rocks tumbling out of his lap, redundant and forgotten.

"He wore a dirty shirt and pants…well…of those…uh…prisoners, like yours and David's and Jacob's and…"

Alex grabbed the onmyouji by the shoulders, "Who was it? What was his name?"

"Daniel. He said his name was Daniel…"

A powerful tremor grabbed Death's body, his eyes tearing. "Daniel?" he exhaled, in disbelieve, stumbling backwards, "Daniel…you saw Daniel? He was here! Did he speak to you? Did he say where he is?"

"He lives within you. He's you guardian spirit of sorts…I…I didn't catch the whole name, it was in the end of a very long day and I was a little shaken by everything…I'm sorry…" Subaru's eyes tingled with tears as well. Why didn't he remember more of this Daniel!

"_Within_ me? What do you mean?"

"He lives inside your heart, waiting for the time you'll need his help, like yesterday. He then came out and helped me and Seishiro bring you here. He…was very nice, very kind to you. When we rode in the carriage to this house he held your head in his lap and…"

"_Waiting for the time I need him! _Oh, **god damn it! **How many time I needed him and couldn't find him? Too many times! Why didn't he pop out then!" Alex kicked at the rocks he dropped, "All the times I just needed his comfort, just needed to know he was _there_, that he wasn't gone…" his fingers were shaking powerfully as he ran them through his hair, "I looked for him for so long…so hard! **_If only I knew!_**"

He fell to the ground, crouching and burying his head in his hands, scratching at his scalp.

Subaru hurried to Alex's side, wrapping his arms around the ball of a Death, "Oh god, they asked me not to tell you about them….Oh, why did I do it! Stupid Subaru, stupid, stupid Subaru!"

Alex whipped his head up, eyes bloodshot, "No, Subaru, you didn't do anything bad! I….now that I know Daniel's been here all the time….at least I know where he is, at least I know he's safe."

"But you're crying!"

"I…I miss him…I wish I could talk to him again….god I miss him so much….but, at least I know he's okay."

Subaru beamed a tearful brilliant smile at Death, "He's right here, Alex," he laid his palm on Death's chest, "in your heart, watching over you."

Alex sobbed, smiling bitterly, "Yes…I suppose….and to think that I was the one to look after him once….a long, long time ago…" he sighed, bringing his gaze to the far off horizon again.

Subaru wrapped his arms tighter around Death, bringing the man's head to his chest.

"Subaru, who else was there? The vampire, who was it?"

"The vampire you killed while you were looking for Kamui. Victoria's master. Is it not him? His name was Vlad."

"Yes." Alex sighed deeply, "It's him. Though how he got in there, I don't know. So, I carry him around in me as well." He laughed faintly, "At least….at least he's in some kind of peace….I hope…."

Subaru ran his fingers through Death's silky thin hair, "Yes, he is. I'm sure he is. And so is Daniel."

Alex' arms wrapped around Subaru, embracing him strongly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Seiiiii-saaaaaaan!"

Seishiro had only enough time, as he walked into Jacob's stable, to look at this day's patient before Kazuki leaped on him, throwing her arms around him, jumping up and down.

He found that he was returning the hug, quite fondly actually, patting her back softly. This was awkward, but not at all unwelcome. After the last couple of days where almost everyone glared at him with blame, it was nice to have someone welcome him so happily, be so glad of his return.

Anthony, who was kneeling beside the huge brown horse he was treating, climbed to his feet, gesturing for Seishiro to come closer.

"Ah, it's good to have you back with us, Seishiro. We needed an extra hand, we did. Didn't we, Kazuki?"

The bioroid turned huge offended eyes to the elderly man, "I thought I was enough of help."

"Oh you were, my dear, you were great help. But, you know, sometimes I needed an extra professional by me. You did great help to me, Kazuki dear, trust me you did."

She beamed at him happily, and then turned to Seishiro, "I studied how to be a veterinarian while you were away." She thrust her chin up proudly, hands held behind her back, bouncing on the balls of her feet slowly.

"Oh?"

"Yes," Anthony patted Kazuki's lower back gently, "She can stitch even the most complicated wounds, she can take blood, she can feel for embryo problems, she can check for dental problems. And soon, soon, she'll be able to make castrations all on her own."

That was impressive! Seishiro never imagined Kazuki's will to be useful would be so strong that she'd already be able to master such things. To think he had to go to university for almost seven grueling years to learn what Kazuki's learning through work and fun here.

"That is quite amazing, really. You….really do your best to learn…uh…yes….well done, Kazuki-chan…"

"Thank you!"

"Er…could you get back to the horse, please?" Jacob sighed. He was holding the horse by its rains, keeping its head towards him and staring at the beast worriedly. "He's only having some stomach problems, get it over with quickly."

"Yes, yes, in a minute." Anthony tried waving the man off.

"No, this horse doesn't like strangers, he's very edgy. Ever since he got snowed in he's even edgier. He's always been a biter…just…"

"Oh, alright. And here we were, trying to have a reunion." Anthony wadded his way towards the horse through the hay and soft earth which covered the horse shed's open hall. Seishiro and Kazuki followed suit.

"Ah, it's good to be back here." Seishiro sighed, placing his bag on the floor, at a safe distance from the horse.

Kazuki hurried to kneel by Seishiro's bag, opening it and pulling his neatly folded coat and gloves, "Did you miss us?"

The Sakurazukamori was stuck silent with awkwardness. Did he miss _them_? Well, he did miss the ease of this job and the chance to work in something he really liked deep inside, in a fresh and open environment rather than one like his clinic back in his world. But did he miss Anthony and Kazuki? Was he _capable_ of it?

Kazuki was drilling holes in his with her imploring child's eyes, and his awkwardness grew.

"Uh…"

"One day," Anthony came to his colleague's rescue as he began walking around the horse to listen to its bowels from another direction, "when I'll be gone, you and Kazuki will run this service alone. She'll be a fellow veterinarian one day, a well skilled one, mark my words."

The next moment, as Anthony walked behind the horse, the great beast lashed its rear leg at the man, hitting him directly. The horse didn't give even the slightest sign that it was about to do so, besides the sudden tremor that went through its body as it unleashed its powerful limb at the man.

Anthony came flying on the soft ground, lying still forever.

"**_ANTHONY!_**"

Kazuki leaped towards the elderly vet, grabbed by the arm and yanked back powerfully by Seishiro.

Jacob dragged the horse towards him, cursing and complaining, allowing Seishiro and Kazuki safe passage to the man on the ground.

Seishiro had to hold Kazuki fast as she tried to forcefully squirm out of his grip to run to Anthony's side, crying hysterically and screaming the man's name.

Slowly, they progressed towards him, kneeling at his side. One hand wrapped around Kazuki to restrain her, Seishiro reached his other hand to turn Anthony over gently for the man had fallen on his hurt side.

There was a distinct large, hoof-shaped hole in the side of Anthony's skull, slowly blackening around crushed bones and inwardly flowing blood. Luckily, the skin was not broken and a great sight of horror was spared from the two.

Still, it was not a pleasant sight at all. Seishiro grabbed the bioroid's head and buried her face in his shoulder, humming a "Don't look, you don't want to see." At her softly.

Then he turned to Jacob who was already tying a better behaved horse to his cart, "I need a ride to the infirmary."

Jacob nodded, "I warned him the horse was edgy, I did, you heard me."

"No one's blaming you."

"To walk behind a horse like that…"

Seishiro gave Jacob a deadly glare, cocking his head at Kazuki who was now reduced to a whimpering, sobbing mess.

Jacob grumbled in silence.

- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -

The Infirmary was still not at all done with the task of fixing everything Death's attack on the City broke.

Rescue Team members who were not on patrol were asked to come and volunteer in the infirmary as nurses whenever they have the time for it. This was not quite a request for help, but a direct order from the City Council, not leaving much choice for the Team's members. 'whenever they had the time' meant from sunrise to sundown if they were not on patrol that day and on days they had patrols they worked the same hours, only with an hour's break before and after each patrol.

Yet, without these straining shifts, the treatment to all the attack's victims would have taken much longer, thus making the patients suffer longer and more.

As Jacob's cart pulled up to the building, Karen was having a cigarette break near the door, staring at the City and pondering about the hole in the middle and how would the Rescue Team ever find a new place to dwell in. She had her home, but Ace and Spike were still homeless.

For now citizens with houses undamaged were asked to 'adopt' a Rescue Team member if they had room for it. The meeting place for shift exchanges for patrols was in the very center of the City, where the Team's house once stood.

Ace and Spike were living with a large family of one husband, two wives (this was the center of many ironic inner jokes for Karen Spike and Ace) and twelve children. It was always noisy, always dirty and something was always cooking, spreading strong odors around the house, which Ace was quickly growing intolerant to.

Karen looked to the frays of the City, to the houses abandoned by citizens who died in the famine, and wondered if she could find a place just for the three of them there. She was already growing too awkward with living with Kazuki and Yuzuriha. Not that the girls' company was bad; it's just that they were so mentally younger than her and she was…well…not adjusted to it.

When the crazy-paced work in the infirmary will be over she'll go and have a look at all the abandoned houses. There aught to be some very decent ones out there. Though she'll have to ask Subaru to exorcise the place before they'll move in.

She couldn't stand the thought of living in a house possessed still by the ghosts of its former occupant. And lately, Karen's been having the feeling that ghosts were always watching over her, especially in her sleep. She could feel something else was always there.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed Jacob's cart rolling towards her, with Seishiro and Kazuki sat at the back. She remembered Kazuki being very energetic and happy this morning, talking about how Seishiro was going to start working with her again and how pleased she was about it (not that Karen quite understood why the girl would be so happy to work with the Sakurazukamori), but now Karen's senses told her something was wrong.

She hoped the two's arrival at the infirmary didn't mean Kazuki was hurt.

As soon as the cart came to a stop Seishiro leaped off it, taking Kazuki with him by the wrist. He walked towards Karen and pushed Kazuki into her arms, "Keep her with you, don't let her get in or anything."

Kazuki slammed into Karen, grabbing the woman into a powerful hug and bursting with tears.

Shaken, the firemaster hurried to return a protective hug (as protective as she could, for Kazuki was taller than her) "Kazuki-chan! What happened, sweetheart?"

"An-tho-ny," the bioroid hiccupped, "H-he got ki-icked b-b-by a ho-rse."

"Oh no…"

"He, he, he's d-de-_dea-hea-hea-heeaaad_." The girl finally succumbed into incoherent sobbing, wailing and whimpering miserably.

Karen buried the bioroid's head in her shoulder, combing the white hairs with her long fingers "Oh, baby."

Meanwhile, Seishiro walked into the infirmary to get a stretcher to carry Anthony's body to the cemetery. The only reason he asked Jacob to drive them the healing side of the building was to avoided having Kazuki arrive directly to the cemetery. He knew it was likely Karen would be in the infirmary, so he brought them there to keep Kazuki busy while he brings Anthony's body away.

As he and David walked out with the stretcher and carried the body in the infirmary, Karen stole a glance at the deceased veterinarian and winced. Poor Kazuki, she had to see it happen.

Seishiro lingered around in the infirmary, filling all the paperwork and reporting to the infirmary staff of what happened. Anthony had no living relatives in the City and no one to do this for him.

Seishiro went to the Noters' office to fill a form about how and when Anthony died and sign it. Then he had to wait for all the copies of the form to be made and filed in the right places, all the while having to stand Yuuto's frequent soul-searching glances.

The Sakurazukamori avoided eye contact with Love, preferring to not think of what it means when Love stares at you so powerfully. Luckily for Seishiro, Yuuto made no attempt at conversation.

When the paperwork was done, Seishiro walked out to the cemetery, where David was still busy with the pile of corpses.

"Uh, I have some more stuff to bury. I'll make a grave and drop you a note when I'm about to put him in, so you can arrange a funeral. Or something." The undertaker shot at Seishiro, too busy carving a particularly insistent lump of stone out of the ground where he was trying to dig a grave.

"Yes. You do that."

"Hmn. How's Alex?"

"He woke up last night, just in time, too."

"Yeah, sensed it."

"Seems fine. Ate something as soon as he woke up, sent us to bed."

"Hmn."

"He was still asleep when I left this morning."

"Ah. Okay. I'll drop in for a visit this evening, Victoria's in a shift today."

"Yes." Realizing he has better things to do, Seishiro turned around and headed back to Kazuki.

The bioroid was still in Karen's arms when he walked to the small bench where, a day ago, Subaru and Charlie spoke of justice and Death. Karen and Kazuki sat there now, still locked in an embrace.

Slowly, awkwardly, Seishiro walked up to the two and sat by their side, near Kazuki. Anthony's death came so sudden; Seishiro himself was still in a bit of a shock over it.

Kazuki's condition bothered him, bothered him more than he was willing to admit. He didn't like seeing her childish innocent tears, her heartfelt ache at Anthony's sudden death.

Sensing him by her, Kazuki removed her head from Karen's bosom and leaped into his arms, adopting the same position as with Karen.

This took both Karen and Seishiro by surprise.

Seishiro, though he presumed Kazuki might do it, did not expect her to truly think he could offer her any true consolations; that anyone would think so, actually.

Karen was stunned at how much trust and emotion Kazuki's invested in Seishiro, and how she turned to treat him as a father figure.

It was true; Kazuki had found fostering parents in this dimension, and she chose two of the most mismatched people out there. Karen as a mothering figure was a pretty understandable notion to anyone who knew her well enough, but Seishiro for a father figure was beyond any line of logic anyone could come up with.

Yet, Kazuki was something Seishiro needed very much, even if he would never be made to admit it. He liked her clear vision of things, her devotion, her strong willpower and her ever so surprising wit. She was a good girl, a smart girl and often not at all a girl, but already a woman.

Also, she was the only thing that loved with without being bound to him through his former duty as Sakurazukamori. She wasn't bound to him through Death or through onmyoujitsu; she grew fond of him for who he was. Truly for who he was in this new and emotional version he was still so very insecure about. Deep down inside, Seishiro needed it like air.

"David said he'll drop us a note when he'll be ready to bury Anthony-sensei. We'll have a funeral." He spoke now, to both women.

Kazuki burst into another fit of sobs, clinging harder to Seishiro's suit and the white doctor's coat, which he forgot to take off with the sudden change of events.

"…Uh…there there….Kazuki-chan…."

Karen leaned back into the bench, softly shaking her head with disbelief but also very, very pleased.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sun was setting beautifully, the air was sweet with the fragrance of daisies, blowing gently and ever so softly through their hairs and the low growing flowers; the weather was cool and delightful. Love and his small group gathered at the tea table.

Venus brought a trey of tea for them all, china cups rattling on the silver trey. Yuuto poured them all some, brushing off Watari's offer to do it, and sat down to get to business.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have before us the greatest task our small team has ever faced;" Yuuto's opening words were accompanied by strong bright green eyes a charismatic, charming smile, "to handle Death."

Vash moved uncomfortably on his chair.

"Now, before I unfold the full extent of our problem, I'd like you to tell me anything on your mind in this subject, anything." Yuuto waited for his people to speak, running his eyes over them, one by one.

"Uh...I have something to say." Vash raised his hand sheepishly.

"Yes, Vash-san."

"Well….uh…I…um…this 'aint got nothin' to do with him and love or anything but….uh…well…I was just wondrin', if I might be able to meet him….I…I kinda need to apologize."

Yuuto leaned back into his fancy white chair, fingers interwoven on the table, "I can see where you're coming from. I believe Subaru and Sakurazuka-san have him in a house not far from him, on the boarder to the Dragon Valley. I'm sure he'll be glad to…uh…see you."

Vash looked away, slumping in his chair, "Not so sure 'bout that, boss. Not so sure at all." His long legs were reaching Watari's neatly folded ones and as the young man teasingly rubbed his foot against Vash's shin the gunman leaped to sit up in his chair.

Yuuto moved uncomfortably in his seat, "Right, anyone else? Watari-kun, something you want to say?"

Watari snapped to attention after focusing a very obvious leer at Vash, he stared at Yuuto with big confused eyes, "Uh…nope. Well. I can always sneak up to his room, play with him a little, I guess."

Yuuto found the idea of Watari shifting his sudden focus from Vash to someone else appealing," It's a thought, but what role will you take?"

"Kamui, naturally; it's who he's looking for."

Love sighed, "No. Kamui's the last person Alex needs right now. What he needs is some good detoxifying, get that boy out of his system."

"I'm not sure that's possible, boss," Vash lamented, "that boy's gotten under Alex' skin and he don't seem to want to budge from there."

"He wants to budge, he wants to run away." Blue Fairy chipped in, "Kamui loves Fuma, remember, and the both of them want to be rid of this whole unhappy affair as soon as possible."

Yuuto took another, deep sigh, "If only I knew the roots to this problem, why Alex' so insistent on Kamui of all people. I mean, the two of them have nothing in common and aside for his beauty, Alex really has nothing else to find in Kamui."

"Well then why did they get along so well when they were together?" Watari inquired.

"Oh, because Alex was desperate for Kamui's love and…well…he's one of those people who will do anything to please the ones they love, even shape their whole personality around them."

"Hmm." Blue Fairy folded her arms on her chest, "It didn't seem like that to me. What I read from Alex was more possession than real love."

"How do you mean?"

Fairy leveled a strong gaze at Yuuto, "It seemed he wanted to _keep_ the boy rather than be in a real relationship with him. What I read from the looks he'd give Kamui was more like someone coveting a precious and beautiful piece of jewelry, or an exotic pet. He wanted to have Kamui by him, but was not really, truly interested in listening to the boy, knowing him."

"I'm afraid I don't agree with you." Vash leaned forward on the table, frowning at Blue Fairy, "I've seen Alex perform great feats of courage for Kamui, from the fact that he dragged that boy's ass halfway across this world, then halfway back, to dragging his own ass through all those dimension. I tell you," he poked the table with his finger resolutely, "when I first met Alex and he'd speak about that boy there was this twinkle in his eyes that said 'love' not 'possession'."

"I agree with the both of you." Venus declared suddenly. She was sitting with her arms folded tightly around her, to keep Vash from ogling at her too much, and was very silent so far. Then she sat up and released her words powerfully.

"How do you mean?" Blue Fairy frowned, "We're both right?"

"Yes. As you know, my husband Jacob's a friend of Alex. When Kamui first came here and him and Alex got together they'd drop by for dinner from time to time, family events, you know.

"Back then I remember looking at them and thinking 'how wonderful! They love each other so much!' I adored how devoted they were to one another, how they really, truly loved each other.

"But when they came back into this dimension something changed in Alex, and I no longer saw that true, pure love. I saw possession, deep rooted and masked with thoughts of love, but possession altogether. I looked at Alex and wondered 'what could have happened to him that he became so frantic about Kamui, what made him so hard, so cruel?'

"If you'd tell me, during the first day they came back here, that this rampage over Kamui would happen, I wouldn't be surprised at all. I _saw_ it in his eyes; he would have destroyed everything if it meant he could build a palace to lock Kamui in, so the boy wouldn't be able to run away from him and be his forever."

The small group stared at the goddess in silence, taking her words in.

"So, you knew something like that might have happened?" Watari asked.

"I couldn't _know_ for sure, but I could see the possibility waiting to happen. When Kamui broke up with Alex and went off to be with Fuma, Alex behaved so well that I was sure I was just seeing things so I dismissed it."

Yuuto looked away, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. What was the cause of this change? What was in the core of Alex' love towards Kamui?

But most importantly; how will Alex handle his banishment and Kamui's final return to Fuma's arms?

"We have to find something to distract Alex with." He sighed, "And we have to find very specific people for that. Oh, what a bother it is."

"What a bother what is?" Vash leaned forward again, hanging concerned eyes at Yuuto.

The look melted Love's heart, filling it with warmth, but he mustn't get distracted. "This morning, one of Alex' new assistants came to me in my office. She was the Grim Reaper who came here a while ago, you remember; she started a whole mess in the infirmary."

Vash nodded, along with the rest of the group.

"She said 'you're going to solve this problem with Death?' and I said I will do everything I could to help him. Then she looked, well, it's an awful pun, but she looked grim. She sat down and said there's a small problematic limitation with the choice of love partners for Alex.

"Apparently he's not allowed to take anything for his mate unless it's a Creature or a Man of Death. If he tries to take someone like that that someone dies, horribly, before their time."

"So, all we need to do is find him someone like Death, right?" Vash shrugged.

"It's not so easy; the only Creatures and Men of Death are those from Alex group, and they're all taken."

"What about Lestate? He's always been kind of wrapped around Alex' finger." Venus suggested.

Yuuto shook his head, "No can do. Lestate _was_ indeed very much in love with Alex; _once_. This latest affair with ruining the City and the Forget Stones, let's just say it frightened him a bit. He's still very fond of Alex and still very loyal to him but he no longer loves him."

Blue Fairy emitted a long moaning "Oh no."

"That's bad," Venus sighed, hanging her head, "Lestate was such a good option!"

Yuuto shrugged, "Tell me about it."

"Well…then…maybe….um…."

"What he needs is not love." Shikimai cut through Vash's mumbles, finally chipping in the conversation after sitting slouched over the table looking bored and uninterested.

The eyes of the group turned to him.

"What he needs now is sex."

Vash arched his eyebrows in shock, Venus sighed and rolled her eyes, Watari shook his head and smirked, Blue Fairy glared icicles at the kizune, Yuuto stared at the fox spirit in defeat.

"How long has it been since he mated with anything?" the kizune spoke on.

"Could you at least not say 'with any_thing_'?"

Shikimain brushed Vash's comment off, "He's a man, men need some sex from time to time or they go a little crazy in the head."

The group was lost in giggles for a few good moment, dispersing the sudden dark cloud of concern that hung above them since the conversation began.

"No, but seriously now, Shikimai-san," Yuuto breathed normally again, wiping at his eyes, "this can't explain the possession Venus' talking about."

"Screw the possession, that's not what I'm talking about!" Shikimai frowned angrily, making everyone around him snap back into seriousness. They were sure he was joking, but now they realized he might want to say something meaningful.

"This 'why he's obsessed about twinkie-boy' thing is important, I'm not saying it isn't. I'm just saying that before we bite into something we might not be able to chew yet, we need to solve the part of the problem that's easiest to solve!"

"Didn't we just say he can't take anyone for a partner unless they're of Death?" Watari sighed.

"I'm not talking about a long term meaningful relationship!" Shikimai's clear, deep voice boomed, "I'm talking about a fling, a one night stand, a quickie! That thing's wound up so badly he's going to jump a _rock_ in a minute if he won't…"

"At least say it nicely, it's degrading." Vash grumbled.

"Shut up! Look, Love," Shikimai's catlike eyes bore at Yuuto, "Find one of Death's men and put a spell on them, something easy to dispense of, and make them screw around a little, just a little. I'm looking at that man and I say to myself, 'I'll do him! Just let the man get some!' He's so tense!'"

Yuuto blinked with shock a little, but snapped out of it quickly. Shikimai had a point, a very good point.

"So, if Alex unwinds a little it buys us time to solve the bigger problem."

"Yes, thank you." Shikimai slapped the table gently and slumped back in his chair.

"Hmm….It's doable. It'll need some planning…but it's definitely doable."

"Do you have anyone in mind?" Venus sat up again, curious.

Yuuto attention was suddenly taken by the sight of the onmyoujis walking into the field, illuminated wonderfully with the light of their love and the setting sun's bright orange glow. "I think…I think I do. Excuse me for a minute please, meeting adjourned"

Yuuto slipped off his seat gracefully, walking lightly towards the two men with a spring in his step.

"Hello, long time no see!" he chirped at them.

"I saw you this morning, Kigai-san." Seishiro deadpanned it, voice impatient. He brought Subaru here because he had a headache and a bad day behind him and he needed some quality time with his lover before they head back home to the dark and heavy gloom that is Alex' company at the moment.

"Ah, yes, but I haven't seen Subaru-san, have I? How are you Subaru-san?" Love did not find standing near the two men enough, he had to walk up to them, crouch between them and place his hands on their shoulders.

"A-ah…uh….err….g-good evening, Kigai-san…" the blood was about to gush into Subaru face and he just knew he was going to get poked at for that later by Seishiro, but that sudden touch from Yuuto was too much for him, "I-I'm fine…how are you?" he tried to smile but he could feel his cheeks aflame and it wasn't funny.

A sneaky, cunning smirking glint was dancing in Seishiro's eye.

"I'm alright, everything's as usual. Say, you did an amazing job with getting Alex out of jail and everything. I'm very proud of you." Yuuto kept his hands firmly on the two, slowly moving his fingers to reach skin without being noticed too quickly.

"Uh...thank you…?"

"How is Alex?" Deep inside, he was unfolding the magic until it'll reach the two.

"Grim. Silent. Distant. Not very happy. What did you _think_ he'd be like?" Seishiro snapped. Yuuto was plotting something and the Sakurazukamori was not at all pleased with it.

"Hmm. Well…It'll get better soon."

"Oh, really?" The assassin stabbed a withering glare at Love.

Yuuto dropped the cheerful mask, getting down to business, "Yes. It's going to take me some time but I'm going to get that boy out of his head, by hook or by crook."

"Good luck." Seishiro snorted. Yuuto finally removed his hand from him, thank god for small mercies.

"You will?" Subaru hung hopeful eyes at Love, who nodded serenely, "Thank you, we'll be ever so grateful. Alex…" he sighed, "He needs to get over it all….it's not…it's not doing him good." Subaru buried his eyes in the daisies solemnly.

"Don't worry. It's not going to be easy, but I'll crack it; I'll help him, I swear." Yuuto climbed to his feet, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something to solve with Vash."

"What is that thing anyway?" Seishiro grumbled, but Yuuto was no longer there.

They watched Love walk away, hands clasped behind his back and waving a little, with that strange flamboyant stride of his.

"What a strange person he is." Subaru mused.

"He's wearing pink, Subaru-kun. _Pink_."

"So?"

"So!"

"You don't wear pink, I don't wear pink, Alex doesn't wear pink." Now why did his heart just skip a beat?

"I'm not saying he's…oh, never mind. He's bizarre, that's all."

"He's Love, that's got to take its toll on a man's sanity."

They stared at each other for a moment and burst into laughter, laying down in the flowers.

"Subaru-kun?"

"Yes, Seishiro-san?"

"You know, this thing with Anthony…it kind of left a hole in our little veterinary team…"

Subaru poked his head up, staring at Seishiro, unbelieving, "Are you telling me you're afraid of spending all your days with sweet and loving Kazuki?" He giggled hysterically.

"No! No, no, no, no, _**NO!** Stop that!_"

Subaru couldn't stop giggling; kicking his legs in the flowers and covering his eyes, shoulders shaking.

"Oh, for god's sake!"

Subaru yelped, arching his back in laughter.

"Would you stop it? I am _not_ afraid of a seven year old!"

That only made Subaru laugh harder.

Seishiro gave up. He looked at the heavens, now dark completely with only the half-full moon and Tara to light it. When he spoke next his voice was hushed and deep, "I wanted to ask you to come be our assistant instead of Kazuki."

Subaru stopped laughing and stared at Seishiro in shock, "What?"

"Kazuki's already half a vet, god knows how, but she managed to learn basically half of what we usually do. If anything more thorough is needed I can always do it. But we do need someone to be a nurse and we do need someone to handle payments from the farmers while we're working…"

Subaru blinked at Seishiro, frowning, "Y-you think I need help with finding something to do now I'm not in the Rescue Team? I mean…" his voice was tinged with anger, "I appreciate the offer but…"

"When you were young you used to say you wanted to be a zoologist…or a veterinarian…I-I can't believe I don't remember it clearly…but…You wanted to work with animals, right?"

Subaru gaped at his lover, jaw hanging.

Seishiro was beyond physically uncomfortable with awkwardness; he was downright sheepish, fumbling with the buttons on his shirt, "Just thought I'd offer you…so…we can work together…you know…" He shot a glance at his lover.

Subaru was crying.

"Hey, what! What's….what!"

"I love you."

"Oh, god."

"I'll work with you…" the light onmyouji whimpered, "I'll work with you…."

"This is embarrassing. Would you snap out of it?"

Subaru sat up, grabbing Seishiro into a tight hug. "I can't believe you remember that. I _love_ you."

"Yeah…I love you too…" Seishiro sighed.

"Now, let's go home." Subaru leaped to his feet, dragging Seishiro with him.

"Eh?"

"I'm hungry and I bet Alex cooked something nice."

Suddenly dumbstruck, Seishiro had to stop and wonder why he was getting giddy about coming back home, "Huh. Hey, I'm a bit hungry too."

"Then let's go!" the Sumeragi wrapped his arm around Seishiro's waist, planting a kiss on his man's lips.

"Home cooking….mmmm….I'm _hungry_."

Subaru giggled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Subaru-saaaaaan!" Yuzuriha waved her hand so hard in the air her wrist hurt. She was not in the best of minds at the moment, having spent most of her day in the infirmary and now on patrol with Victoria. She was a little giddy and a little too prone to giggling and she made her vampire friend quite worried.

"Oh, no…I have no patience for that…._loud_ girl!" Seishiro moaned.

Subaru smiled and squeezed his lover's arm, leading them towards the two girls, then he stopped.

"Seishiro-san….do you see it?"

Seishiro stopped as well, squinting at the girls before them, "Yes…I see him."

Standing behind the girls, at a safe distance, glowing faintly in the night with ghostly light, was Shiyuu Kusanagi.

The onmyouji stared at the spirit, ogling.

"Are you alright, Subaru-san?" Yuzuriha tried hollering louder, thinking the two men must have not heard her.

"Yuzu-chan, you're loud." Victoria whimpered, covering her ears.

"My god, she's loud."

"We have to tell her!" Subaru exhaled worriedly, "She's been missing him for so long!"

Kusanagi was advancing towards them, big heavy steps covering as much ground as he could, eyes set powerfully on them. He reached them within seconds.

"Shiyuu-san! Wha…Why…how long have you been here?" Subaru yelped, leaning towards the spirit.

"Long enough. After I died I just hovered over the City, in a daze. It took me a while to realize I could take some kind of shape, before that I was some kind of a cloud….I think…"

"I mean by Yuzuriha-chan's side, how long?"

Kusanagi sighed, "Too long….she's….she's changed…hasn't she?"

"Not in her heart, I'm sure!"

The ghost looked at the girls who were talking amongst themselves, shrugging at the onmyoujis' strange behavior, "She's different, she's growing up." He looked away, hanging his head, shoulders slumped.

It was strange to see such a big man looking so down. Great powerful shoulder like Kusanagi's were not made to sag like that.

"Shiyuu-san…"

"Don't feel pity for me, I'm sorry I didn't run the moment I saw you." The spirit's deep voice rang strangely in the night.

He turned to walk away.

"She still loves you!"

Kusanagi laughed bitterly, shoulder shaking, "No. She's growing up and changing. There are other boys for her out there. Someone alive, someone better. Someone her age."

Subaru was taken aback for a moment as realization hit him; this was not the complete Kusanagi, this was only the part of his soul a lingering spirit's allowed to have. This is merely a bunch of emotions Kusanagi had concerned Yuzuriha, emotions strong enough to lock him upon this earth, to roam it and hover around the girl these emotions are aimed at.

Seishiro tugged at Subaru's sleeve, "Come on, Subaru-kun, let's go home."

"No!" and with that he shook off his lover's hand.

"Yuzuriha-san, would you come with us for a moment?" he called to the girls.

The inugami mistress perked her ears, "Eeeeh? Where to?"

"Um…it's near your route by the Dragon Valley. I…I have to show you something."

Victoria narrowed here eyes, her posture screaming 'impatience', "We really aught to get back to our patrol, Yuzu…"

Subaru leveled powerful decisive stare at the vampire, "No, I need to show Yuzuriha-san something, _now_."

Seishiro sighed and turned towards their new home.

"Uh…Okay.." Yuzuriha shrugged and followed Subaru.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They approached the white-walled house from the window-less side, the one facing the City.

As they neared the building, a soft bright-turquoise light shone through the dark-brown framed windows and the two girls stopped in their tracks.

"Subaru-san, That light…" Yuzuriha whispered, staring doubtfully at the onmyoujis.

"Don't worry, just wait here." They stopped short of the house.

The light was fading from the house's second floor windows, descending and becoming stronger through the windows of the bottom floor.

Finally, the door opened and Alex stepped out, radiating the smooth beams. He looked almost angelic like that; hair blowing in a hallo around his face, face illuminated with the bright light, eyes soft and mighty, moves slow.

The rays of light reached forward, washing over the small group, making their clothes seem white, and their eyes blind.

The rays reached forwards and caressed the spirit standing behind the two girls, each line they touched became visible to all, then the light faded.

Alex walked up to Yuzuriha and reached for her face. With a sweet smile on his lips and gratitude in his eyes, he cupped the side of her face and chin, "Turn around."

Her heart leaped in her chest, as a memory from the hound demon's mouth washed over her. Strong ghostly arms rapped around here in that wild and crazy times, and she thought it was Kusanagi.

She turned around and saw him, standing there and staring at her.

He was pale, his skin and clothes reflecting the bright turquoise light. It was more than a reflection of the light; it seems as if the light was soaked up into his unearthly existence until his body was charged in it, and now that the source of the light subsided, Kusanagi still shone of it like a waning bulb.

"Kusanagi-san" the girl whimpered, stumbling forward. Unknowingly, she reached her arms forward faintly, fingers lazy and hanging. She reached out to hug him, to sink in his protective embrace, the one she was forced to live without for what seemed like ages.

But he walked backwards; he tried to run away from her, raising his hands to stop her, though it was quite futile.

She reached him before he had the chance to run away, and as she tried to make contact, she discovered the ugly truth.

Her arms passed right through him, then the rest of her body did, and for a moment she stood within him blinking and stunned, lower lip trembling.

"W-what….what's going on?"

"He's a ghost, Yuzuriha, he's dead." Death spoke, voice low and calm.

"B-but he's here….what….?"

"I couldn't let you go, little miss…" The spirit sighed, his voice making the air vibrate, "I had to stay around and make sure you're alright, that you….won't die….like me…." He hung his head.

Yuzuriha was in tears, though she did not cave into them, nor did she cover her face or wiped her eyes, "But if you're gone and still here as a spirit….if I died as well…then I'll be able to stay here like you…." She whispered. She rubbed at the backs of her arms, so longing she was for his hug.

"What! Don't talk such nonsense, Yuzu! If you die then what'd be of me? What…"Victoria shrieked, "Dying is not the answer….Alex, do something, you irresponsible sod!"

Alex walked towards the ghost and the girl, "If you died then there would be no reason for him to stay. Your souls will be released and each will go their own way….whatever it may be….and you might never meet each other again."

Subaru heard the musing, dark tone of Death's words and wondered if what he told Alex of the angel had anything to do with it. His heart twitched and kicked in his chest, protesting for the pain he caused Alex.

Yuzuriha withdrew out of the spirit's body and stared at the dead man's eyes, "And after I go from here, will I be able to see him?"

Kusanagi stared back at her with pain and longing, though his eyes were so dim and cloudy, he looked drugged.

"I believe I owe you something, for not fighting me when I was at my worst possible state." Death smiled softly, bitterly.

Yuzuriha whipped her eyes to him, "Oh, that? I-I was just…well….you promised you'll make me a vampire one day…I thought it'd be horribly rude if I fought you and…"

Alex raised his hand to stop her, "You didn't have to do it. You risked a lot by not fighting me, you risked too much."

"But…"

"Enough. Look." He pointed towards the City.

A faint light shone there, in the dark distance, atop the highest hill. Something was happening in the graveyard, something to do with Death.

Alex's eyes were squinting, and he seemed to be putting a lot of effort into this.

"What is he doing?" Seishiro heard himself mutter, "He's too weak to pull something like that off."

Subaru took a step forward, about to stop Alex who was swaying gently on his unbalanced feet.

Suddenly, from the sea of crawling shadows of the Dark Side shadows, a figure stepped forward. Its steps were heavy and awkward, too much of a stumble to be proper walking. His arms swung like rags at his sides and his trunk swayed gently as it dragged itself forward step by step. Finally, it stepped close enough for the group to be able to make him out in the light of the moon and Tara.

It was Kusanagi body walking towards them. Earth and sand clung to its skin and grassroots wove around it arms, but it was Kusanagi. The hole through his body, from shoulder to shoulder, was dark and reeking, oozing a vile black liquid. Its face was twitched, mouth agape and eyes staring emptily with bright gray orbs. It was stark naked, its skin was so wrinkled from decay, missing in holes where maggots and worms already got to him.

Victoria retreated, covering her nose and mouth with her hand, so did the onmyoujis. The only ones left standing in the zombie's way was Yuzuriha and Alex, and Kusanagi's spirit.

"W-what…." The girl exhaled, choking back a gag, "What is that!"

"That is his body, girl, as it is now since the moment he died."

"Why did you bring it here? For me to see he's dead!"

"No. I brought him here because I'll bring him back to his former state, and when he'll be complete again his soul will enter his body and he will be complete."

Yuzuriha ogled at Alex, "Will he be alive again?"

"No, my dear, the dead will be dead forever. I cannot bring him back to life, I'm sorry. All I can do is make him into a zombie, the kind which can move and act on its own; a possessed zombie. Inside he will be your Kusanagi, only his body will forever be dead."

"A-and….will it always be like that?" She gestured to the rotting corpse.

"No. He will be better. Here, let me work a little trick for a minute." And with that he closed his eyes and the beams returned, this time engulfing the standing corpse.

For a moment the light blinded Yuzuriha and she was forced to close her eyes and shield them from the light. Inside her head a great buzz was heard, made of all the things Kusanagi ever told her, of all the things she told him, all bunch up together and spoken too fast, spoken too loud, until she couldn't stand it no more and wanted to scream.

Then the light was gone, and she could feel that all was well again. She opened her eyes. Before her Kusanagi stood, complete and healthy, beaming faintly in the moonlight. He looked at her with eyes of real flesh and smiled at her with full healthy lips.

The spirit was gone, the corpse was gone; all that was left was Kusanagi, like the first time she saw him.

Inuki barked and ran to the man's side, nuzzling his hips and wagging his tail wildly.

She ran to him, reaching her arms to him and this time she did not pass through him. This time she sank into his arms and he returned her embrace and they stood like that for a long time, the moonlight caressing them lovingly.

Victoria walked into the house, asking Subaru if she could spare a blanket because the man was stark naked and she doesn't think Yuzuriha's up for it. With a happy smile, Subaru obliged.

Alex stood before the lovers for a while, a dreamy smile on his lips. His head was swooning and his knees threatened to give under him. Why was he so faint? This is a trick he used to be able to pull so easily! At least he locked the spell, and even if he collapses, Kusanagi will still be there and all will be well.

"Better be off now, Yuzuriha, or your patrol will be delayed."

The girl poked her head out of the binding muscular arms and beamed at Death, eyes flowing with tears, "Thank you!"

"Now, off with you. Quickly." He did not want her to see the price this reunion took on him.

The vampire emerged from the house, stomping awkwardly towards the couple; she poked the blanked at Kusanagi.

"Oh, and, Yuzuriha?" Alex sighed, voice faint, eyes squinting to try and focus his vision on the girl.

"Yes?" She turned big grateful eyes to Death.

"Don't sleep with him. Not until you're a vampire. Unless you want to be a vampire the likes of Lestate, because you have to be chaste for the type Victoria is."

Yuzuriha was dumbfounded, face burning with a stark red blush, "…U-uh….okay….I promise…."

"Good, now….be off." And as he saw the girls turned, Alex allowed himself to let go of consciousness and fall to the ground.

His onmyoujis were at his sides in a second, supporting him and carrying him into the house

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kakyou sat in his sheep pen, running his fingers through Baa's soft white curls. Soon they'll be able to sheer her and sell the wool.

Maybe he'll buy some dye powder and color the curls this time, or maybe he'll do as he always did and sell it in its natural color; letting the costumers do their own choice of hue for their clothes.

He sighed and brushed his own locks back and away from his face. His hair was already down to his waist; so long he's been here.

Where was Kakyou during the famine, and during the attack on the City? He was in his forest hut, protected from the hum-drum of the City, its petty survival routine and its exhausting stress and worry. Here in the forest, with his sheep and his lover, he was in a bubble of peace and ease.

The dreams still bothered him, especially when they came to haunt him too late for him to do something about it.

But, he thought, he could handle it where he is, he's in a relatively good position. After all, back in his world, he was watching dreams about equally tragic events and was equally impotent to do anything about it.

Only here he is complete in body, and can move around wherever he wants; he can take a long calming walk in the wonderfully refreshing forest if he ever felt the dreams ached him too much. Back in his world his heart was in pieces, while here it's full of love.

Darkness already descended on the forest, wrapping a thin carpet of fog around the little hut. Time for bed.

Kakyou climbed to his feet, exiting the pen and entering the warm shack. Inside a fire was roaring in the oven and a stew was burbling in its pot, Dimitri standing at its side, stirring it lazily with a crude wooden spoon.

Kakyou walked up to the craftsman and leaned against him, placing his head on the strong back, wrapping his arms around the b road chest.

Dimitri cooed something in Russian with a deep voice, thick with content.

Kakyou closed his eyes to better savor the moment, the smell of beef and vegetables brewing tingling in his nose.

Smoke tingled his nose, smoke and ash and the scent of a powerful burn, hints of sulfur washing past Kakyou's sensors here and there. The yumemie opened his eyes to see what had happened and saw he was not in the shack anymore.

He was standing on a hill overlooking a city, the City.

The City was burning, fire tongues licking through the streets, dancing upwards wildly everywhere, as if reaching to burn the very moon itself. The infirmary was caving in, walls blackened and crumbing inwardly. The poor fields of the farmers reduced to ashes, the houses scattered everywhere slowly fading into orange, red and yellow. The earth under Kakyou's bare feet was warm, so strong the City burned.

He was standing on a hill overlooking the City and the City was burning down. Kakyou felt something wet on his cheeks and realized he was crying. Was he crying really, or was it the heat from the fires making his eyes tear?

"Look over there." Someone told him, and Kakyou looked to his left.

A hill similar to the one Kakyou stood on was to his left, and on it, a small group stood on horseback. Kakyou fought the smoke and the heat to better his vision, and finally he was able to see it, the people in the group.

Victoria was there, her master's red coat blowing wildly in the hot hair, so was Lestate's smooth black velvet cape.

Next to them, Subaru and Seishiro sat on horseback. Each seemed to be paired with another, like a reflection of the other. By Subaru's horse stood another, its rider another Asian man with a long white shikifuku and a tall black hat.

By Seishiro's horse stood another with a black-drabbed rider, his outfit ancient. This rider had a longish beard and untamed long hair, he seemed to radiate evil as much as Seishiro did.

These's horses stood so near one another they must have been touching, like a closely pressed herd of sheep. On each side of the pack Kakyou saw two figures burning brightly. They were not consumed by the fire, though, merely engulfed in the flames like the heat was clothes on their skin. One was David, with his big black crow's wings, and the other a woman Kakyou never set eyes on before, with wings matching David's, wearing a black and silver armor.

This small group stood on the hill and did nothing to help the burning City, though some were Rescue Team members, as Kakyou distinctly remembered it.

He had to wonder; they looked at the fires so calmly, as if watching flowers' bloom. Yet there was something tense and mighty in their eyes, like they were beaming with power. Something was controlling them; that something was inside the City, setting it aflame.

"A vampire master, and a master-less vampire.

"Two of the light, two from the dark.

"And twins of fire.

"Fire to destroy."

The voice he heard earlier spoke.

Kakyou looked to his left and saw a woman with dark red hair and a bright cream Victorian dress. Her face beamed of kindness and love though her expression was pained and worried.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"The prophecy, the one which is bound to repeat itself over and over and over again until someone does something to stop it from happening."

"To stop what?" Kakyou turned to the woman fully, reaching out to try and shake her, "Please, you are not Lady Destiny, you're better; could you please explain to me what's going on?"

The woman smiled kindly and caressed the side of Kakyou's face. Her hand was so soft and soothing, actually cooling him as the fires roared cruel heat at him. "Oh, don't worry, sweet angelic oracle, I won't let this happen again." She turned to look at the horse ridden group across her shoulder.

"Look at them better, surely you can see that some of them are strangers to you, am I right?"

Kakyou squinted at the group again, "Yes, I don't know who's standing next to the onmyoujis…who the burning woman is."

"Indeed, and that means that the time did not come yet." She turned to leave, the hot wind already blowing at her long skirt and the dark purple shawl she was wearing.

"No, please," Kakyou crouched to the burning earth, given into hopelessness suddenly, "you must help me. I'm tired of knowing everything too late, of watching catastrophes and knowing of them just before they happen."

"Kakyou-san, please," the woman kneeled before him, taking his palms in hers, "don't cave into despair yet. I said I won't let it happen again and I mean it. Death did not send her to fetch these three yet, and so things are still looking up; we still have time before it happens."

"Before what happens?" the yummemie's voice was choked with tears.

"Please don't cry, child. When the time comes I will tell the both of you of all you must do to prevent this from happening. Don't worry, all will be well." She grabbed his face again, looking into it with great love and sweetness. Then she pulled him into an embrace until his shoulders stopped shaking with sobs and he was calm and relaxed again.

"You, you're not her, are you? The Lady Destiny, not her." Kakyou whispered; face drowning in the woman's sweetly scented shoulder.

"No, I am her sister, the Lady of the Light, some call me."

"And this is a dream uncontrolled by your sister?"

"No, this is a great risk I'm taking reaching out to you like that." She sighed, and worry tinged her sweet words.

"Then you better hurry and let me go, before something happens to you."

She let him go, pushing him subtly away from her, "You're right, though I'm not at all afraid of my dear frisky sister. Are you alright with what I showed you?" She asked, face taking on a more businesslike expression.

Kakyou beamed at her, "Yes, I trust you. I'll be waiting for the next time we'll meet."

Her face broke into a cheerful proud smile, "Yes, may it come in a long, long time from now."

The hugged again, and the dream was gone.

Kakyou smelled the brewing stew again and he was safely back in his hut again.

Dimitri noticed he dozen off and placed the Yumemie in their bed. When Kakyou opened his eyes the man was looking down at him softly. Kakyou reached out to place his hand on Dimitri's stubbly cheek and beamed up at him.

Something was coming, but this time he'll know what to do. This time, he won't be alone, nor will he be completely ignorant of what might happen. This time will be different.

(tbc)

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**A.N:** lot's of "…uh…"ing in this chapter, ne?

Cliffhanger? Yup, but you aught to be used to it by now.


	44. The Dance

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

The lyrics featuring in this chapter belong to Moulin Rouge and not me.

**Author's Thanks:** To Yersi Fanel (More of Kamui, yes, yes indeed! Don't you worry!), Cocoke5 (Thank you!), Sesshy's Girl (It's not so much that I'm good at cliffhangers it's that I'm downright sadistic. Tee hee)

**Apology: **I am so, so, so, so, so sorry I haven't written anything in such a long time, so very, very sorry. I was doing this university preparation course and until this Tuesday was studying for the final tests. I still have another test coming towards me, in the 17th but never mind that, let there be Lost Dimension!

**Announcements: **

1. As soon as this version of A New World (i.e unbeta-ed un-revised) is ended I'll be working with my beloved beta to improve this fic. Then the fic will move to under the name 'Legend'.

2. If any of you know what LiveJournal is, I've openened a new journal for A New World and for my other upcoming original fiction, it:

**3.** I've written a side story present-thing for my beta, an A New World smutfic (yes, they have sex with one another and it's described!) you can find it in my LJ, link i my profile.

* * *

**Chapter 44 – The Dance**

The moon shone high in the sky. Though it was not in the sky's zenith, it was still high enough to indicate the time was late.

Not late for the Rescue Team patrol to walk the City streets, or Noter patrols to do the same. Not too late for the watchmen Noters in the towers around the City perimeter. Not too late for Tara who compensated for the moon's poor light.

It was too late for citizens, the ones who weren't preoccupied with work like the sheep farmers who were still sheering their livestock, but those who lived their life during the day.

It was too late for one man amongst the non-nocturnal citizens.

A few months ago, when Justice was split apart and out of business, this man crept into a house across the City in search for jewels and other valuable possessions. When the house's dweller, an elderly lady who was still quite fit to defend herself despite her age, woke up from the noise the man made in her kitchen, the man killed her. She fought, even left a long and ugly scar on his back where her sharp knife carved into his body as he loomed over to strangle her.

That dark night, months ago, the man crept back out of the house and snuck home, escaping punishment for his crime. The elderly lady was found almost a week later, by her neighbors who were wondering about the foul smell the house was reeking. By then, rats and other small flesh eating creatures managed to eat enough of the victim to hide the two crescent bruises around her neck. No one suspected she was strangled to death and no one bother to check if she was robbed, for no one knew she had valuables at all and the murdered was very cautious when putting the furniture he disrupted back the way they were. They thought she stumbled and broke a vital limb, or simply collapsed, dying of a heart attack or a serious stroke. The knife she used was washed by the man and returned to its place

For months the man was unpunished and lived, unmarked and unidentified, in his house. From time to time, when he ran out of means, he'd sell the loot from the poor lady's home. He thought the crime was forgotten, ignored. He grew careless and limp; sure he was beyond the law's reach.

But tonight, it was too late for him. Noter patrols zeroed in on his house, three chariots at the front, two at each of its sides (the house had big windows a desperate man can easily escape through) and two at the back. The Rescue Team patrol changed its course to the man's house, given a sign to do so by Tara who shone in red and blue flashes until they noticed.

The Noters knocked on the man's door and as soon as he opened it, draped in his shaggy towel-made robe, nightcap still on, they informed him of his arrest, cuffed him, and took him to the small jail set up by the court's walls where he'll await trial the following day.

The man was so stunned to see the law at his doorstep, and in such great numbers, that all he did was to blink at them sleepily and mumble about the late hour.

The next morning Kamui, Fuma and Will stepped through the door leading from Justice's office (or 'chamber' as some of the more enthusiastic court Noters liked to call it) to the court's hall.

Their black robes around their shoulders, Justice walked in silence to take their seat behind the ramped stage. Fuma placed the papers filled with information and evidence about the man's crime, given to him by the Noters, and fanned them out. He pointed at a few details for Kamui's attention, whispering to his lover about the next case.

The trials began a week ago, at a new pace and order. The defendants was first accused, then presented with evidence of their crime, asked for their words about it, then finally deemed.

Will walked to a small booth at a height between Justice's seat and the court's floor, where the defendant stood, Noter guards at each side.

Will settled on a small cushioned wooden box facing a table piled with blank papers on one side and folders on the other side. Between them sat a shiny black typing machine in English, which he operated. He was the registrar during trials and Justice's secretary back in the office.

He had a knack for bureaucracy, which Kamui and Fuma found extremely useful; they were both hopelessly messy, especially when it came to papers. Often Will found he spent most of his days tidying up after them. At first it was tiring, ever infuriating in bad days, but as soon as he learned Kamui's idea of putting things in order and unraveled Fuma's way of losing and misplacing things, his job became much easier.

Not that it was completely trouble-free (as many short rows bursting once every few hours when all three were in the office can indicate) but it was solely becoming more tolerable. Slowly.

The last person, or creature, to enter the courtroom from its Justice side was the small, thin Justice Fairy which landed in the City the same time Grim and Shikimai did. The moment Kamui was revived enough from the events of his return she awoke from her strange comatose state and immediately began communicating with her environment.

'Communicating' by her (or was it 'his'?) standards was to wander around aimlessly, back slouched forward, shoulders drooping, and search for sweets to consume. She had an unfathomable appetite for anything containing sugar; in fact, it was the only thing she ate. She sat and chewed on sugar canes once, even though the thing was almost as wide as her mouth.

Once she obtained something sugary to feed on she'd sit down and consume it. To say she 'sat' might not be completely correct; she didn't so much 'sit' as much as she 'perched'. She'd curl herself up, knees drawn to her flat-ish chest and feet close together, fingering her sitting place's bottom. Her feet had an almost monkey-like quality to them, with long toes so actively groping around at things it seems she might be able to pick things up with them.

When she wasn't eating, and still be perched, she'd nibble on her thumb and stare around at things with her big, inquisitive, black-rimmed eyes. Kamui and Fuma soon started calling her The Owl and Agent Panda behind her back, not that she'd notice or care if she ever heard them.

The Justice Fairy's sole existence seemed to be centered on pointing at criminals and naming what it is they've done. This was discovered when Kamui dragged her to the infirmary to register her properly and have her looked at by the shrink, and she accused one of the infirmary's staff of stealing morphine and selling it on the black marked for food.

The accusation turned out to be true, as Kamui saw in the nurse's heart, and the Fairy's purpose was revealed.

It might seem silly that such a creature is needed when Justice can see crime in a person's heart, but one must remember Justice have a life of their own and aren't everywhere to see who's a criminal and who's innocent.

The Noters took the Fairy on a patrol, dressing her as one of them, and drove around the City, waiting for her to point at people. It took a few harsh attempts of escape to teach the Fairy to not scream the person's accusation immediately, rather to turn and whisper the information in her comrade-to-patrol's ear.

Then the matter would be investigated and as soon as a piece of evidence was found, the person's files from the infirmary would be brought to the court, then the person himself and a trial was put on.

In this way the court was now operating in a manner which left the City dwellers as less disgruntled with Justice's young age and seeming lack of experience as possible. Witnesses of the new trials, some of which were lawyers in their previous life, testified wholeheartedly that they couldn't find a single flaw in the new system.

Then again, it's only been a week since the court operated like that, and the City's people were notorious for getting very excited about new things, only to be quickly disappointed with it at the first sign of some flaw, as tiny as it might be, then complain about it endlessly.

The Justice Fairy walked, her body so curled it almost created the letter 'C', to the center of the courtroom and stopped before the defendant. She reared her head up a bit, exaggerating and tilting it slightly backwards as if her neck was a limp piece of flesh, and raised her right hand, finger pointing.

"Murder," she said, voice deep and rasping slightly, "murder for greed. He strangled a woman because she found out he was robbing her house. This man is a murderer."

"Thank you, er, Fairy…" Fuma was always uncomfortable with the rising amount of 'fairies' in this City. Whenever he called that thing 'Fairy' he thought of Blue Fairy and felt guilty for naming the two the same way. Besides, 'fairy' was what she was, not who she is; she needs a name of her own.

Kamui pulled one of the papers before him and picked it up, eyeing its content, "Albert. G. China, is that your name, sir?"

"Ye, it is." The defendant sighed. He spent the rest of last night wide awake in his cell, coming to terms with his future. He knew what he did was wrong and, though it hurt him immensely, he knew he had not a chance against these two young men who were told to be able to read a man's heart and see the wrong within it. Better not fight it, just admit it.

Fuma leaned forward, weaving his fingers together and placing his chin on his knuckles. What he really wanted to do was put his palm on Kamui's thigh, but his lover was not very keen on such intimate gestures in this formal time. Fuma opened his mouth to speak, but the defendant stopped him.

"Uh…Justice, sirs, erm…There's no need to ask me any more questions, 'ah admit it; 'a killed that lady. 'A did it cold-bloodedly, ah'ms guilty."

"Where you not angry?" Kamui's voice rang clear and confident in the thick wooden hall, radiating calm assurance.

"'Parden, sir?" Albert blinked at Justice.

"When Mrs. Devoch'e discovered you, were you not angry at her for waking up and finding you?"

Albert blinked again, his pale sweaty brow frowning five and six rows as he thought about the question, "A-ah s'ppose ah wuz. 'A wuz angry….but 'ah killed her…"

"You didn't think she'd wake up, people around town told you she was almost completely deaf. She surprised you when she came down to her kitchen and found you there."

"Y-yis…well...'hA knocked over a chair, the noise could 'ave woken the dead…"

"And as you came towards her, to scare her, she fought you. She wounded you, didn't she?" Kamui leaned back in his chair.

Will's typewriter clattered like a stampeding herd of tiny horses with hard metallic hoofs on a metal floor.

"She gave me some good carvin' yes, 'ah still have the scar…"

"Tell me, Mr. China, did you go into that house intending to murder the lady as well as rob her?" Fuma entered the interrogation.

The man shook his head furiously, sweat spraying around him, black curls (those who weren't plastered to his forehead) waving around, fingers pinching at his sides where he held his hands at semi-attention, "Nu, nu sir, 'ah didn't mean to kill her. But she angered me and 'ah was…well, angry enough to kill. Which 'ah shouldn't have done…."

Fuma nodded, leaning back into his chair as well. He snaked his hand to Kamui's knee where it was slapped away gently. "Very well." He sighed, trying to smile through a sheepish childlike sulk for Kamui's rejection.

Kamui stood up, the rest of the court doing the same. He delivered the sentence; the man will spent the next seventy five years (which he won't live through fully, for he was already forty six years old and not in the best of health) in the City Jail. In thirty years he will be able to appeal for parole and maybe be released from his imprisonment.

Mr. Albert G. China nodded frantically, bowing shakily even, and was taken out of the court.

Justice's team retreated to their office. They had another trial scheduled in two hours' time and they had a lot of paperwork to go over.

The Justice Fairy was very busy, spotting tens of criminals. Kamui and Fuma worked as much as they could, without exhausting themselves. When the sun clock showed nine in the morning they were at their office and when it was five they were out of it and free to do as they pleased. They made sure to review the details and evidence on every defendant before their trial, which would often take some time due to various misbehavior by the teen Justice and various surprise problems.

They lunched at one o'clock and had tea before the last trial of the day, coffee sporadically whenever they needed a pickup.

Only a week past but already Fuma and Kamui could say they've got a hand on it, got used to it, saw the appeal and the zeal it takes to do their duty properly. When they were in the court, even when they joked around and played the stupidest childish games (like throwing paper balls at each other or using the same weapon against the equally young court Noters in fierce, epic battles) they felt complete, fulfilled; they were performing their role in the greater scheme.

And they thought it was over, they thought it was done with; their small story with Death and wrongful justice. They thought they got rid of it and that from now it's only happy sunny (or rainy, it didn't matter) days of trials and judgment and just being together; Kamui and Fuma, together until the end of time, forever.

They didn't know a dark cloud was still looming over them, over Death, over the City. A cloud none of these wanted, invited, guessed or brought about. But it was there, looming above ominously.

* * *

This was hopeless, simply hopeless. Rather silly, as well. Subaru sighed and brushed the hair which clung to his sweaty forehead. He removed his white coat and laid it neatly on the fence. He did not want to step into the enclosure but he had to. It was such a ridiculous task. 

One of the chicken farmers asked the three-men (two-men-and-a-bioroid) veterinary team to his farm to have his three hundred strong flock get their claws clipped. The chicken became agitated, lately, and tended to claw each other, which would often lead to near-fatal injuries or simply a mess too noisy to be tolerated by the farmer.

The farm, located too close to the fire monster infested river for the chickens' comfort, was what brought this problem about. They said the fire monsters were getting hungrier and the chickens were the best sign that this is true. Animals can pick up danger when it was too close to them and erratic, nervous behavior was their way of warning their owners.

The farmer, who had spent almost every mean he had to build the farm, was now too poor and dependant on his flock's egg and meat turnout to move the farm just yet so all he could do was have the birds' claws clipped to a harmless length.

This task, which aught to be simple, turned out to be a bigger mess than handling the birds when their agitation brought them to harm each other. The enclosure, into which they were herded, was narrowed by a net so as to concentrate all the flock in a tightest spot as possible and stop them from running around too much. That should have been a good thing to do, Subaru thought; if there's one thing Seishiro thought was degrading, he knew, it was chasing hysterical chicken around a farm.

But the chickens, already giddy from their fiery neighbors, were now stirred into a full fledged panic and capturing them was a nightmare. As soon as you'd pick one bird it squirmed and flapped its wings and cried out and fought so hard the vets were lucky if they could do the clipping in under ten minutes.

Kazuki was in the enclosure, already up to her neck in grabbing and calming the birds, and bringing them to Seishiro for clipping. Seishiro, who had the clips, was standing following her around, his pants already grey and green with the birds' droppings. Subaru's role in this was to grab chickens as well. Their plan was that if Kazuki and Subaru held the chickens long enough the birds would be calmed a little and won't struggle so much when Seishiro'd clip them.

Still, it was a messy, noisy, dirty job and not at all what Subaru had in mind when he agreed to become Seishiro and Kazuki's assistant. He imagined himself bandaging friendly sheepdogs, stroking sturdy quiet horses to calm them, maybe even monitor the reactions of sweet doe-eyed cows as Seishiro examined them. He dreamt of helping to deliver calves, aiding freshly born fluffy lambs with their first steps in this world, even cupping cute fuzzy chicks in his hands. This hysterical cackling chicken business was a far cry from that. And the other day he was bitten rather viciously by a very angry, definitely _not_ friendly sheepdog. Perhaps he was being too romantic about this whole veterinary business.

Still, his only comfort is that he was getting to work with Seishiro. Also that, unlike Seishiro's previous 'veterinary' work, this one was really for the good of the animals. That was nice enough, now if only it'd be less noisy.

Sighing, Subaru stepped into the enclosure, approaching Seishiro. It's been a few days now, since Yuuto met them in Venus' field, that Subaru and Seishiro were having slight difficulties with their relationship.

Something, definitely Love's doing, was chilling the love between them. Seishiro's light was dimming, replaced by Death's glow.

It was not yet grave enough to do something about it, and Subaru wasn't even sure Seishiro was feeling the same, but it was definitely there. Subaru made a mental note to speak to Yuuto about this as soon as he could. For now, he'll deal with chickens.

"Oi, Subaru-saan!" Sorata's voice tore through the cackling and cock-calling. The monk stood at the enclosure's fence, waving at Subaru cheerfully.

"I better go see what's that about," the light onmyouji turned to his lover, "maybe it's something serious…" Sorata's been known to run around babbling about his precious son and the babe's development to anyone willing to hear, which was obviously becoming a bit of a burden.

"Yes, keep that noisy idiot away from here and come back as quickly as possible." Seishiro drawled, not even making eye contact with his lover.

Subaru sighed. Yes, definitely something cooling between them. He walked towards Sorata, trying not to step on any chicken.

"What you go there, Subaru-san? Looks like a mess!" Sorata chirped.

Something in his voice hinted Subaru that the monk was not completely himself. Dark circles under his eyes told the onmyouji that sweet little Raikou was giving his daddy some sleepless nights. Poor Sorata, he's so young and already he has to juggle both a newborn and the Rescue Team duties.

"Yes, we're clipping their claws. The river's monsters are making the birds nervous and they hurt one another."

Sorata frowned, "The river? But the latest sacrifice was a week ago, they don't usually start stirring problems until a month or so from the last time they ate."

"Perhaps they're getting hungrier. Perhaps they're multiplying."

"Multiplying?"

"Breeding. They're animals, just like any other; why wouldn't they make their own young?" Subaru folded his arms on his chest, noticing with discomfort that he too was a little sprayed with chicken poo.

"So there may be more monsters in the river now, eh? That's problematic."

"I don't see how it can be problematic," Subaru's tone became harsher. He didn't like Sorata's way of calling the crocodile looking fire creatures 'monsters' so easily, his forgetfulness of the animals' need to procreate. "The cattle farmers had it good since the famine ended, the herds are huge. I should know, I work with them. There's plenty more to double and even triple the sacrifice."

Sorata cringed, a little more aware now, "I don't know about tripling it, but it aught to be made bigger, that's for sure."

"Is there something you wanted, Arisugawa-san? As you can see we have our hands full…"

"Oh yes, yes," The monk's expression darkened a bit, "I wanted to ask you where Alex lives, if you can show it to me."

The onmyouji stared at Sorata for a while, calculating, "What do you need to know that for?"

Offended, Sorata coughed a nervous giggle, "Oh, come on, Subaru-san. I'm not a Noter, I'm not a City Council member; I'm your old friend from the Dragon of Heaven, remember?"

Subaru looked away, then down at the fence between them.

"Look….I, well, actually it's not only me…Bash wants to come along as well…"

"Bash-san? Yuuto's big assistant in the red coat?"

"Yes, that's him. Me and him, we want to visit Alex, tell him there're no grudges kept on our side. I mean, we kind of want to see how he is, see how he's handling it all."

Subaru stared at Sorata, not so suspiciously now, just curiously.

"You know, back in our world, no one ever trusted me so blindly like Alex. Everyone thought I was a babble mouth and I never really got a chance to fully show my skills to any of you. But Alex, he didn't see how good I was either but he picked me to come down first to the Dragon' lair first, he said I was one of our group's strongest cards. He was really nice to me all that time and I…well…I wasn't really hurt, when you come down to it…you know…when he….when he flipped…"

"Why do you hesitate?"

"Eh?"

"When describing his rampage around the City, why do you hesitate in finding the right words?" Subaru's voice and eyes grew cold again.

The monk shrugged, awkward, "Just…you know…searching for the right word. I don't want to offend you, and you are one of Alex' closest friends…"

Friend…yes, that's all he was. Subaru looked away, hoping he won't blush.

"But Bash misses him, they were real good friends and they didn't get to really get together again after Alex came back. And I miss him too, I…we, we want to see how he is, we're worried."

A small soft smile touched Subaru's lips. He looked beyond Sorata and pointed there, at Kusanagi who was walking towards them.

"You can ask Kusanagi where Alex is, now that he's become what he is."

Sorata whipped his head backwards and flashed a brilliant smile at the big bodies zombie, "Ah, yes, Shiyu-san! You can see where Alex is, can't you? I can't believe I was so scatterbrained to forget that!"

"Well," Subaru mumbled, "you have been lacking in sleeping hours lately…" he hoped Sorata won't hear this and start telling them about the latest developments of tiny Raikou.

Kusanagi shuffled towards them, big hands deep in his pants pocket, "Good morning, Sumeragi-san." He waved a short hello to Kazuki who shrieked happily at him in return (or was it because the chicken in her arms gave a sharp twitch?)

"Good morning, Shiyu-san," Subaru bowed politely, "I was just telling Arisugawa-san here that you could show him where Alex lives. You can sense him now, am I correct?"

Kusanagi shifted his undead weight from one foot to the other, awkwardly, "Yes, I can do that. I can see him…differently now. It's actually quite unnerving."

Sorata and Subaru stared at him, curious.

"He has…well…a glow, turquoise like. Which is strange, because I was colorblind before I…uh…died and came back…but now I can see the world in full color. That's not unnerving at all but, well…I'm just not used to see Alex with all the wings and the horns and the aura and everything…and that glow…"

"You can see colors now?" Sorata gaped, "Really? That's cool!"

Kusanagi smiled sheepishly, "Yes, it's wonderful. Once I used to drive people mad, never understanding what color they were talking about, I used to…."

"Glow?" Subaru cut through the zombie's babble.

"Huh?"

"You said 'and that glow' when you talked about how you can see Alex. I don't see any glow, I see a distinct aura. It's shining, but it's an aura. I never see a glow…"

"Really? I thought everyone sees it. It kind of hovers behind him and above him and it's very faint, like it's barely there. It's green colored, which made me notice it so much. You see, I used to not be able to see green and…"

"Green, not turquoise?"

"No, a bright green. It reminds me of jungle bush or something, that kind of green."

"Jungle…" Subaru seemed to trail off, his thoughts detaching from reality and the two men by him.

When Alex woke up in the new house, he dreamt about something. Later, Alex told him about the dream; it had jungles. And the man he saw in his dream, the one with his back to him, he was glowing green was he not? Ah, but Alex' memory of the dream was diminishing every day and whenever Subaru asked him Death seemed to remember less and less of that dream. Soon, there will be nothing left of it.

"The patrol, does it go by Alex' house?" Sorata tugged Kusanagi's sleeve.

"Hmm, yes, it does. It's right by the cliffs over Dragon Valley."

"Good, then we'll go by it and you'll show me where he lives. We'll go by the infirmary and pick up Bash, then we go there."

"Ah, the patrol doesn't run like that…." Kusanagi's voice strained; he didn't like breaking regulations, not when he's on duty.

The monk waved it off, "Yes yes yes, we'll just say we've been called there, if anyone bothers to ask."

The zombie looked uneasy, "The patrol ends in thee hours, can't you wait?"

Sorata sulked, "But…"

"We'll finish our patrol like good Rescue Team members and _then_ go about our pastime obligations." There was no arguing with the large zombie, his whole existence radiating 'duty' and 'reliability'.

Sorata slouched, "Oh…._fine_…" he shuffled away, waving a short limp farewell to Subaru who wasn't paying them attention at all.

The patrol left the veterinarians, each turning to their own jobs.

* * *

Mid day, in the long days of Dark Side summer, stretched until what aught to be four o'clock or so, and the sun was relatively high in the cloudy sky. 

The air was hot and sticky, moist without a good reason for it. The river surely wasn't big enough to produce so much humidity. As they approached the Cliffside, the sticky wind became sandy and dry, blowing thin yellowish grains into their face and over their clothes.

Vash and Sorata stomped their way to the far off two storied house on the cliffs' edge, holding a basket and a letter. The basket, woven by Kazuki back in the days she was not sure if she was Nataku or Kazuki and the psychologist tried teaching her how she is capable of producing something other than destruction, contained a few sandwiches, a whole watermelon and a jug of lemonade. The planned to share the food with Alex, as a peace offering. The letter was to be left behind them, in case they can't find Alex.

They didn't. They found an empty house, the hot wind blowing wildly through the thin white curtains on the living room windows.

"He's not here." Vash reported, coming down from the second floor, "He's not here and he didn't take his armor with him."

"Eh! I don't think I've ever seen Alex out of his armor, I don't think I can imagine it even…"

"Oh he has other clothes; it's just that he never wears them." Vash beamed, "I had a look around his closet when I moved into his room. There aren't many, but they're there."

"Hmm. Where could he be? He's not allowed in the City, where would he go?"

"Maybe he went down to the Valley, maybe he went to the forest, maybe he…"

They exchanged worried glances.

"He wouldn't…go away forever….would he?" Sorata frowned, completely devoid of his usual cheerful tones.

The gunman shrugged, "Why wouldn't he," he sounded crushed, "he has nothing to keep him here…"

"That's nonsense! What about his creatures? They're still here, in the City, and he has to attend to them. I say he's just out on a stroll. Anyways, there's a backyard, we didn't check that."

Reluctant, Vash followed the determined monk outside. They found nothing.

Discouraged, they left the basket behind them, the letter perched unfolded on its top.

Before he closed the door after him, Sorata cast another look around the living room's large space. "I know you're here, I can sense something else in here….Why don't you want to see us?" he sighed, he shut the door.

As soon as the hazy cloud of yellow sand enveloped the two slouched figures descending the cliff's top, a ghost materialized by the basket.

Death created himself by the living room table, concentrating his being back to his shape and finally stepped out of ghost mode. He sighed and reached for the piece of paper on the basket.

The crisp white paper was decorated messily by Vash's childish handwriting, curly and carved deep into the parchment. Though it was in English, Alex couldn't read it. He couldn't read any language, he never learned. He looked at the little doodle of Vash and Sorata's face, the latter flashing the strangely misunderstood 'v' sign.

Death put the letter aside and peeked into the basket. He divided the contents into three and devoured his share immediately, paper foil and all.

Grim stepped into the house, her scythe's staff clicking on the smooth stone floor, "You called me here?"

Alex waved the letter at her across his shoulder.

"You asked me here to read you a letter?" She sighed, softly stepping towards the nearest couch. She crushed there, wiggling a little to make herself comfortable.

She unfolded the paper, "Let's see….Hmmm….lots of spelling mistakes, unless he comes from a dimension where this is the correct way to write English."

"Just read it out."

"All right, all right, no need to get snappy. It reads

_Deer Alex, _

_Me an Sorata wuld just lik to tel you that we don't hold nothin agaynst you an we care bout you an we're very woreed bout you, damnit, you're our buddy so plees give us a shout or somethin' coz we realy miss you. _

_You'r not a monster, you'e not a bad guy. Sora said that, an I kinda hav to agree with him. We wanna know how you are an visit you._

_Your friends, Sorata an Vash!' _

"Good lord, that was hard to translate. He must come from some strange dimension where everyone's a hillbilly."

"The planet where he came from wasn't even earth, Grim, leave him be." Death sounded tired.

"I have something for you to do, and it's going to take you a long time to achieve it. Hopefully, if I'll be strong enough it might not take you too long, but I don't know the resilience of my own powers these days." He sighed, bending over the table.

The death angel frowned at her master, "Come here, sit down."

Alex snapped his back straight, shaking his head a little, "No, no time for that. You have to leave immediately."

She sat up, "leave?"

"Yes. This dimension has two sides, we're in the Dark one. There's another half a hemisphere almost completely cut off from this one. There are men of death there, a medium and the spirit of his enemy. I need you to go there and bring them over. Also, I need you to deliver a message for me. I'd send a shiki but I don't know if my powers can keep it under control these days…"

Grim steed up, brushing her long black cape from the yellow dust clinging to its rims, "Who am I to give this message to?"

"The first place you'll go to is the medium's house. You'll recognize it; it's very Japanese and very shielded off by all kinds of onmyoujitsu spells. Once you're inside you'll see the enemy's spirit as well, it's very present and when I was there I noticed it became strong enough to materialize.

"Then you'll ride to a place called the Queendom of Anthrax, to the palace there. It's surrounded by lush fields and small settlements inhabited completely by women. When you'll get there ask for a guard named Dvora…"

"Dvora?" Grim arched her brows, "Your Dvora!"

Alex shot her a reminiscing gaze, a smile faintly reflecting in his cloudy green eyes, "Yes, that Dvora. She has wings now. Ask Dvora to show you to the Queen's oracle. When you'll find the oracle, tell her Kamui is back in the City, that she can come to the City.

"Take her with you, her and whatever posse they decide to accompany her. Then you'll return to the City with everyone."

He brought his hand up and inside his palm a rolled parchment appeared, he waved it at Grim's general direction, "This is a map of your rout. You'll travel to the Light Side by sea; I'll give you a horse that can ride fast enough to walk on water. Move as fast as much as you can, but only when you're not with company. Don't make stops you don't need; I need these people here as fast as possible."

Grim stared at Alex' hunched back for a while, musing. "Is that all?"

"Yes. You can go now. The sooner you leave the better."

"Your voice, Alex, it sounds different…."

Death's body jerked, "Different? How?"

"I don't know…deeper…."

Alex sighed. He grabbed the fringes of his hair, which now reached the middle of his back. "I'm changing, so it seems, maybe my voice is changing as well…"

"No," There was nothing of the friendly, cheerful tone in Grim's voice now, "it grew deeper only now…when you talked about the people you need to bring from the…"

"They're Men of Death; I'd rather have them here, close by, where I can see them. God damn it, I can't sense them anymore I'm so weak, how would I know if they're in trouble over there!" He snapped at her, angry.

"Fine, fine, no need to bark at me. I'll go, I'm going now. Goodbye. See you sometime later."

Finally, he made eye contact with her again, his orbs powerful and commanding, "No, Grim, you will bring them here as soon as possible. That's not going to be 'sometime later' it's going to be 'soon', got it?"

Grim tried to return a glare, but found the authority of her master too great for her to try and rebel against. "Take care of yourself, Alex. Goodbye."

Death huffed and turned from her.

Grim Reaper stepped out to the backyard, let her head loll backwards, and took a deep breath. She ran her fingers through her smooth straight black hair and sighed. The wind blew gently at the heavy fabric of her cape, making it dance behind her theatrically.

A throaty neigh tore Grim out of her glum thoughts. She looked to her side and saw a large black horse, it's thin coarse hair sticky with blood, stepping slowly towards her. She reached for it and tried tickling it's forehead fondly. The beast made not a move, not even its nostrils twitched in breathing. It was undead, a familiar of one of Alex' guardians actually.

Strange, she thought, how he could retrieve a familiar of his guardian but not sense his guardian there. She didn't know Subaru told Alex of Vlad and Daniel.

Shrugging, she grabbed the beast' reins and leaped on its saddle. Clicking at it, she cantered away from the house, towards the coast.

* * *

The sun was beginning to descend the sky's dome, painting everything orange and soft pink. 

The light made Yuuto's suit look cream colored. He made his way to Death's house, hands deep in his pockets, brow frowning.

He could sense his little trick with the onmyoujis worked, Shikimai was right, however the main problem was still very much there; he still had a lot of work before him. Now, if only he could find the way in which he must work.

"**_Kigai!_**"

Yuuto only had time to turn around before his shirt collar was grabbed, twisted and his face was yanked to come into a very uncomfortable short distance from an angry Seishiro's.

"Seishiro-san…" Subaru's calm sigh came from behind the assassin's broad black draped back. Yuuto cringed.

"What?" Seishiro wiped his head to his lover, "What do you want? He's done something to us, we need it canceled." The Sakurazukamori returned his fuming attention to Love,

"Whatever it was that you did, _take it back_!"

He had nothing else to do other than obey Seishiro's words. He won't even try talking before, just do it. Seishiro's emotions aren't stable enough to allow Yuuto to calculate his future moves in any direction other than doing what he was told.

He placed his hand on Seishiro's neck, where he cast the first spell. One thing's done.

Seishiro's eye danced around in its socket, testing to see if anything seemed different now. The next moment his face twitched with anger again, and he gave Yuuto's collar a quick shake, "That's not all, is it?" he growled into Love's face.

"No, it's not. But I need to prepare for the next spell, it's quite difficult to undo." Love closed his eyes and frowned, sweat beads glistening on his face in the twilight golden light.

Love placed a palm on the sides of Seishiro's head, fanning his fingers as far as possible with the thumbs reaching for the corners of the man's eyes.

Subaru caught up with the two and was dully staring at the process, intrigued by the faint pinkish light shining on the inside of Yuuto's palms as if he laid his hands on a large light bulb and not the Sakurazukamori's head.

Soft popping sounds were heard and Seishiro opened his eyes. He released Yuuto and stood alone in the warm breeze, running his fingers through his hair.

Next he laid eyes on Subaru and the mere exchange of looks told Love everything; Seishiro could see now, clearer than before the effect of the two spells. Love and Death had them both caught in a crisscross of spells.

Somewhat revived now from the beauty of the Dragon Valley view, the soft mix of colors in the sky and Seishiro's renewed hope in his love, Yuuto turned to release Subaru from magic's grip.

He stared at them for a moment, later, as they embraced in despair and apology. They looked like two drowning men; grabbing onto one another like to a floating object. Each knew it wasn't the other's fault and each forgave, each gave in again to their love's intoxicating, sweeping wave.

Yuuto was lighting his surrounding with a bright pink glow, heart beating wildly in his chest. Yet, he wondered, when will it be his turn again to grab like that, to be grabbed?

He coughed gently, feeling awkward. The onmyoujis broke the passionate kiss they were sharing and stared at him, slightly stunned of his existence still there.

"Dear gentlemen, I'm going to pay Alex a little visit and I need to speak to him in private. Do you mind giving me an hour in there? I know you must be tired from your work day and you want a change of clothes and something to eat but…"

Subaru stepped forward, hanging huge hopeful eyes in Yuuto, "Oh no, no," he bowed, "please do what you need; please give Alex as much assistance as you can. It's very courteous of you to put so much effort into such a difficult project, I assure you…"

"Subaru-san…" Yuuto squeaked, awkward beyond the ability to speak properly, "I…uh…you don't need to be so polite…heavens, it's been ages since I've seen someone behave like that, it feels strange…" he brushed back his hair before his eyes, blinking to focus his sight.

"I'll do all I can for Alex, trust me." He gave them his trademark smile and turned to resume his rout to the house.

Miles away, Grim's horse's hoofs first hit water. Alex was right; the beast was capable of moving fast enough to turn the water into a hard surface safe to step on.

The salty sea breeze blowing madly through her cape, throwing the hood off her head, Grim bend forward expectantly. According to the map she had, if she'll ride on this fast she'll reach the Light Side shores by the morning's first lights.

Love found Death easily; all he had to do was follow the gloomy dark path of a broken heart fighting to heal.

Alex standing on the narrow wooden porch overlooking the house's yellowish sandy back yard, leaning on the high wooden bar, smoking a cigarette.

Yuuto dug his hands back in his pockets and stationed himself by Death's side, staring at the cloud bound sunset.

"That little trick you pulled with Subaru and Seishiro, it was downright stupid." Death snapped, tone low and growling.

"Yes. I undid it. I see the benefits of it, but it was time for it to end."

"It was never called for in the first place."

"I'll be the judge of that. What I see you can't, remember?"

Alex snapped a glare at Love, "You set them apart, you put something between them; I can't have any of that."

Yuuto cast an assuring glace at the green glare, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"Humph. You undid it, that's what's important."

"I have."

"Good, because I have plans for them. They're going to get married soon."

Yuuto snapped his head to Alex, "They are? They didn't say anything about…."

"They are going to get married. They need it."

"Ah, you're going to make them." Yuuto sighed.

"No, I'm going to hint Seishiro it'll be the right thing to do."

"And what makes you think it's the right thing to do?"

Death turned a smug grin at Love, "What I see you can't. Since Seishiro came here and became disconnected with the Sakura, since Subaru landed here, the magical bond between them was broken. There is no longer a Sakura to make Subaru its pray and no Sakurazukamori to hunt him down.

"They know it, they feel it, it's nagging them all the time. Shoot me if I know why, but they need a bond, they need something other than them to tell them 'you belong to one another, you can't move without the other following you'."

This took Yuuto by surprise, he mouthed a bit, "T-that's actually something I need to know…H-how did you…"

Death disarmed his smile and kept his gaze on Yuuto, "I know them better than you, I spent more time with them. Also, perhaps because I'm Death, their emotions are clearer to me. Pick whatever explanations you like."

Yuuto giggled, "You are a strange one." He turned his gaze to the view, frowning uncontrollably.

"I can't keep them together alone, as we both said; each of us see things the other don't. Seishiro and Subaru…they're precious to me; they're the only thing I managed to do right…"

"Don't be silly, you've done other great things." Love nudged Death.

Death snorted in disagreement.

"Like Yuzuriha and Kusanagi, for example. I gave up on poor Yuzuriha, her heart seemed broken beyond repair. I never had the chance to bring Kusanagi _back from the dead_, I never even thought it's possible."

"What we need to do with the two of them is to make sure they don't play with each other." Death stuck determined eyes at Love who arched his brows, stunned.

"If They sleep together then when Victoria bites Yuzuriha she'll turn into a ghoul. It's the kind of vampire Victoria is; if you're not a virgin you become a rotting puppet on a string, Yuzuriha would be better off dead."

Yuuto moved uncomfortable, "I'm not sure I have that kind of control over that…I can lecture her, nag her, be a worry wart but…"

"I can physically stop Kusanagi," he turned to Yuuto again, "but I wouldn't know when they're about to go at it."

Yuuto hung his head. He was usually not very much into such drastic, aggressive measures. But, he guessed, that was Death's way of handling things. His Creatures will be happy and in good health, by hook or by crook.

"Alright, we have ourselves a plan."

"Good." Alex flung the cigarette butt at the valley and fished for another one. "I can smoke as many as I want in a row, I can't get cancer from it."

Yuuto frowned at Death's smoking, "You don't….actually…blow the smoke away…."

Death grinned and let a thin screen of smoke filter out through his white sharp teeth, "I don't need to. Actually, I consume as much as I can from the smoke. What I exhale is air, which you can't see."

"Ah, the wonders of not being human."

Death shrugged and leaned onto the smooth dark wooden surface again, he glanced at Yuuto who was frowning again. "You look like a mess."

Love sighed, "Yes. I'm working hard lately."

"Humph. Didn't know Love has to work hard at all. It sure didn't seem so with my arrogant little prick of a brother."

Yuuto contemplated for a moment, then spoke again, "Justice had to deem wrongly and be punished for it to become true Justice. You have to die to become Death. Me? I fell in love, I lost love, I was bewitched and smitten, only to be widowed. Then I found true, fully consuming love and lost it to a kind of far off betrayal. I was jealous, I was broken hearted and, finally, I fell out of love…."

Death stared at Yuuto with large sad eyes, eyes that dug a hole into Yuuto's source of pain, reached in and understood. "I had no idea that's what Love must go through…"

Yuuto nodded, leaning his chin on his palms, pressing himself onto the wood.

Now's the time to act; the chitchat is over. When he came here Death's shields were still up, he refused to open up. Now that Alex know Love hurts as well, there's more trust between them.

He decided to deadpan it, "What about Kamui, what do you feel right now?"

Death gave Yuuto a sidelong glance, "Can't you see that?"

If he told him, how would he react? I will only puzzle him more, "I want to hear your opinion about it, to see how much of it you understand. If I'm about to do something to solve your problem I want to see if you'll understand what I'm doing."

"Ah…" Death sighed and mused for a while.

The sun set and a bluish darkness spread around them. In the sky, Tara levitated and began to shine, helping the moon in its job.

"I understand I'll never have him. In fact, I think I'm coming to terms with it. Not the way I did when we came here; that was lying to myself. Now I know, for sure, that he's better off without me, that we have nothing in common, that this was all a silly fixation I just need to get over on my own."

Yuuto stared inquisitively at Death, "Is that all?"

But Death wasn't listening. He stiffened, attention completely focused on a far off spot to their left. He shot out the porch, running to the house's side.

Sensing something as well, Yuuto hurried after Alex.

Wild thumps stormed towards them; the sound of horses riding fast and frantic. In minutes they were there, two horses; Yuzuriha and Kusanagi.

Yuzuriha arrived first and leaped off her horse, running towards Death and crushing into him for a hug. She dug her face, wet with tears, in Death's dark red shirt, weeping.

Yuuto stood at Death's side, reaching out to the girl, but Ale jerked them away from him.

Kusanagi arrived on the second horse and descended it clumsily. He approached them then, as he noticed Yuzuriha's crushed state, stopped with a jerk. He hung his head then raised it again and by then Tara's glow was strong enough to light the problem.

There was a small scratch by the corner of Kusanagi's mouth, which stretched and widened until it was such a huge tear into his flesh that it consumed almost his whole right cheek. Yuuto recognized the shining whiter of teeth and slightly dimmer white of jaw and cheekbones, and looked away.

There was also a smell, an oozing reek carried on the nightly breeze, which slowly engulfed them; the smell of rot and death. Yuuto pulled a handkerchief from his jacket and covered his nose but the odor was too tart to be blocked to easily.

"We were having a picnic in the forest, it was all so nice…but when we rode back…." Yuzuriha's voice fractured into tiny scattered whimpers and her shoulder jerked, "t-there was a branch…I rode under it because I'm short….but Kusanagi….it….it….it tore him….a-and…and…" she couldn't go on. Her fingers clawed so desperately at Death's back it nearly ripped his shirt.

He rubbed her back, running his fingers gently through her hair. He rocket them from side to side gently, cooing at her like she was weeping babe, keeping his eyes on Kusanagi all the time.

"It's ugly." He said finally, voice distant and strong, "It smells revolting too. He's rotting, Yuzuriha, he is dead. I wrapped him in fresh flesh but on the inside this how he is. That's how we all are; we look alive on the outside but inside we're twisted, and ugly, and wrong and dark. So very dark. That is the way we are, those of Death; you'll understand when you become one of us."

Yuzuriha drew away from Death, searching his face with big teary wobbly eyes.

"But this is Kusanagi Shiyu, the man who loves you enough to haunt you and hover around you when he was dead, who loves you enough to turn down a chance to escape this hellish dimension in spirit, so as not to leave you alone. His love was strong enough that when I offered him his body back it was his love alone that pulled his soul into this rotting shell; I did nothing to push it into place."

Yuzuriha turned, slowly, shyly, to the zombie.

Death placed his palms on her shoulder, giving her a slight nudge forward, "You need to look beyond the stinking, vile, decaying exterior, and see the human soul within; it's there in everyone of us. It'll be in you when you'll wrap yourself in blood and death, would you like Kusanagi to then cringe and step back from you because there's something ugly and wrong with you?"

The inugami mistress shook her head, wiping her face dry. "I'm sorry, Kusanagi-san, for running away…I was just a little scared, that's all." She walked up to him and, standing on the tips of her toes, reached out and covered the gaping hole with her small gentle white palm, "It won't happen again, I promise."

The zombie, who was first both bolted frozen with shame and guilt, was now just as equally stunned by the sheer emotions aimed at him and coming from him.

"A-ah….Missy….You always have such a way to make me speechless…"

She emitted a wet, hiccupping giggle of a heart freshly clean of tears and sadness, and crushed herself into Kusanagi's wide trunk. They embraced for a long time, snuggling each other sweetly.

"Now, now, that's enough of that." Death sighed, advancing towards them, "You remember what I told you, Yuzuriha?" he drew them apart.

She stumped angrily, fists clenched and arms rigid at her sides, "Just how many times will I have to hear it! It's none of your business either."

"It's the Noters' business that you're still fifteen and he's way older." Alex beamed that trademark Seishiro-ish grin at her and gave her a last shove away from Kusanagi's side.

"Now," he hung a grave stare at the zombie, "this might make me fait so…just…uh…be ready to catch me."

Kusanagi nodded.

Yuuto wrapped an arm around Yuzuriha's shoulders to comfort her only to have it slapped off angrily. Only teenagers were capable of such anger levels.

Death placed his palm on Kusanagi's gape, and the flesh was mended back together. The smell stopped, fading away with the wind, and like the smell it seems Death was also about to fade away.

His body went completely limp, his eyes rolling into his head. He simply sank backwards, hair gushing after him like a thick current, and nearly fell to the ground. Kusanagi grabbed him in time, cradling him like a baby.

"H-he, he weighs nothing."

"He's very weak…it seems." Yuuto whispered, eyeing Death's blank face curiously, "better take him indoors, we'll tuck him on the sofa or something. Will you two stay with him? I have something I must do." They nodded at him, worried.

They placed Death on the wide dark cream colored sofa in the large silent living room, Yuzuriha settling by his feet and Kusanagi finding the armchair Grim inhabited earlier, easing his bulky undead body into it.

By then Yuuto was storming back to the City. He had another stop to do before he reached Venus' field and lucky, this new assignment's targets were heading towards him, happily.

* * *

The Light side was welcoming the new morning's light, the sun shining sweetly on the Anthrax palace softly. 

A winged guard woke for her shift and found something different in the air. She walked to her small room's window, pried it open and leaned out to smell the fresh morning air. Only this morning there wasn't only the scents of fresh cookies baking in the royal kitchen, of perfumes from the treasurer's room beneath hers, the smell of the freshly watered lush fields in the distance, or even the faint stench of the small palace zoo.

This morning there was Death in the air, and it was calling her. Something's coming her way and it wants her. She shut the window; it was not just Death, it can't be. She never sensed Death's power mixed with so much malice, something was wrong.

A soft rap on the door snapped her attention from her glum thoughts, "It's open."

Into her room the royal oracle stepped, bringing a wave of small violet parrots with her. Behind Kotori, the girl's maid stepped in, bowing deeply and beaming with polite morning greeting.

"The madam oracle…" the guard blinked, "How may I help you so early in the morning?" She hoped she'll be of zero help. Knowing Death taught her that people who see the future in dreams are always right and if what the oracle had a dream about what she just sensed then it's bad news.

"Dvora-san," Kotori gave a soft bow, "May I ask if you just sensed the man who passed through our palace a few months ago?"

Dvora hung her head; so it was true. She sighed and nodded.

Kotori thrust her chin stubbornly forward, eyes darting all over the room. "That is not good. But hopefully it will come to a good end."

The guard frowned, "Lady?"

"I'm leaving to travel to the Dark Side, my brother is there and I now can finally come and visit him."

"Lady," she stepped towards Kotori, reaching out for the girl, "is this what your dream told you, what I sensed; that you can come and visit your brother?"

Kotori hesitated for a moment, then smiled sweetly, "Yes, that is what my dream told me. That and also that you should come with me as my escort."

"Ah, I have no objection, but you must run this through with the Queen, she's the only one who can discharge the head of the palace guards to do any other task."

Kotori bowed again, "I will, thank you very much for tolerating such an early visit, I apologize if I interrupted your morning routine."

Tohru repeated the same gesture, adding a few extra words of polite apology.

"Oh, don't be silly," Dvora waved them off, looking embarrassed, "you people are really too polite for your own good."

With a small ceremonial giggle, Kotori turned to leave. Then she lingered by the door a little, her birds exiting above her head, "I will see you this afternoon, then, when we'll be departing."

"So early!"

"Yes. I must…ah, I want to see my brother as fast as possible." And with that she retreated, the rims of her soft bright blue pajama gown barely revealing her small bare feet.

She left Dvora quite puzzled and not at all comfortable or devoid of suspicion that there's something greater at work here, something she's not fully informed about.

* * *

"Subaru-san!" Yuuto waved at the onmyoujis who were speeding towards their house, he ran at them. 

"Oh, what is it, Pinkie, we're in a hurry, Death's unwell." Seishiro growled.

"Yes, yes, I just came back from there."

Subaru grabbed at Yuuto's shoulders, worry painting his face bright grey in the night light, "What is it? What happened?"

"Shiyu-san was out riding with Yuzuriha-can, a branch tore half his face off. Scared the poor little girl almost half to death. Alex fixed it but it made him faint. He's alright now, they had hi tucked on a sofa in your house, they're looking after him."

Seishiro made a motion to move back to the house, stopping himself irritably, "Then what is it?"

"I need to speak with you, Subaru-san, about Alex."

The light onmyoujis nodded frantically, shaking himself out of his worry.

"I just spoke to Alex, about Kamui but something bothers me. What he says and what he feels, they're different, but even that's different. When I spoke to him it was like I was speaking with two different things,. Like he had two masks over his face.

"One was telling him he was getting over Kamui, that he was determined to move on, but the other. The other was lying, looking away, sneering at me. It was….hot….that's all I can think of."

"Today," Subaru held his finger up, as if the gesture helped him concentrate, "I spoke to Shiyu-san. He told me that sometimes he sees something we can't, a green glow around Alex. He says its very faint and its disappears as quickly as it got there. But we can't see him and if it was a possession we'd be able to tell. We see nothing, and we're both powerful, experienced onmyoujis." He looked away, frustrated.

"A heat you say?" Seishiro moved to Subaru's side, "There was that, it's been there for some time now, since we came here."

Subaru shot his eyes to his lover, "That? But it's been a part of Alex all this time….I thought it was a part of him."

"What, what, what heat? Tell me!" Love almost screamed.

The onmyoujis turned their eyes to him, surprised.

"Just a faint heat coming from him, like that of a fire. It's been there for a very long time, since we came here, really." Subaru mumbled sheepishly, "we dismissed it."

Yuuto shook his head violently, growing impatient, "'Came here' when? 'came here' back to the Dark Side from the Light one?"

"No, since we arrived in this dimension…" Seishiro sounded just as childishly reprimanded as his other half, "But we thought it was because he was once again near David, and David's powers are that of fire…"

Yuuto mouthed a bit, gawking around. The heat and the green glow, they were not one and the same. The heat could indeed come from David's presence; like Love, Death concealed a bit of each of his own inside him. Was it really that? Was it that simple? Kusanagi said the glow was green, surely he could sense if the glow was also hot or not.

The green glow, the heat, they were both alien to Death's original form, but which of them were the dangerous possession? Which one was lying to him about Alex' feelings towards Kamui?

Love looked away, to the City to the left of the onmyoujis. Justice exited their home and went out on a stroll towards the riverside where the fire monsters were never reported, where it was the local lovers' lane.

"Tell me," he said, dreamingly and low, "if possessions are tried to be rid of, can they grow violent against the exorcists?"

Subaru nodded, "The more powerful the vessel they posses the stronger they are when attacking."

"Then you better leave him be for a few hours, Death that is. I'm sorry I'm keeping you from going home, but I need you to stay away from Death just a little longer. Please, come to our house and send Karen to my field. Sakurazuka-san, I need you to cast a sleeping spell on Ace and Spike."

The Sakurazukamori folded his arms on his chest resolutely, "Only if you'll tell me what you're going to do."

"We don't know what's possessing him, none of us can find that out. I'm going to reach into his heart and see what it is, or at least what it feels. For that I need a few ingredients and you staying clear away from Death. Ah, but before you go to our house, could you please inform Yuzuriha-chan and her boyfriend to leave the house as well. I believe you can use a shikigami for that."

Subaru pulled a flush of ofuda from his coat's breast pocket, already chanting. Seishiro turned to go to his old house.

"Thank you."

Yuuto's mind was too troubled with thought to notice anything in his path to Venus' field, he was too busy summoning his Creatures and Men to the field as well.

For a moment, he shot a hopeful look at Tara high in the sky. She frowned at him worriedly.

* * *

Lestate concentrated his Fire Gift on the nocturnal blooming daisy field, spreading a wide circle before him. Clearing a stage. 

He had arrived at the field to hunt Yuuto down and force a rather unpleasant demand onto him, to start working on Alex and to do it _now_.

Instead he was waved at frantically and, before he could say a word, informed of Love's plan.

The vampire's existence there was a blessing to Yuuto; he feared he might have to send Vash to get Lestate, which would hinder the following work.

Lestate, or any Creature and Man of Death was needed on the scene. Within the vampire a small amount of Death lay, an essence. The vampire being there would link Death's spirit there, draw him out into the spell.

Venus cringed at the fire which consumed her beautiful flowers and cringed even worse when the tiny magical plants sent their tiny plights to her, to enable them to grow again and she had to refuse them. The field, so soaked with love's energy, must be burnt down, must be destroyed. After the spell is worked, Yuuto promised her, she can let them grow again. For now, the wide circle was needed.

Tara dropped from the heavens and was now spreading her herbs on the circle's edges, carving inot the black ashen ground marks to assist her work. It was the second time Yuuto's asked her to do this spell and, though it was not to reach as far as the last one she lay, this spell was to be completely sealed and perfect. If it wasn't, if there was a crack in the protective shield she was building to lock the spell's consequences strictly to the circle, who can tell what devastating effects might come about.

With the witch no longer high in the sky to light them, suddenly it was dark and gloomy, with nothing but the pale thin moon's light to help them see around them.

The darkness made Yuuto even more nervous than he already was. He didn't know if the spell will work, he didn't know whatever it was he was reaching out to was not as destructive and vengeful as Death's mood when he destroyed the City. If Yuuto was to be blamed for a second rampage he would surely be crushed. Love shot his frantic eyes to Tara and prayed she will complete a perfect barrier.

"You called me, Yuuto-san?" Karen's soft velvety voice nearly made Love leap out of his skin, he was that nervous.

"Ah, Karen-san. Yes, I'm afraid I need you for something rather dangerous. I'm sorry t put you in such a position but, you see, I have no female in my crew who can do what I need you to do."

Karen frowned a little. She was wearing a tight black dress with a neckline that would have been modest if the fabric of it wouldn't cling so lovingly to her bosom. Above it she wore a large crucifix pendulum, hung on a velvet ribbon around her throat. Yuuto was about to remark that such a strict religious symbol was never made so sexy, but the symbol made him think of something else. Lestate was here.

He shot a look at the vampire and gestured him to come over. With a spring in his step, Lestate approached them, the pure moonlight giving his white skin a shining china quality which was both fascinating and disturbing at the same time (for mortals like Karen and Yuuto, anyway) and his eyes the glow of two small glittering clustered of broken gems.

"Come, tell me, Lestate-san; this crucifix here, does it disturb you?"

Lestate stared at Karen's collar, admiring the shape her jugular marked on her long sensuous neck, "No. My kind isn't sensitive to these sorts of things. I can look at them, I can touch them, I can wear them. They hold no danger to me."

He beamed at Karen and remarked her how the dress matched the collar magnificently. Karen giggled ceremoniously and informed the vampire that it was a gift from Ace and Spike.

"Ah, but you better take it off anyway; Victoria is sensitive to crucifixes and silver. If Death is to hover here he might bring with him her essence and that beautiful little trinket might harm him."

Nodding, Karen removed it, leaving it amidst the flowers, and stepped into the circle.

Tara was finished. She levitated back to the sky, directing her beam this time onto the circle strictly, like a spotlight.

Out of the darkness, the short and elegant figure of Watari, accompanied by the tall slim figure of Shikimai, stepped into the circle. The energy upholding the shield cackled and danced a pale blue light on the slim lines of Shikimai's sharp long ears, the small hairs on each of his tails.

"Now's my turn I guess." Vash whispered, eyes fixed on the burned circle, and stepped into the shield.

Yuuto scanned the sight before him; Karen, Vash, Shikimai and Watari. The pieces are set on the board, now all that's missing is the hand to move them. First it will be his, but the second hand, whose will it be? What will it do?

He shot a look at Blue Fairy. She nodded and drove her canoe to a quarter of the circle's radius. Venus did the same. Lestate stood directly opposing Yuuto on the other end of the circle. That's it, the set is finished, let the magic begin.

Cutting his eye contact with the circle one last time, Yuuto looked up at Tara and gestured her to begin.

A piano snuck around them, notes playing up and down, circling them. An edgy guitar's strumming followed, then the piano returned, playing a darker tune.

The four inside thr circle became limp, arms hanging and head rolling. Then the music picked up; the piano was playing a sweet little romantic rhythm.

Karen raised her right hand, taken by Vash. They moved to the center of the circle, embracing each other softly in an intimate little dance. For a moment, in the lone shaft of light Tara aimed at them and with the piano's escort, they seemed like a perfect picture of love. Karen buried her face in Vash's wide chest, empty eyes closing in trust.

Then the piano disappeared and the silence it left behind was quickly torn by a violin, notes high and rising, wailing, complaining. Guitars accompanied it, strumming a nervous beat.

Into the faint glow of the light's shaft stepped Shikimai and Watari, like sharks circling their prey. But instead of wolfing at the couple, they merely walked around it slowly, bouncingly, spinning and prancing as if to rival the other two's minute dance.

The erratic moves soon attracted Karen attention and she opened her eyes, casting the eager curious glances of a little girl around her, as if fascinated by these strange charming creatures hopping and skipping around on the edge of darkness and light.

As the music picked up it seemed to draw Karen, like a string, from her companion's arms until she left him completely alone and stepped out of the light.

Tara broadened the beam and now it was possible to see Karen stepping forward with a beat to her moves, and the two Creatures of Love tailing after her like jackals.

She stopped, completely synced with the beat, smiled and reached her arms to her side.

Vash stood silent still, staring at the performance before him, his large eyes empty as of yet.

Before him, Karen was lead around in circles, pulled gently here or there whenever Watari or Shikimai drew her towards them. She threw her head back and laughed, returning the small intimate caressed the men gave her, or teasingly escaping their fingers.

Like this they dance for a while, rolling around in their little tap-dance of betrayal.

It was time for Yuuto to be possessed by the song which will be the channel into Death. He took a deep breath and savored, for just a moment, the warmth of feelings gathered in his chest.

The surrounding of the house on the edge of the cliff was dark and silent save for a small thin veil of a screen Death had created there. He had woken from his sleep a few minute ago, troubled by the sound of a strange tango. He sat up, got up, and walked out to the back yard, where the night's darkness might hide his need.

He touched the house's wall and on it appeared something he was ordering his shiki to see; Kamui and Fuma, strolling carelessly on the City's Lovers' Lane by the river, hands intertwined.

The tango in his ears grew louder but he paid no attention to it; so consumed he was with his spying.

In the tango's notes a voice laced; deep and throaty and parched, and it sang.

_'Will drive you!  
Will drive you!  
Will drive you!'_

It echoed

_  
'MAD!'_

Inside the circle, Vash who has been standing now with his back to Karen and her company, snapped his whole body to her, eyes aglow. His lips moved thoughthey did not sing; the voice engulfed him like an envelope, it said

_'Roxanne_

_'You don't have to put on that red light  
Walk the streets for money  
You don't care if it's wrong or if it is right'_

A shudder grabbed Death's body, moving his lips and he heard himself brokenly uttering,

_'Roxanne_

_  
'You don't have to wear that dress tonight  
_

He said it fully now,

_'Roxanne_

_You don't have to sell your body to the night'_

The next to sing was not Love, but Vash and as he opened his mouth to do so it was not his voice coming out but Alex'. Back in the house Death had grown stiff and frozen; unable to move a limb but his lips.

Vash' face twitched in agony, his whole expression radiating misery, a lost hope, and a broken heart. Softly, he sang,

_'His eyes upon your face'_

In Death's little peeking window, Fuma set Kamui on a small bench by the riverside, weaving his fingers in the younger man's. The sounds of their small sweet whispers didn't reach Death's ears but to judge by their expression, they were surely exchanging sweet nothings.

_'His hand upon your hand'_

Karen's lips brushed ghostly over Watari's, and she turned her face to exchange the same halfhearted touch with Shikimai. The two were growing closer to her, yet not real contact has been made.

_'His lips caress your skin'_

Fuma leaned forwards and planted a wide, consuming long kiss of Kamui's mouth. The young man's arms wrapped around the second Justice, fingers combing through short hair and faintly scratching at a strong back.

_'It's more than I can stand!'_

Vash grabbed at the sides of his head, doubling over, his voice growing stronger as the music picked up to swirl loudly around the circle,

_'Why does my heart cry?_

_Feelings I can't fight!'_

He straightened himself, turning to walk towards Karen and her fellows,

_'You're free to leave me but  
Just don't deceive me!  
...And please believe me when I say  
I LOVE YOU!'_

With that silent call, almost a shout, it seemed that was all; that this is all the emotions Death contained.

But Yuuto was not easily fooled and he could see that second layer, still lurking there. He needed to stir it, to anger it more, to expose it.

With quick, short moves, Karen's pursuers drew closer and closer to her, embracing her from each side. They ran their hands all over her body, shying away from not a single piece of skin. They dug their fingers under her dress, they squeezed and caressed and all this while they kissed or nibbled very bit of exposed skin they could.

Karen, on her behalf, did nothing to stop this. On the contrary, she laughed heartedly, returning the embrace and the quick passionate kisses they dared to share with her.

Leaning her backwards, they held her in their arms and off her feet until she was hovering above the ground on their hands. Soon, they will lay her down…

The music boomed around them and with it a powerful gush of ice cold wind blew around the circle, testing the barrier with white mist and small ice crystals produced in the sudden cold.

The same wind suddenly blew around Kamui and Fuma, throwing them, frightened, into each other's arms.

In his house, Death was yet completely still, though his face held the same expression as on Vash's.

The gunman began to glow hot; a bright orange beam making his red coat look like it was afire. His face twitched in anger, his eyes burning pink, he reached his arms to his side as if to gather to his side a great power.

And there was a power there, within him, that Yuuto had hope will not be stirred by the spell. But it was. White feathers grew out of he skin on the side of Vash's face, grew down his neck, to his right shoulder and on to his hand.

His arm began to swell, the orange light brightening into white one; he was creating the weapon his brother made him. Still he sang, so loud it was more of a musical shout,

'Why does my heart cry?  
Feelings I can't fight!'

A choir of spirits circled around in the daisy field, repeating Vash's song over and over again ghastly.

Far from there, in the house, something was happening inside Death.

A wave of heat materialized into something black, sleek and deadly. It rose to its claw armed feet, skeletal tail whipping at the ethereal space, it snarled to expose its silvery sharp teeth. It reached out, wishing to escape and burst out. The air around its black body rose to fatal temperatures, but not for long.

For as quickly as it rose to pounce, it was grabbed and held back. Daniel took a hold of one red-hot shoulder, Vlad grabbed the other. Together, against the monsters' anger and malice, they struggled. The heat was almost fatal, the thrashing of its tail cutting into their flesh, but they did not let go.

Then a channel opened before them; someone was reaching in. The monster, still in a storm of emotions, allowed a pinkish hand to reach it.

Yuuto closed his eyes to focus, then opened and saw what the monster let him see.

The City was aflame, but it was not his City, not in this time, not in this location. It was surrounded by a forest, but the forest was eaten away by a vicious, hungry fire. Everywhere Yuuto looked he saw flames licking at walls, at people running in panic searching for something to put the burning off. He saw guards on horses canter past him, their tunics burning under their noble chain mail and around. Flames licked at the poor horse's ankles.

A City was burning and the anger from the thing he tapped onto inside Death was fanning the fire.

Yuuto looked to his left and saw a small pack of armor-clad riders enter the fiery settlement. Whenever their horses' hoofs touched the fire receded, allowing them a safe passage. They picked up speed, drawing out swords and lances, pulling arrows in bows. They stormed into the City and destroyed whatever was alive around them.

Love watched the massacre in horror and wished to avert his glance.

But something pulled his vision forward, something was zooming the illusion he was seeing, like a camera, on the tallest building in the City before him; the tower of a medieval looking castle. The flames were climbing up to it, licking circles around the white stones painted orange and red by the flames.

Yuuto tore his eyes wide open, leaning forward to lean into the vision, encourage it into its aim. Something rode past him, something big and black and menacing. A huge black horse rode through the air like it was safe earth and on it back a tall broad figure clad in black and red amour sat. Both he horse and its rider were engulfed in flames but, unlike the poor City citizens, this figure was not burning; the fire created an aura around it.

The vision entered a room at the top of the tower the same time the flaming rider did and Yuuto leaned back onto the imaginary wall of the once dark and silent night, to watch in horror the last stage of the drama.

The room was circular, its ceiling a dome from which a bed canopy hung. On a low, wide bed before Yuuto lay two young men, entangled in each other's arms.

The rider descended his burning horse, his feet spreading fire on the smooth stone floor where surely nothing was flammable. It stepped onto the bed, waking the two young men.

Something caught Yuuto's eye and, hoping it will be proven wrong, he walked around the vision, to see more clearly. He thought he saw Kamui's face through the flames surrounding the rider.

It was true, sadly; on the bed, Fuma and Kamui stirred from their sleep, to discover the horror which stepped into their safe haven.

Yuuto moved to leap between the burning monster and the two, but it was too late; the burning thing reached for its scabbard and pulled out a long curved sword, swinging it in the air (it sent a rain of small flames around them) and swung it down.

It severed Fuma's head and Yuuto heard himself emit a long horrified scream. He covered his mouth and stared, unable to tear his gaze off the terror-filling sight.

Kamui sat up in the bed, cradling his loved one's head, wrapping an arm around the body. He was crying, his tears reflecting a hundred tiny flames flowed down his white cheeks. The ends of his long hairs' strands were sizzling as the fire reached them, spreading on the sheets.

Kamui cried, but his tears were not only those of grief, but of despair, "I'm sorry…" he whimpered, "I'm so sorry…."

The room was almost a ball of fire and it was hard for Yuuto to see, through the black smoke and the roaring flames, the bed and its occupants.

One last thing he saw, before he pulled himself out of the horror; one last vision of fright.

The creature in armor reached now for its helmet, decorated red and black and orange like flames with two white fangs at its jaw. It removed the helmet and under it, Yuuto saw, Alex' face. Tears flowed from his eyes as well, tears of liquid fire, dripping onto in own amour and setting him on fire as well.

Then the flames engulfed all and Yuuto was sent back, away from the heart of Death and back into his field where he fell to the ground.

* * *

The pieces inside the circle collapsed. The creatures around it flopped limply onto the flowerbed. 

Kamui and Fuma, huddled together by the river, opened their eyes from the sudden strange vision that took them over, and found a whole mass of Noter chariots and single riders surrounding them like a living fence.

Death's body was released from the spells' strict grip and he blinked the last cobs of magic away.

Inside him, Vlad helped Daniel to his feet and brushed the ash of burned feathers from his grey-tainted wings. They managed to hold the monster down this time, but the next time they'll be too weak. The next time, someone else has to do it; they've done the best they could.

Alex combed his scalp with his fingers, pulling at his long hair as panic overtook him. Whatever it was, it wasn't him. It wasn't him but it is _within_ him and it's going to come out, without asking him when or where.

He must go away, Death realized, or put himself to sleep; he must hide himself from Kamui or the boy will be hurt, or the vision will come true.

Alex rushed into the house and stormed into his room, tearing at a cabinet into which he had emptied all his possessions from his old Rescue Team room. He scratched around in a drawer and found what he was looking for.

He took the tube out and unscrewed it, emptying its contents into his mouth and swallowing hard.

The stuff effected him quickly; the world was going haze on him. He'd leave a note, if he'd know how to write. Instead, he made one last effort and created by his side a shiki to inform Subaru and Seishiro of what was going on.

Then he stumbled back to the bed and collapsed onto it, falling into deep dark sleep.

This will keep the monster from using him, he thought; if he is now conscious and awake then so is the monster, he presumed.

But he was wrong. For it is when Alex is not awake that the monster is most able to take hold of Alex' body. Death had no idea of it, because he had never met such a monster.

Luckily for the Alex, and Kamui, and Fuma, and the City, for now the monster was still dormant.

But it will wake up again. As soon as Grim comes back and brings with the two who will complete the prophesized set of aides to the monster's plan;

_A vampire master, and a master-less vampire._

_Two of the light, two from the dark._

_And twins of fire. _

_Fire to destroy._

(tbc)


	45. Legend

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** To Yersi Fanel (The truth is even freakier, as you'll see in this chapter!), Cocoke5 (I hope you'll find that it was worth the wait…), Sesshy's Girl (Ah, it wasn't the longest this story's ever seen, now was it?) and LadyofTheBlackWings (How's school girl? I hope you weren't hanging for too long…)

**Apology:** Many apologies again!! I started university, I had two tests on invertebrates and one about chemistry and a Band of Brothers Christmas fic with a deadline and…..-takes breaths- I'm very sorry I left you for so long and with such a cliffhanger but here you have it! The new chapter where so much drama happens. Hope you likie, and sorry again.

**Announcements: **

As soon as this version of A New World (i.e unbeta-ed un-revised) is ended I'll be working with my beloved beta to improve this fic. Then the fic will move to fictionpress(dot)com under the name 'Legend'.

**A.N: **It is in this chapter that you'll realize just how crazy-ly my mind works

* * *

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**Chapter 45 – Legend**

Many months passed.

The days lurched on and on, in the Dark Side; yellow and dusty and hot and the City dwellers could all swear that there was a tension in the air, though they said it must be the river in which the Fire Monsters were breeding day and night in a frightening pace.

The nights were magical, though, enchanting and sweet like Blue Fairy's singing as she'd lull her husband to sleep, sitting by the window so the whole City could hear.

Sorata and Arashi took their son to checkups in the Infirmary and the little toddler, though only a few months old, was not only able to stable himself upright when held off his feet, but also already turning from laying on his belly to lying on his back. Arashi said he was already reaching out to touch things with perfect coordination, though it was still too early for a baby only a few months old.

Yuzuriha and Kusanagi patrolled in the nights, and on the next night Yuzuriha and Victoria, on others Victoria and Lestate. Kusanagi found himself an abandoned house by the ring of empty destruction in the City, and lived there so the temptation won't be too great.

Subaru and Seishiro would venture out with Kazuki to tend to the City animals, then come back home to a house where all was still and achingly quiet for their Death was as dormant and inanimate as an iceberg.

On her nights off, Victoria would help David garden the cemetery, her flawless eyesight in the night helping David decorate the cemetery with flowery bushes and saplings which would one day become large respectable trees for visitors to sit under.

Kamui and Fuma worked hard all day and curled up in bed at nights growing colder and colder each day despite the early day's heat.

Will curled up in a kennel he built himself in the empty months and at night would stare at the moon and wonder about the lonely, heartbroken wolfish howl he'd hear sometimes.

Karen would get sleepless at nights, when her and her lovers' passion was spent. She'd feel uncomfortable and uneasy from inside, like something was there that was still not mended since she was healed by Lestate. Her period was late and she hoped and prayed it was because her body was unused to the lack of hormonal regulations the birth control pills she'd take in her home world. She moved her almost a year ago and thoughts like that were ridiculous, yet the other solution to the phenomena was too awful for her to bear.

Lestate came to the City only on nights he was on patrol. The others he spent exploring the Dimension's Pole, digging himself a small cave where he'll bring his coffin and sleep for a few centuries like his kind would do in his world, whenever they were emotionally exhausted from life and the living.

Death slept and slept on, with no dreams and no nightmares.

Grim stormed through land and over lakes, crossing the Light Side at a speed living things were incapable of tolerating. She carried with her, in a small magic-bound box, a paper doll where Seimei lay dormant against the insane speed, and a possessed amulet where the spirit of an onmyouji gone wrong was locked. Grim zoomed past the Palace of Anthrax and rode on, towards the mountains. To her, a magical barrier made by destiny was nothing; she was a creature laced with destiny herself.

The Lost Dimension spin on still in his void of an empty space, part of an empty universe. Days and nights seemed eventless and mundane, but underneath the surface the Ladies of the world pulled and tugged and yanked at the strings of lives under helpless under their immense power, and prepared a scenario each.

* * *

"The nights here are damn cold, I can tell you that! Hey, Dvora, throw some more wood in the fire, it's waning."

"No."

"I say, Nancy-san, that rock the little people in the mound threw at you bounced, right off your chest, ha ha ha!"

The tall, dark, busty lady who asked Dvora to renew the fire looked at the young girl slyly, "I didn't know you were looking there, Kagome." She winked.

The girl's face fell but only for a moment, then her temper awoke. She threw down the arrow she held in her hand, on which a small deer was speared and dead, and glared at Nancy. "I. Was. _Not!_"

A flutter of fabric was heard and Tohru, the Anthrax Oracle stepped out, "Kagome-chaaanh, you caught us something…." Her eyes fell on the dead deer, "Oh! Oh no!!"

"We need to eat something, Lady Tohru," Dvora, who was standing at the edge of the ring of light the small campfire cast on the girls' nightly dwelling, sighed, "we can't be vegetarians just because we can see the faces on our meals. Do you think that when you eat a steak or sushi you don't make someone else kill the fish or cow?"

Tohru's large eyes twitched at the rims, a film of tears covering her orbs. She tried saying something but she couldn't. She turned to enter the tent she and the Oracle shared.

"Lady Tohru…" The Head Guard sighed again.

The girl whimpered in question.

"Is the Oracle awake now?"

Tohru nodded and drew the tent's flap behind her.

"Better start making that deer into meatballs before they both step out here and mourn instead of eat it." Nancy squared her shoulders and took out a large knife, settling herself on a rock and bringing the deer in her lap.

Kagome stepped up to the fire and threw a handful of acorns and twigs into it, blowing at it to revive the flames, "Dvora-san?"

"What?"

"Do you know which direction we would be riding towards tomorrow morning?"

"No. I don't know which direction we go to every evening because the Oracle wakes in the morning and tells us where to ride," her tone became snappy "like it's been since we rode out of that wretched storm."

"All right, all right, no need to be rude."

Dvora turned her back to the campsite's lit circle.

"A visitor will tell us where we are to go on the next day." The Oracle's gentle voice jingled through the cool night air and every girl in the campsite turned her head in surprise at the girl's silent appearance. "A guide, the Lady of Light just told me."

"Why must the Lady of Light tell you the directions for the morrow's travel every night?" Dvora grumbled, "Why can't she describe you the whole journey's course so you could draw a map and we'll be able to plan our trip like sane persons?"

"Because she's afraid of her sister's watchful eyes. They monitor each other's actions, you know, and our trip must not be revealed."

Dvora's eyes met the Oracles, a worried glance in them, "You think the Dark Lady won't know where here since we've crossed the boarder?" she stepped towards the other girl, hand ready on her Guards' sword's hilt.

"The Lady of Light's covering our presence with her powers, Dvora-san, like she opened for us the pathway in the storm on the mountaintop. It's extremely exerting for her, but she must do it, so she tells me."

"That's very kind of her. And if her shield over us work?"

"Than the Dark Lady's boarder guards will catch us. They will sniff our tracks through the forest and come to get us."

"Ah, the great white wolves I keep seeing whenever I go hunting!" Kagome stood up, letting go of the slice of deer she just finished cutting off what Nancy skinned.

Dvora startled, "You mean you've seen them!"

"Oh yes, but they seemed to have not noticed me even when I made my presence very obvious to demons of their kind."

"They're demons?!"

"I wouldn't say demons, really," Kagome instinctively brought a bloodied finger halfway through her lips when she realized the gesture might dirt her, "more like angry forest spirits. Something charged them with enough power to become demonically dangerous while maintaining their spirited form."

"So," The Head Guard turned to the Oracle again, "that's why you brought her along; she's a demon expert. I was wondering why you chose to bring along with you a newcomer like her."

"Oh, I'm not a demon expert!" Kagome brought her hand to her hair in an awkward gesture that now blemished her hair's hygiene, "Though I fought many demons in my….er…_other_ home world….uh….it's a bit hard to explain."

"And why did you bring me?" Nancy beamed at the Oracle.

"You're my guard." The Oracle beamed back.

Dvora frowned and was about to ask why wasn't she the guard, when footsteps towards them could be heard in the forest around them. She prepared herself.

"Don't be afraid, it's our guide."

A head poked into the circle of warmth and light the campfire cast, with slightly unkempt hair and strange, awkward makeshift glasses. "Uh…good evening, ladies." The man beamed at them.

"Akoi Seiichiro-san!" the Oracle turned to the men, arms stretched towards him merrily.

Seiichiro's eyes gaped, "K-Kotori!! I mean, Monou-san….why….I….oh, I wasn't mistaken, I thought you looked familiar but….I never imagined that…."

Kotori's bright smile glowed warmer than the fire.

"Well….it was a bit of a surprise, you see….the last time I saw you….well….you….were not all together….er…."

"Please, come by the fire, the night is cold." She invited him with an elegant gesture of her hand. She introduced him to her entourage, who greeted him with various amounts of cheer.

"I did see a picture of you, Kamui kept it in his room in the dorms of…oh, well, it was a long time ago. He kept it by his bed and…"

Kotori's face grew dark and stern.

Seiichiro's grew pale and awkward, "Ah…so you know…."

She looked away.

"B-but your brother is well again, and doing quite…er…better….when I last saw him anyway…."

"Would you like a deer stake as well, Aoki-san?" Kagome beamed at the tall man, trying to clean her bloodied hands with some water they brought in canteens from their palace.

"Uh….no, well…it's such a small deer…." A small whimper pierced his speech, erupting from the Oracle's tent, "I have a warm dinner back in the village. By the way, I apologize sincerely for that horrible greeting they gave you when you tried scaling their boarder. They're a bit unwelcoming when it comes to people other than their own, but they are very nice people….uh…hobbits…um….I received the very same greeting when I first ventured here."

"Yes," Kotori's hard face melted only a bit, "I can see your glasses aren't of any design from our world…"

Dvora melted into the darkness outside the light again, scanning the woods around them for any suspicious white silhouettes.

"So, you've come here to visit your brother, then?" Aoki tried opening a fresh, and better warmer, conversation with the young girl from his world.

"Yes. How far from here is the City?"

"Oh, about two days' ride if you keep a good pace and don't stop for two long. In fact…it is a rather moonless night….if you climb a tall tree you can see Tara's glow from here, that's where the City is."

"Tara's glow?" Nancy acquired, as she oiled the cooking pan and laying strips of deer meat on them.

"Henh, Tara; she's a witch in the Rescue Team. On moonless nights she goes out and lights the sky like another moon. You can see it very well from the village's mound top…"

"A witch, huh?"

"Won't you come in for some tea, Aoki-san?" Kotori smiled politely

"Oh, to tell you the truth I must be going back to the village. I'm helping them ward off the white wolves and lately, well, those things are running around too close for comfort."

"Ah, then you better go back. Thank you for the information, Aoki-san." She bowed.

"Will I be seeing you ladies on your way back?"

"I'm afraid not; we're returning by sea."

"Ah…there's a sea here….I didn't know. Oh well, I must be going back, have a save journey and do be careful, a small group of women out here in the forest all by yourself…"

"We slew a few 'pirates' on our way here, if that's what you mean." Nancy flashed a semi vicious smile at him, "Don't worry, they won't hassle us again."

"A-ah…well…I'll be going them. Good night!"

"Goodnight, Aoki-san, goodbye. It's good to see you're safe and sound!" Kotori waved the man goodbye, her mind troubled with thought.

"I can say the same thing twice as much, I mean…good to see you…er…alive…goodnight!" he disappeared into the nocturnal gloom.

"What a strangely neurotic man." Nancy remarked.

"Oh, he's just an average Japanese male facing a group of beautiful ladies." Kagome giggled.

"Kagome-san?"

"Yes, Oracle?"

"Could you climb up a tree and lookout for the glow Aoki-san talked about?"

"Yes, milady."

"Dvora-san?"

The winged guard stepped back into the light, "Yes, Oracle?"

"You will stay behind us tomorrow, and wait for a whole day to pass. On the next noon head out for the City."

Dvora opened her mouth to reply but Kotori raised her hand gently to stop her.

"I have Nancy with me, and Kagome; they will suffice. You must by no means arrive at the City the same time as us. There are preparations that need be made before you arrive."

"Yes, milady."

"Thank you."

"Lady Oracle…" Nancy's voice was dark and worried, "Are we riding out towards danger?"

"Possibly. But if all goes according to plan than no harm will be done."

"Ah….great…."

"The Lady of Light did not yet tell me what this is all about, but so far her directions and protection was flawless. Let us all believe in her."

The women murmured in agreement.

As they did, Grim's undead horse's hoofs touched leveled ground again and she rode on towards the City, four day's ride (in her pace) behind Kotori's convoy.

* * *

Another eventless day passed as the women rode but by the sunset of the next day, hey arrived safely, one guard short, at Kakyou's cabin.

The yumemie was gathering his small flock back to their night pen. There were eight of them, now that Oleg the ram Dimitri bought was getting friendly with Baa, and they were getting a bit of a handful. Dimitri was suggesting a sheepdog, something friendly to live inside the house with them but Kakyou was uncertain of a canine presence inside his house. Besides, dogs were loud and noisy and he much preferred elegant and orderly cats to rude and stupid dogs.

The sounds of hoofs came as a bit of a shock to him. He was used to people riding out in the forest, but not at nights. At nights the forest became to dark and untrustworthy to stroll around, even with a horse one could climb up on and flee quickly. If only they'd know the forest as well as he did, Kakyou thought, they wouldn't be afraid at all.

"Kakyou-san!!"

He knew the girl's voice, but he never thought he'd hear it again, not really.

He turned, amazed, and stared with awe at her running towards him with arms outstretched widely.

She crushed into him, hugging him lovingly. "Oh! Look at you! You're just like you were in my dream, do you remember that dream? When I died?"

"Please, Kotori, don't remind me." He wiped at his tearful eyes.

The rest of the women dismounted and walked towards them.

Kotori turned to them sharply, "No! Don't descend, stay where you are!" she screamed at them, "we must hurry," she turned to Kakyou again, frantically, "when I'm with you, my Lady's protection covers you as well and the Dark Lady will suspect."

"Dark Lady?" The yumemie frowned, but quickly understood.

"Here," she dug in her satchel of soft blue fabric and pulled out two small brown ball, "eat this, it will make you sleep quickly so she can speak to us."

Kakyou took the morsel and placed it in his mouth, as did Kotori, "Mmm, it's chocolate!"

"Yes, covered in chocolate. Chew on it, quickly, into the house and let's find a bed. The nice magician lady covers all her pills with chocolate so it'll go down quickly."

They entered the cabin and crashed on the large crude bed. Already they were getting very sleepy.

About that time Dimitri wondered back from the forest with a deer three times the size of the one Kagome cached and stared puzzled at the horses and the women, immediately shooting his eyes suspiciously at the cabin.

He turned to the women and asked them what this was all about. Kagome blinked in fright, but Nancy replied, with crooked Russian, what this was all about. What she knew, anyway.

* * *

By then Kakyou and Kotori were already in deep sleep.

"Gather round children, come sit by me."

The Lady of light sat in all her glory, in the middle of an immense field of pure white poppies and tulips, beckoning Kotori and Kakyou towards her. Her smile beamed brightly, though her lips and face were so pale compared to her dark auburn hair. The small fetching Victorian hat she wore had a veil which blew gently behind her on the soft warm wind in this strange but soothingly magical dreamscape.

"Am I in the Light Side's dreamscape?" Kakyou gaped, looking around him like a starved man would at the tall laden shelves of a supermarket.

"You are my dear girl…"

"I'm a man." He restrained a hiss.

"Ah, I'm sorry. We must do this quickly, my sister already suspects."

Kotori's small feet shuffled the gentle flowers away carefully so as not to bend them, and settled down in a clear spot before the sitting Lady, "Will you tell us now?"

Kakyou joined her, staring at the Lady in awe.

"Yes, my dear children; I have a fairytale to tell you, a tale as old as time."

They were no longer in the field, though they were definitely on it. Well, a piece of it. They were hovering into the pinkish air around them while underneath and around them the scene slowly changed.

"Once upon a time there was a dimension where humans were mere small insects swarming over the surface of a planet somewhere in the galaxy most call the Milky Way. But they were unimportant and hardly meant a thing, for in another planet, and in another galaxy, another race was swarming to a different tune."

They were nearing another planet, covered in dark blue waters and silver clad cities. They flew on their little patch of white flowers into the city, towards the highest tower in the center of what looked like smoothly, wisely designed lumps of silver and bronze.

"These are the Gallifreys and this is their capital. In the capital sat the king, the highest inventor, for all the Gallifreyswere great inventors. They invented bionic arms three hundred times as strong as a man, they invented levers that can pull apart and raise mountains and move lakes, they invented so many machines great and wondrous that by naming them all would cost you a few years of your lives.

"The Gallifreys had Time Lords who traveled to other dimensions and studied creatures in other planets, they had wise men who studied history on each and every planet around them, including Earth. But their pride and joy was their newest technology; to build dimensions."

Kakyou and Kotori gasped, and not only because the little island they sat on was now climbing up on the side of the tall tower at a dazzling speed.

"They did this because they were lacking in things to learn, the clever little things, and they wanted something to run experiments in population development, and because they were starting to run out of finance to build all these magnificent things I was telling you about. But mostly because of the latter reason."

They arrived at the top of the tower, where a huge room made of a bubble of dark blue glass stood like a droplet frozen on the point of a sewing pin. Inside the room was a thrown of silver where an old man sat hunched over sketched scattered on a table placed before the humble shiny thrown. He was busy with what looked like calculations while, all around him, his humanoid staff stood awaiting his words.

"This is the Gallifreys' king, a wise man of many years. He had only one wife and only one son for he was too old, by the time he married, to have any more children. But he loved his clever wife dearly, and he loved his clever son even more.

"But his son was restless and eager to learn the arts of adventure rather than the arts of engineering, history and dimension altering. The son, this prince, was getting too big, in mind, to live in a place as boring to the person he was as Gallifrey.

"So the king, his father, built his prince a whole dimension just for him, and told him to plan it as he sees fit."

Now the scenery changed like a curtain of a new world was drawn upon the bluish regal room. What surrounded them now was a vast land of bright and gleaming colors, so many and so amazing that it took the two oracles' breath away.

Wherever they looked they saw something new and breathtaking; jungles teeming with life, large glittering deserts, deep canyons, endless stretches of smooth bluish-white ice, fields of blooming flowers, soft grasslands and wild forests.

"The prince sat day and night, planning the scheme behind the dimension. It wasn't just any ordinary dimension, with a blind destiny which was given one course and ran through it for all its existence, oh no. This dimension was build with a mind of its own so it can work on itself.

"What it would work on? Ah! The prince decided, he didn't want to travel between dimensions to experience new adventures every time one ended, he didn't want to bother and wait; he wanted amusement all the time. Don't think he was spoiled, not without a spoiled child's worthy punishment.

"He gave the dimension a mind of its own so that it would peer into other dimension and find interesting things the prince would find interesting. The dimension will fill itself with monsters for the prince to fight, and warriors for the prince to fight with, peasants and small folks for the prince to protect and strange creatures to fascinate and distract the prince. All this he put on one side of the dimension, and gave that part half the dimension's mind. On the other side he placed all the good and nice things to sooth the prince when the adventures would get too rowdy; healers to mend his pains, warlords to supply him with new armories, women to entertain his warriors and small adventures to keep him and his men on their toes. He took that part and gave it the other half of the dimension's mind."

Kakyou and Kotori looked down and saw something which reminded them very much of the Lost Dimension as they knew it today; they were already nearing in light an area which reminded Kakyou somewhat of the City he knew.

Only this City was much lovelier, with better built houses of bright stones and large flower-laden terraces, and citizens walking happily in the street smiling to each other. The river flowed by it as well, only it was a curve of the river Kakyou knew to be a few miles off the place where the City he knew lay.

The sun was shining bright above this early version of the Dark Side, and the air was not as laden with worries and sweat and tension.

In the middle of the ancient, glorious City, stretched a small three floored palace, surrounded by huge gardens and a pagoda at its eastern side. Kakyou recognized the gravel patterns and minimal design of a Japanese-styled shrine.

"Ah, you've noticed the pagoda, and so we near the apex of our story. But before this, let me take to to a small prelude."

They traveled backwards, towards large dark mountains where the boarder to the Light side stood. On the side of the black rock walled cliff a cave opened, where a roaring fire burned bright enough to cast a circle of ghastly, hellish light on the forest way below the mountains.

"You see," the lady sighed, "plotted something sinister, something you'll soon see."

Out of the cave a creature stood, tall and dark and ominous. It had a black roman helmet with huge ram-like horns at its side and a shield darker than black, though in the fire's light it shone red and orange. The creature had smoke coming from the holes in his helmet where a humanoid nose poked out of black metal, and roaring orange eyes of fire. Its helmet had fangs like a great feline attached to the base, just above the creature's real mouth and chin. Its jiggered cape blew around him as hot air erupted from the cave. The creature raised its muscular arms to the side and called out a great horrible roar like a monster from the pits of hell.

Kotori cowered into Kakyou, who wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"This was my sister's first step; a fire demon from hell dimension, a guard of the chambers of the dead, who is only met if you die in his world and you are a great sinner. A monster, you might think, and a monster most of the time.

"The prince heard of this creature's arrival and immediately rode out with his men to fight off this ghastly monster."

The scene changed to the forest's ground, where a large circle of fearsome warriors stood in a circle, holding great thick chains tied around the fire creature. They were tugging at him and he tugged back, fighting to unleash himself, but they were too many. The prince was also amongst them; dressed in his white riding cape and his golden and silvery armor. His face, to the horror of Kakyou and Kotori's minds, was the same as Kamui's.

The monster was almost overcome, but before he was completely succumbed, the prince walked into the circle of brave knights. He pulled out his sword and swiveled it above his head, preparing to behead the demon.

But the demon blew one last ball of fire from its mouth and the prince jerked, his death blow missing its aim and instead snagging on one of the curled horns and bringing the helmet and the monster's mask off at the same time.

Now the oracles gasped in shock again. For as the monster reared its head again, as its long black and shaggy hair parted from before its face, they saw the monster had the same features as Alex'. Now that the mask was removed, even his eyes gleamed with the same green as Death's.

"Oh no," Kakyou heard himself whisper, "I know this story. I don't want to hear it."

"I'm very sorry," the Lady of Light sighed, "but you must listen carefully.

"The prince saw the monster's face and realized that this was merely a servant of greater powers. A monstrous servant, a wild servant, a vicious, bloodthirsty servant who had killed half the prince's men before he was overcome, but a servant nonetheless. And a beautiful one too.

"The prince was captivated, and had the demon brought over to the City with him."

The returned to the City, and now they were hovering what seemed like a montage being played underneath them.

"The prince brought the demon with him to the City and there, he began teaching him how to be more civil, more well behaved. He taught him how to speak to people and how to dance, how to eat with cutlery and wipe his mouth, how to dress like an ordinary person and mostly, how to not bite people's heads off whenever they upset him."

This was all playing before them, like a strange and twisted version of Beauty and the Beast. The last image, where the Lady stopped the flow of time, was that of a silver moonlit balcony in the palace, where the demon and the prince stood holding hands. They kissed and darkness surrounded them all.

"They fell in love, or at least, the demon did. He never felt such a thing before and he cherished the feeling very much. While he wasn't acting civil he was out riding by the prince's sde, escorting him in his adventures and fighting the monsters the prince and his remaining knights could fight no more. But when they returned home, to the City, the demon washed the blood from his paw-like hands and took off his armor in exchange for a vest, a tunic and trunks.

"A year passed and all seemed to be heavenly, but my sister had her last step in the plan to make. She brought into the palace, a priest."

The pagoda appeared before them, they were floating above the garden surrounding it. To their great dismay, though they already guessed it, they saw Fuma walking out of the pagoda, wearing an intricate and quite unusual version of a shikifuku. He padded down the black rock path towards the prince and the demon.

Kotori covered her eyes.

The Lady beamed, "Don't be frightened, child, it's not scary. Yet."

The prince and his escort stopped before the priest who bowed deeply and greeted them with a smile.

"The prince and the priest spoke of many various things, on many occasions. They'd meet out in the most beautiful parts of the garden, but never in the palace, to speak to each other of godly things. The demon would stay away from them, hiding in the palace, away from talks of holiness."

The priest and the prince were sprawled on long soft cushions in a wicker-walled dome, around which a wild vine climbed in blood.

"Tell me, priest," the prince said in a silver bell voice, "do you believe there's room for believing the gods exists in this world full of modern technology?"

The priest flashed an awkward endearing smile and laughed, staring long at the prince with loving eyes.

Kakyou looked away, "Yes, I know this story".

Beneath them, the prince and the priest walked through the gardens, hand in hand, looking at each other like there was nothing else in existence save for them. So caught they were with the light of wonder the other was for them.

"Soon all the prince did was to walk and talk with the priest, for they have become quite close together. They left the demon to take care of monsters who threatened the City's lives, while they basked in their new lovers' glory."

It was nighttime now, and the City was far from them. A fire roared behind them, and when they looked back they saw the outlined figures of eight riders with the monster at the front.

Kakyou threw himself before the Lady, burying his head in the white flowers before her folded knees "I know this vision, I saw it already, don't show me, please!"

The world became black again around them, and empty, "Very well then, I shall tell you the end of the story, and spare you the horror of seeing it.

"On the first night the prince did prince the priest into the palace with him, the demon found out. He was enraged; the only thing he ever grew to love, the first thing he learned how to love, the only thing he held dearest to him and the only thing he respected now stabbed him in the back.

"The demon rode out of the City to roam the forests and swaps and lakes in search of helpers, demons like him, who would obey him and destroy the City. He thought 'if the prince was not mine, than he will not be anybody's'. If the City's not my new home, than it will not be at all'. And so, he ventured out to murder and destroy.

"His gand of monsters ravaged the City, bringing it to the ground with the hunger for blood and the mercilessness like only real monsters can muster. But the demon did not partake in that; he had something else to do.

"He rode out on a horse of flames and rotting flesh, to the prince's room on the top floor of the palace. There, he crept through the window and stepped up to the prince's bed. He was crying, you see, for his heart was broken. The tears of a fire demon are molted lava and they set fire to the bed. The two lovers awoke in horror, from their first slumber after their first union, but theirs was a last union to make.

"The demon first beheaded the priest, then, as he looked into the eyes of the boy who destroyed him, stabbed himself with his fiery sword, and died; his soul ravaged with guilt and hurt, his heart broken.

"The prince, who saw the monster's tears and realized the damage he had done, realized he still loved the demon; but it was too late. Both his lovers were dead, his City lay in ashen ruins, and he had nothing to live for. So he stayed there, the flamed licking at his pure white skin, with his arms around the ones who loved him, and let the fire eat him as well."

The tale was over, all that remained was the deafening silence.

Kotori's sobs pierced the void. The Lady sighed.

"And now, this is what you just do. Since then here were many Cities and many civilians who lived in them. Many groups of heroes rose and fell, fought and died, and none of them won but my wicked sister against whom they were all really fighting.

"From time to time, a successful group of heroes came about, who organized a proper City, who managed to fend off the dangers properly, and no hard was done to the City. Then my sister would bring about three people who resemble what you saw; a prince, a demon and a priest. Time and time again the fairytale played itself to the gruesome end, and each time the City which survived so wonderfully would come to a complete ruin. My sister would drag the poor prince's soul back from its resting place, to play before her over and over again this dance macabre.

The Lady leveled powerful, determined eyes at them, which fixed them to listen fully, "This time I won't let her, this time the players are too dear. This time, she pulled out a pieces too precious for the dimensions to destroy like that, as if they were made of chine to be smashed. This dimension needs Justice, and Death, and a City where Love exists, and I will not let my sister ruin it!!"

Kakyou wiped at his tears and cleared his throat, "What can we do, Lady?"

"The Demon will not waken until his eight riders come to him. Eight creatures resembling those he rode out with to destroy the first City:"

The blackness disappeared and the yummemies saw before them scenes familiar to them.

Lestate, clawing free an immense chunk of solid ice inside a tunnel of moonlit iceberg. "A master vampire." The Lady spoke.

Victoria, tightening the earth around a small bush with white flowers besides a slightly crooked gravestone. "And a master-less vampire"

Subaru, chanting, fingers ceremoniously crossed, above a table covered with brand new ofuda. Then the paper doll in Grim's magic-bound box.

"Two of the light" said the Lady.

Seishiro, rolling cigarettes and placing them gingerly into an ivory box in his new home's living room. Then the haunted amulet in Grim's bag, by the paper doll.

"Two of the dark."

Then the scene before them was split in half; one showing David handing Victoria's hand another shrub, and one of Dvora making herself a bed on the rocks in a forest clearing where Kotori's group camped out the night before. "And twins of fire."

"Fire to destroy." Kakyou choked.

"You remembered my warning." The Lady smiled sadly. "Yes, fire to destroy. A fire which will roar to the sky's zenith if you will not do as I say…"

* * *

"Koh….Koto-ri…." Fuma's voice was a mere whisper. His eyes, which grew and gaped unblinking with shocked, wouldn't stay off the little slim figure at the back entrance of Justices' work room.

His sister beamed at him. Then, as he rose slowly, she dashed towards him, crushing into him and hugging him tightly.

He was sure it was unreal, but the stronger she squeezed him, the fasted his arms moved to encircle her, to hug her back.

"Kotori….you're here…."

His fingers traced her back, drowned themselves in her soft curls; seeking more and more assurance that she was really real, that she was really there.

Her tears soaked a patch in his shirt, her sobs muffled by his strong chest. "Fuma….Fuma…..I'm here…."

Kamui retreated to the large bookcase stacked with files, scrolls and piles of paper. He wanted to turn his back to them and give them their privacy, but he couldn't. They were still, despite the time and events which passed the three of them, despite what happened between them since they were last together like this; the most important thing to him. He couldn't let his eyes wander away from the siblings which were the axis his world revolved around.

The rest of Kotori's escorts stepped in.

Nancy walked up to Kamui and ruffled his hair a little too friendly, "Hello, little girl."

Eyes still on the sibling, Kamui growled back, "I'm a man."

"Well….I wouldn't say 'man'. How about a boy, then?"

"Shut up."

"Hmm. Fiery."

Tohru was already all over Will, not literally, but almost. They were hugging and nuzzling each other hello, chirping greetings and 'how're you's at each other at the top of their voices.

Fuma managed to force himself to pry his sister off of him a bit, so he could look her in the eyes. "Tell me you're staying here, tell me you're never, ever going to go away, ever again!"

"Psst, what are they saying?" Nancy arched herself towards Kagome.

"Shh! It's a very special moment of drama and you're spoiling it!"

"Oh. Sorry."

Tears welled up ion Kotori's eyes and she buried her face back in her brother's chest, "Oh…." She sobbed, "I have to go…." She whimpered.

"_What?!_"

"I have duties in the Palace, without me the men will invade out land and pillage it….oh but, Fuma, I'll stay here at least for….I…I don't know…I'll stay here long…but then I have to go."

"You can come back again, you know, if you made it through one time, you can do it again." Kamui mumbled at first, but the more he spoke the more he build his confidence, "Or we could visit you."

Kotori glared at Kamui, then snuggled up to her brother again.

Fuma would have none of that. He pried her off of him again and turned her to face Kamui. "Now listen, the both of you!" his voice was stern and commanding, "We're together again and we three are the only thing in this world we have for each other. We've always been a family and we'll always stay a family, understand?

"I will not have the two of you fighting like that, not when we're finally together, after all we've been through!"

Kotori sulked. Kamui looked away.

"It. Makes. Me. Very. Very. _Upset_…" Fuma growled through clenched teeth.

Finally, the younger two dared to look up at each other and keep the eye contact unarmed.

Fuma reached his arm towards his lover, "Come here, Kamui. I want a group hug to settle this."

Nancy rolled her eyes, "I'm going to hurl."

"_Shh!!_"

Tohru whimpered and grabbed Will into another cuddle.

"Good, now that's settled, would you like some tea? How long are you staying here, sister?" Fuma waltzed to the little mucky, overused coffee corner Justice kept in their work room to abuse.

"Fuma…" Kotori's voice shook.

It made her brother and Kamui look at her funny, with a bit of fear in their eyes.

"There's something that needs to be done. One last thing, I promise. You won't even feel it."

"Oh no…"

"Not again."

"I thought it was over."

"It's not about you." She burst into tears again, "But it has to be done or it'll never leave you…." she begged them with her eyes, nearing them.

Kamui caught on a hint of hope in her voice, "You mean….that after this, whatever it is….we'll be free?"

Kotori nodded so hard tears from her eyes sprayed on the documents of the next trial, lying scattered on the table she leaned on.

Justice looked at each other, tense. They exchanged looks of despair and hope, disillusion and encouragement. Finally, they looked at Kotori again.

"What do we do?"

The Light Side's Oracle beamed wonderfully. "There's an abandoned land a few miles down the river, where the water curl to create a half an island. The ground is barren and black from a great fire that happened there….a long, long time there, alone, tonight."

The room filled with silence for a moment.

Kagome stepped up to Will and stared at his ears, intrigued. "Sop, you're a dog spirit?"

Justice's assistant stared back in defense, "No, I'm a verevolf."

"A what?"

"He's a werewolf." Tohru beamed with a giggle.

The archer girl gave Will another appraising look, "Sit!"

Will blinked.

She stared back, as stern and determined as before.

Will blinked again. Slowly, with eyes darting from Kagome to Tohru, he sat.

* * *

Dvora looked at the sky, observing the thin film of cloud unfurl from the heavens as the sun began to set. She was on the edge of town and already she could see the City's first buildings, outlined in black against the burning pink sky. To her right she could see the twinkling surface of a thick river, reflecting the flamboyant sky. To her left she saw a distant patch of yellow, where a lonely house stood on a hill that did not continue beyond it.

As her eyes fell on the house, something clutched her chest with burning fingers and pulled her in. Her eyes rolled in their sockets and her head fell backwards, body sagging.

The next minute she was upright again, wings spread taught to her side and her back snapped straight. She clicked her horse and nudged it to move towards the lonely house on the yellowy Cliffside.

Kakyou rode past her in fortunately greater speed, just as she spread her wings. As he left her behind, he looked back and hissed under his breath, "Just in time."

* * *

Grim stormed through the darkening woods like a wild wind tearing branches as her horse rode so fast it almost flew above the forest surface.

The paper doll and the amulet were vibrating in her box, and heating. She was worried about the, but her mind was driven away from it by a line of men and women who emerged at a safe distance before her. They seemed to have liquefied out of the thick woods and they seemed very much resilient not to move from where they were.

They were in her path. Ah, now what is this, then?

Vash stepped forward, signaling her to stop.

She did. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. What's this all about?"

"You're ordered to stop. By the City Council's commands and the Rescue Team's orders." Ace stepped forward as well, followed by Spike and Karen.

"I'm afraid the person I answer to is a bit beyond your jurisdiction, and I intend to follow _his_ orders, and rather ignore yours." She smirked, placing a protective plump hand on her box.

With a sigh, David stepped out behind a row of Noters who enforced the line stretching to his sides.

"Look, it's something that Kakyou thing told them to do, he said it was about Alex."

Grim's face cleared.

The sun finished its setting behind Grim and the forest sank into darkness.

David leveled a meaningful look at Grim Reaper's eyes, "They're going to take out something very bad from him, the thing that makes him obsess about Kamui."

Grim opened her mouth, raised her chin a bit, then nodded.

She waved the box she was guarding, "In that case, I need to re-bind this box, it's getting a bit pesky in there."

David didn't hear that; he turned around and walked mechanically towards Death's house, his body possessed by an ancient spirit.

* * *

Tara did not work that night; she was asked not to. The moonless night was to be as dark as it was hundreds of years ago, when tragedy first struck the Lost Dimension and a play began.

The play must be acted out again, but not with real puppets who can get hurt; but by the very things that move the puppets' strings. And the play must be held in the darkness.

Holding a lantern each, Kamui and Fuma made their unsure way on the ashen ground towards a spot of bright pink light where Yuuto stood with Kakyou and Kotori at his sides.

It was true, what Kotori said; this bulge into the river's water was black as coal and burned so fiercely the ground was hard as marble. Maybe there was sand here, once, but it was burned so fiercely it melted and turned into basalt. Little bubbles of air which burst and froze forever in the melting process, made Justice tumble in their hesitant walk.

Subaru and Seishiro made the same unsure way, thought their hearts were not filled with fear like Justice's. Their hearts were filled with hope and they carried between them the stretcher on which Death's still body lay limp.

What they heard from Kakyou was hurried and filled with holes, but from what they understood this was a better way to pay back for their saved lives and loves than convincing the Council to not kill Alex.

"Hurry up, the four of you, it's getting nearer." Kakyou barked into the gloomy night around them.

"What is?" Fuma hollered back, and hurried Kamui along with him. By then Subaru and Seishiro were already visible at the rim of light Yuuto created around them and Kamui, seeing what the onmyoujis had, was getting reluctant.

"Twins of fire."

"What?" Too late, they were already there.

"Kakyou-san?"

"Yes, Yuuto?"

"Did you notice the air isn't freezing?"

Kakyou blinked around him as if the dimly lit world around them had the temperature's numbers written in it.

"…why?"

"Because, from what I understand," Love's tone was melodic, "this is not an issue concerning Death!"

The yumemie smiled.

"Good, lay him down, hello Sumeragi-san!" Kotori rushed to bow politely before the light onmyouji.

"Good to see you again, Kotori-san."

"If there was one person here who wasn't Japanese, you'd get an earful for being so polite on the expense of the time we don't have!" Kamui growled at them. He was more than nervous, he was using his every muscle to keep himself from fleeing the place.

The onmyoujis lay the stretcher on the ground. It began glowing red. To the onmyoujis that is.

"Uh…what's that?" Seishiro pointed at the glow which seemed to outline Alex body and not the whole stretcher, or anything else.

"What's what? Oh, you see something?"

Subaru grabbed Seishiro and pushed him back and away from the stretcher as violently as he dared, his eyes were gaping at the glow with fear like none of the others ever saw him. "There's a ghost inside him, a _very_ angry ghost…."

"Is there some sort of a Kekkai you can cast around this area so we can all see what's going to happen?" Kakyou tried to keep his voice calm, though the onmyoujis' expressions were getting a bit too unnerving.

Seishiro tried to stop himself, but such a deep fear was too new for him to handle, "What's going to happen?" he snapped.

Kakyou brushed the question off, "Please create a Kekkai, I promise you that after that your work here is done."

Looking at each other, the onmyoujis created the proper finger formation and began chanting.

"Ah, now I see it. It must be working something on the whole situation." Yuuto noted, "Don't run away, the two of you," he turned to assure Justice but it seemed, as the spiritual sphere around them increased in power, that Kamui and Fuma were also glowing, "ah….you can't listen."

"It's out of their hands now," Kotori whispered, "Oh, Lady, let it work."

Kakyou shot worried eyes at Kotori, "The more they're working a spell, the more they become One of the Light and One of the Dark!"

"We must continue; without this Kekkai we can't see the spirits."

Dvora stepped into the circle of light, just when two other figures walked in from behind Justice; Victoria with dirt on her hands and knees and Lestate, with crystals of ice in his hair and his skin so frozen and bloodless he looked like the icicles he was digging in.

They walked up to Death on the stretcher and, as he rose, they spoke.

"We are here."

Alex stood up, eyes opening. They were burning orange.

Kamui slumped first, his body tumbling to the ground, scraping his earthly cheeks on the crude ground.

A spirit ran out of him; bright white and ghastly, dressed in royal armor and cape. It ran towards Alex with its arms forwards, crying miserably.

Then Fuma collapsed limply as a figure ran out of him, following the first figure. It was dressed in the long waving shikifuku, its hand reaching to grab the one who came out of Kamui.

'No!' it said, 'stand back!'

Alex fell backwards and a flame burst out, roaring madly.

"Here we go." Yuuto closed his eyes and concentrated, throwing his arms forward and working his power until the light that shone from him grew and blinded them all.

For a moment all was white and empty and everyone with their minds still in their souls' grip wondered what on earth just happened.

Then the light dimmed and returned to its natural shade. Yuuto sat down very slowly, with a long and agonized sigh.

"It's alright now," He waved off Kakyou's offer to help him sit down, "their emotions are in check."

Now there were three spirits in the spiritual circle – the Prince, the Demon and the Priest.

* * *

It took them a while to gather to wits, to rub at their eyes from the fierce light. Kakyou and Kotori reined in every strength they still had from this frantic day, and stepped forward.

In the dim light, the three spirits stood. A sob echoed in the empty, gloomy air.

The Priest and the Demon were kneeling at the Prince's feet, bodies leaning against the beautifully clothes thin figure.

The Prince's arms were around them both as their heads rested on his chest. He sobbed emitting wails so heartbreaking they brought tears to Kotori's eyes.

'My beloveds…" The Prince mourned, "My poor beloveds….what have I done to you?'

A gentle wind blew through Lestate's damp curls, catching on Victoria and Subaru's coats.

'I loved you so…yes, I loved you _both_…and I've been such a fool with your emotions…so careless and rash….oh, what have I done to you, my precious beloved….look what I've done to you….'

"You destroyed a lot of things, Prince." Kakyou spoke first, his deep voice echoing around them in the spiritual shield.

The Prince turned his tearful eyes to the yumemie, 'I didn't mean to…I….I….we just wanted to be together….'

Kotori shook her head, her eyes so fierce they were almost burning, "_You_ wanted to be together with _them_."

"You tugged at them to wake, and they followed you. They had no other choice." Kakyou said, "They loved you so."

'And I love them so!'

"You brought about this story over and over and over again, you and not the dimension! You wanted to play it back again and all she did was to give you the puppets to play it with!"

'_No!!_'

"Just like you wanted something to play with so you created this dimension, where so many people suffer so."

'I didn't mean it like that, I didn't want it to happen this way…..I just….wanted to play….'

Kotori folded her arms on her chest, "It's too late now."

'We can always destroy it, I know how!'

"And kill us with it?!" Kakyou snapped, "Have you no shame? You already dragged us all through so much!"

'I'm sorry…' the ghosts whimpered, 'I never knew it'd turn out this way….' He hung his head, crouching to let the two bigger spirits' bodies fold around him.

They moved too, wrapping their arms around him protectively, running their fingers over his face and his hair, clutching at his clothes.

"Will you let it go now? Will you leave us alone?"

He sobbed, reluctant.

Kotori softened; she couldn't see Kamui's face so sad, despite all she felt for the real boy, "You can take them with you. You should take them with you."

The Prince snapped his eyes to her, 'Where can I go, where would I take them?'

"Somewhere else, somewhere that's not here. Maybe, you'll find a place where you can be together again."

The Prince buried his face in the Pirest's chest, bursting into sobs again.

Yuuto managed to revive himself enough to sit up and look at the Prince, "Look at the three of them," he gestured with his hands towards the limp Justice and Death, "there's too much between them now to make amends now; they can never be together, like this, you are now."

The Prince looked up, at the numb faces of the ones he loved.

"But there is hope for you, when you'll find a place to be in. But you must leave these puppets, and find a place where you can start afresh; where there's only you and them, and no one else involved."

The ghosts were starting to glow. If Death was awake he'd tell them that this is the glow of spirits who have come to terms with their past lives' turmoil and are ready to move beyond; to the infinite calm and silence.

'Yes.' The Prince rose to his feet, his lovers standing beside him, 'We still have hope…we….are going away now.'

"Ah, good." Love beamed, then fainted.

A beautiful glow shone inside the spiritual shield, emitting from the three figures, then engulfing them. First there was a single spot of light at their centers, then there was a greater glow filled them. Then, just the conscious participants in this act thought they were surely about to become blinded again, it was gone.

The night returned, with a waning of the shield as he onmyoujis' strength was waning.

What filled the dark void, now that Love was down and the shield was away, was a single star's light, high in the dark blue dome above them.

And snow which began hovering down at them; soft, unblemished, harmless snow from a cloudless sky.

Kakyou looked up at the white flakes and thought of feather from an angle he once saw coming towards him much the same fashion. He was on a seaside then, and the angel was a dead girl. Now the girl stood beside him, looking at the flakes, just like him.

"It's over." She said, the softest smile on her lips.

The yumemie sighed, "And now what?"

**TBC**

* * *

**A.N: **Ha!! No cliffhangers there. But don't be sad, boys and girls; it's not over yet!!


	46. Pause and Enter

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** To Kyou-chan2 (I LOVE YOUUUUUUUU. Even my pet attack chimps love you, that's how much I love you), to Lemonysh (yup, that's the Mammy I'm talking about. And isn't it fittin' that Kern the Bell Watlen helps her out, huh? And Alex, BTW, is an original character of mine) to Sesshy's girl 00 (thank you! that was a load off my chest to get that conclusion right)

**Apology:** In advance this time. I know this is going to be another cliffhanger but PEOPLE; IT IS THE LAST IN THIS FIC!! So, anyways, I'm going into a semester finals period so I won't be around (or sane) for a while, please forgive me if updating might take a while after this chapter….please?

**Announcements:** As soon as this version of A New World (i.e unbeta-ed un-revised) is ended I'll be working with my beloved beta to improve this fic. Then the fic will move to fictionpress(dot)com under the name 'Legend'.

* * *

**Chapter 46 – Pause and Enter**

The sun glowed soft and wonderful over bright purple hills and lush green fields. Ringed by blooming short bushed loaded with white flowers, small pools reflected the deep blue sky with brilliant turquoise.

Many alien species who's been there all say that planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania is by far one of the most beautiful planets in the whole universe. Seeing how there's a whole universe out there with thousands of galaxies and millions of rivaling beautiful planets, such a compliment is not to be taken light-headedly.

As she stepped out to the south porch of the palace, Magenta took a brief look at the scenery before her and smiled. She's been to earth, so she knew how much uglier other planets can be in comparison to hers and knew the true meaning of her home's beauty rather than taking it for granted.

She wasn't the only one; there's was another person in the south hanging garden who knew earth's true ugliness and could fully enjoy Transsexual's beauty. In fact, he liked it so much he seemed to want to stay here forever instead of going back to his home planet, earth, and perform his duties.

He was staying here for quite a while now, almost a year; mostly hanging out in the south garden, staring up at the statue of The Bringer of Love, of his image. Somehow, and Magenta never knew quite how but she could definitely imagine why, the image of himself so happy and bright, hurt Transsexual's alien guest deeply.

That morning, a messenger came to the king and queen of Transsexual, Magenta and her brother, to find their royal guest. He was standing behind Magenta now, light wind blowing through his wild curls, his many scarves and his crumpled trench coat.

"Must you take him; he's enjoying his stay so much?" The queen asked, knowing what the man's answer will be. As she talked, she eyed the Police Box the messenger arrived in, standing a little behind him.

"I'm afraid so, madam. Some things must be nudged into their course, like an asteroid moved to orbit around a sun to become a planet."

Magenta rolled her eyes, "He is the brother of Love, he saved me and my brother's lives."

"I know. However, when you need something from the Dimension Witch, she will demand something in return, somewhere down the line. If The Dimension will look this way, it might not take him; it might take an innocent farmer. Think of your people, madam, we must move him and quickly."

She sighed and looked away from her view at the guest's feet, sticking out of the small pit in the soft grass where he liked to lay down and sun himself for hours on end.

"Go."

The Doctor walked towards the figure.

Magenta sighed again and rubbed the back of her arms, a sudden chill of loneliness wrapping her.

She watched as the Doctor neared the lying man and smiled at him, raising his oddly-misshapen hat in a greeting. The guest sat up and stared at the small machine the Doctor offered him. Soon, they'll both be gone.

She walked away, to pack a few things for the visitor to take with him in his travels.

As she walked through the corridor open to the garden, she looked towards the statue in the image of her visitor and wondered; how cruel can fate be to choose one brother to perform a duty as blessed as Love's, then deem the other brother to something so cruel.

* * *

Time crawled forward in the Lost Dimension so sneakily no one took any notice anymore. 

One evening a dinner was healed in the house of Dragons and Seals. Half the Rescue Team was there, as became tradition on every second night. Now that food was plenty (a second convoy filled with Light Side good arrived a few days ago) such meals were not only an excuse to taste Yuzuriha and Sorata's wonderful cooking, but also a mean to bond and bind a new family in the house.

The atmosphere, unlike the candles set upon the table in fancy silver candlesticks Lestate brought Sorata and Arashi for their son's birth before he disappeared and unlike the fire burning in the hearth Fuma and Kusanagi fitted into the living room, was murky.

Spike was unable to drape himself on the dinner table like he always does because his whole left arm was covered by a long and painful burn inflicted upon him two nights ago, when the river's fire monsters took their newly born out looking for food and wreckage. The burn stretched from his wrist to a little behind his shoulder blade and was a constant source for aches and uncomfortablilities. However, it gave him a good excuse to pretend he was suffering and miserable more than he really was, thus earning Ace and Karen's endearing attention and nursing, which he grew quite fond of.

Spike wasn't the only one hurt by that night's events; Yuzuriha had a broken leg for landing wrongly when caught off guard by one of the monsters' fire balls.

More casualties: Arashi's hair was burned almost to the scalp on one side which made her go to the City barber and have her beautiful long locks cut evenly into a boyish crop; it was an endless source of grief and agony as her hair and Sorata were, to her, the only remnants of her old world in this crazy dimension.

Kusanagi suffered a big hole torn off his undead flesh on his left thigh and another big hole punched into the right of his chest. Both injuries were still open and unhealed since Death's slumber left him without a mender of his broken limbs. A building had crumbled on the zombie and, though he was able to shield the most of his small-framed love, the bar that punched the hole in his thigh managed to land and break Yuzuriha's leg.

Amongst the civilians living by the river, the damage was far greater; families who made it through Death's havoc were now gone, burned in their sleep. The smell of burning flesh hung over the City for a whole day before a light rain brought down the smoke from the air pocked which cruelly developed over the City, and cleaned the air from the night's horror's evidence.

"Well, at least they're evacuating civilians from the riverfront." Ace tried to cheer the meal's attendants with a chirpy voice.

"What good will that do?!" Kamui grumbled, poking his fork hard at the bowel of spaghetti before him, "For four families it's already too late."

"Ah, yes, but the other ten families who live closest to the river will now be at a safe distance."

"Safe distance, what safe distance?" Justice spat back, "How long will it take the monsters to burn through the whole City?"

Ace opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off.

"Have you seen where the City Council's taken these poor ten families?" Kusanagi boomed, "They've set up pup tents on the other side of town, with no beds, no mattresses, and no nearby waterworks to help with sanitary problems."

The poor hologram was now fighting on a new front he didn't expect, "Well…"

"I'll tell you something; when I was in the Self Defense Force, we knew how to evacuate people and provide them with a proper, decent temporary lodging until the danger is gone."

"Dear Shiyu-san," Seishiro's deep voice cut through Ace's upcoming retort, "this is not 20th century Japan; we don't have hotels here to lodge people, these people have no relatives in the City to lodge them. Puck tents, or whatever it is you said, is all the City Council has to offer. And this is _me _defending the _City Council_!"

"Still," Karen spoke after a moment of silence dawned on the diners, "to move the families from the river is merely a temporary solution and the way it seems to develop in the river, a temporary solution's not enough."

Kusanagi shook his head, "It's a force of nature, Kasumi-san, what can we do but brace ourselves and sweat it out?"

"It's not a force of fucking nature;" David, who was so far leaning his head on his hand trying to catch some sleep like Victoria by his side, "it's monsters out to eat us all, brought here by this fucking dimension, nature has nothing to do with it. Fuck, this dimension doesn't even _have _real nature; it's all spells and magical creatures bound together in a great big fucking web designed to keep us all trapped in this shit condition."

Arashi moved on her chair uneasily, darting a look at Raikou in his father's lap (poking his dad's mashed potatoes playfully and rarely bringing it to his lips) as if fearing the boy, once exposed to such foul language, might turn to her and start spewing the same very words.

"What we need to do is go into that river and kill those monsters." Spike chipped into the conversation.

"We can't do that; the water's too deep." Sorata answered.

"Kill enough of them to make them realize they better not search for food here"

"Can't do that either; the fire monsters aren't the only freaky thing living there."

"D'we havta kill somethin' to make then undastand?" Vash whimpered.

Yuuto, seated by him stifled a giggle at the sound of his guard's childish tone.

Spike slammed his healthy fist on the table, "Then kill that herd of newborns they have, the ones they venture out so aggressively to feed."

"For heaven's sake; they're this violent when it comes to foraging for food for their young, what makes you think they'll be any gentler if we come to attack their young." Sorata's voice wavered in angry levels no one ever heard him using before. The damage the monsters worked on his wife came as a shock to Sorata who was at him babysitting Raikou the night before and couldn't be there to defend Arashi.

"Why'd we havta kill anythin' at all?"

"Because, when this City was built," Kisangani's voice was mocking and bitter, "the brave pioneers decided to build every wooden house from the trees which once grew on the other side of the river. Now there's no more natural forest on one side of the river, and humans on the other side and the monsters have no place to roam and forage for food like they used to. It's typical human behavior."

"Are you saying we deserve this….hell?" David hissed, shaking with obvious restrained rage.

Kusanagi was taken aback. He leaned back into his chair, folding his arms on his chest.

Fuma jerked into attention when he noticed unusual movement on his right; Subaru was dozing off and slowly folding himself, on his way to drop his face into his dish.

"A-ah, Sumeragi-san, please wake up." He tried shaking the onmyouji by the shoulder.

Awakened but still very much sleepy, Subaru sent a thankful foggy glance at Fuma and shook Seishiro back to the dinner table.

Yuzuriha darted her eyes around the table, hanging her eyes onto Victoria who was now yawning for the fifth time since the conversation started. Finally, she hung hopeful eyes at Kamui (busy watching Raikou's mashed-potatoes-finger's adventures with Sorata's shirt with a mix of morbid fascination and fright) before she spoke up.

"How….how bad is it," she turned her question to Subaru but obviously meant Victoria, David and Seishiro as well, "the sleepiness."

"Oh, it's not so bad if you drink enough coffee. It gets worse only at evening time when we're already supposed to be tired. Also, it makes waking up in the morning difficult…"

"Oh yeah," Victoria hissed through her teeth, "you mean a vampire's supposed to be this sleepy a mere half an hour after sunset?!"

Subaru looked away. Yuzuriha fidgeted on her chair.

"No one knows where Lestate so we're on patrol every night, your boyfriend's in pieces, I'm famished and them two" gesturing towards the onmyoujis "are looking like two stand-ins from Night of the Living Dead…"

"Bicky-chan…"

"Obviously, this little slumber of his has not been thought of thoroughly."

"Would you shut the fuck up, you bratty, ungrateful little cow?" Seishiro hissed venomously.

The silence which now spread amongst the diners filled with tension.

After a while, David rubbed at his face sleepily and turned calmly to speak with his lover, "Sometimes, our kind needs to sleep for a long time…"

"How long?!"

"To regenerate our body's energy…"

"It's been six flippin' months!!"

"Or we'll be too weak to keep living…"

"_I'm hungry, David!_"

"You can eat from Grim, you know you can but you don't."

"She scares me….and she smells of graveyards…"

"I smell of graveyards."

Victoria pouted and leaned on the table floppily, keeping her eyes on the candlesticks poisonous for her to touch.

"It has been unusually long….the time he's gone…" Karen sighed, checking on Kamui and Fuma.

"Let's change the subject, shall we?" the smaller of the Justices whispered coldly.

"**So**," Yuuto's suddenly loud and joyful call made everyone at the table cringe, "how are the wedding preparations getting on, Fuma-kun?"

Fuma sputtered, choking on the gulp of orange juice he was trying to drink. He covered his mouth and tried very hard not to soil anything around him anymore than he already did.

Karen found it awfully endearing and shared a feminine joy look with Yuzuriha.

"U-uh…i-i-it's…uh…it's going…uh…great…I think…"

"No it's not," Kamui sighed, "half of Venus's field, the one away from her house, was burned the other night and that's the bit where we planned on holding the ceremony."

"Ah, it'll grow back, don't worry." Love beamed at Justice.

Kamui leveled cold cynical eyes only brides with a postponed wedding are capable of producing at Love, "When? The whole area's now covered with that black sticky slime the slain monsters oozed out when _someone _killed them _in the middle of the flower field_," Kamui's glare was aimed now at David who secretly smirked behind his hand, "and I don't see how the flowers are going to grow through that."

"And is it necessary to have the wedding there, Kamui-chan?"

"Yes, Yuuto-_chan_, it is; it was the only decant and beautiful place this half burned, half crushed fucking City had to offer!"

Love kept his face as calm and careless as possible as he wiped his mouth and prepared to leave the table, "I guess you'll have to wait, a long, long time then." He got up and left the table, gathering his jacket from the coat hanger by the door and exited the house.

Vash stuffed his face full of the ice cream which was the dessert, and followed his Love.

Slowly, one by one, the dinner guests bid their farewells and headed out home, making their way home through a half burned, half crushed City.

* * *

"Look at his tiiiiiiny little pawsie-wowsies!! They're sooooo adorable!! Oh, I'm going to die; this one's tongue got stuck out his mouth….oooooooo, I'm going to have a heart attack, my head'll explode from the cute!" 

"And if that won't happen, then my eardrum'll be punctured from all your squeaking. Try to keep your voice down, Kazuki; you're making the mother edgy."

"Aww, I'm sorry. I guess I'll just have to muffle my screams by _burying my face in this little one's belly!!_ Pfffffffff….pppppffffffffff."

"Now you're making me edgy."

"Pfff, pfff, pffff, who's got a tummy? Who's got a sweet little wobbly tummy tucks?"

"Taken this, and the rest of the puppies, out of the barn and do it _now_, Kazuki!"

The bioroid got up; taking one of the four huge St. Bernard puppies she was entertaining in her hands and stepped out chirping, "Who's a fuzzy little bunny? Who's a fluffy little fuzzy bunny baby?"

"Thank god that's gone. Now, Mr. Arden, here's antibiotic; give it to her twice a day every twelve hours. The other tits look healthy; just keep the puppies from drinking from the infected one."

"Yes, Mr. Sumeragi…"

"Sakurazuka, Sumeragi's Suba….my nurse."

"I thought he was the nurse." The dogs' owner pointed towards the barn's door.

"No, _she_ is my assistant; Subaru-ku….Mr. Sumeragi is the nurse. In any case, your dog's lucky she's only got four puppies and not her full capacity or making sure that infected tit is untouched would be a mess."

The farmer nodded and turned to hand Seishiro the vet team's pay.

"Ah," the veterinarian eyed the three baskets, pondering, "How much will it be for one of those puppies, Mr. Arden?"

The farmer drew back the basket he was about to hand Seishiro, "Well, they are a very sought after animal, what with all the farmers wanting one to help with their flock and be quite expensive."

Seishiro sighed and walked behind the farmer to grab one basket, leaving two behind.

"I said they're very expensive…" The farmer's tone stiffened.

Seishiro glared death at the tall fair man, "Something tells me that, with all that uneasy mess to do with fire monsters crawling out of the river aiming straight for people's livestock a few nights ago for the third time in two months, that Sheppard dogs aren't the hottest item on the market. Not as sought after as, say, a veterinarian with enough herbal animal balm to heal a whole army of sheep…"

The farmer dug his hands in his pants and bowed his head, "Right…well…hum…"

"Thought so." Seishiro made his exit, snatching the puppy Kazuki was holding and replacing it with her basket of pay.

* * *

Subaru was in his back yard, hanging the wet laundry out to dry. The sleepiness was already too much to bear; it was becoming too hard to concentrate on the simplest of tasks so badly that Seishiro forced him to stay home and rest after one visit to patients each day. Not that the house couldn't do with someone to clean and organize things around, but to be so useless from a reason he couldn't control was still very much humiliating for Subaru. 

As he finished his hanging duties, he picked up the laundry basket and lingered before the gaping canyon view before him, the hot wind burning his sleepy eyes.

It's been six months since the Demon was taken out of Alex and six months since Alex retreated from society.

Subaru remembered that strange, electrifying, confusing night like it was yesterday.

As soon as he came back from the strange comatose sleep which engulfed his soul as his body became possessed by spirits of the past, he opened his eyes and saw Alex standing above him with bloody tears in his eyes.

"It's over…" Death whispered, and the horrid sound of echoing, hollow emptiness in the man's voice still brought chills running down the light onmyouji's spine today as he was thinking back on it.

"There's nothing binding me to stay here, conscious."

Subaru scrambled to his feet that evening, shaky and unnerved, and fell upon Death to wrap his arms around the hard metal breastplate and hard cold arms, "Where would you go? What would you do? Don't leave us, Alex, please don't leave us!"

"I can't stay here; no one wants me here and there's no where I can go. I can't be beside my men, I can't take care of all of you properly; I can't even mend a zombie back without fainting."

"No…no…" the onmyouji whimpered, burying his face in Alex' cape-covered shoulder, "You can't leave us…."

"I can't stay here…I'm too weak….I need to rest, Subaru…let me go and have my rest….please…"

Six months later, Subaru embraced the laundry basket like it was Death back then, and hung his eyes at the towering orange sandy saw-tooth shaped edge of the canyon across his house, where a cave opening was only barely visible in the distance.

That gruesome night, he and Seishiro walked Death to that cave, where they walked in gloomy silence to a small room dug into the hard rock ages ago by an unknown person for perhaps the very same reasons; a flat platform was carved into the back wall of the small room.

Death walked over to the platform, after hugging and kissing his most loving Men goodnight, and curled up on the hard rock. He closed his beautiful, empty, sad, old green eyes then and never opened them since.

The deadly silence which filled the cave after, broken only by Subaru's whimpers, was filled with the heavy sound of rasping and dragging, scratching and hissing. The air filled with the faintest scent of sulfur.

A medium sized shiny green dragon crawled into the cave and climbed the platform. Subaru reached out to stop it, fearing the creature might try to eat Death, but he was held back by Seishiro.

The dragon lay down on the platform, curling himself around Death's frame. The immense lizard creature then raised Death's head gently, and laid it on its folded front leg, then laid its own head near and closed its eyes to sleep.

And so, Death now had a guardian in his deep slumber.

The sleepiness spread upon him, Seishiro and the rest of the Dimension's Creatures and Men of Death almost instantly; when Death suffered from something greatly, so did the rest of His creatures.

Subaru felt something wet on his face and realized, with a start that he was crying. Six months later, the sleepy, abandoned onmyouji turned his back to his Death's sanctuary and walked back into his house.

There was a puppy sitting in the sandy line between the back porch and the back yard.

Subaru stared at it, blinking as he tried to drag his mind back to reality and fully analyze what was happening.

The puppy was quite huge; though it was almost the size of an adult dog, it was clearly still a baby. It sat there, back legs spread ungracefully under its big pink belly, supporting its great flabby weight on two trunk-like furry front legs. It was panting, tongue hanging floppily out of the corner of its open mouth from which a long column of oozy dribble the base of which was now creating a small pool of yellow and bright orange mud at the puppy's feet.

It just stared at Subaru, panting, as if saying "well, whada'ya think?"

Subaru crouched, putting the basket aside, gawking at the puppy who followed him with his eyes and was now trying to lick Subaru's face.

The onmyouji looked up and into the house and saw Seishiro sitting half-sprawled on the living room sofa.

"Well, what do you think?"

Subaru grabbed the puppy, cradling the massive weight in his arms as much as he could while trying to mold the inflexible furry mass into an elegant orderly ball. He stepped into the house, "what is this?" he whispered half inaudibly.

Seishiro rose to his feet and walked towards the other man and the dog, "You always wanted a dog…"

Subaru mouthed, hanging big wet eyes at his lover.

"I've got something else you always wanted, Subaru, put the dog down."

Subaru did as he was told and, as he straightened his back, came face to face with an open black velvet box.

The white diamond, shaped to create a curled drop, along with a matching-shaped black stone caught a ray of light penetrating through the living room window and blinded Subaru for a moment. He blinked, straightened his back completely, and noticed the two gems are shaped into a Ying-Yang symbol above a blackened silver ring.

His jaw dropped.

"I have been carrying this since the Eastern City almost a year ago….I've been keeping it for too long…" Seishiro's deep voice hardly penetrated through Subaru's buzzing thoughts.

"I-is this…a pr-pro….and pro…."

"It is."

"Oh, Seishiro-san…."

"…."

"I do!"

"Good. And we're having the wedding before those two snotty brats; I don't care if we'll have to do it in the middle of the damn river but…."

"Not without Alex."

"Subaru-kun…"

The light onmyouji's tearful eyes were now containing that level of determination Seishiro long grew to learn was unarguable with.

"Alright….but if the brats are going to try and have their wedding before Alex wakes up I'll…I might have to hurt them."

Subaru giggled nervously, wiping at his eyes with a shaking hand, "whatever you say….Oh, oh, Seishiro-san…"

"Call me Seishiro…"

"But, Seishiro-sa…"

"Just Seishiro."

"Fine, listen to me, Seishiro…no, not now…stop it…"

Seishiro drew his head back from the area of Subaru's neck he was nibbling on as an attempt to start a pre-nuptial celebration, "What's so important that it must interrupt…something stinks…"

"Yes…the dog peed on your shoe…"

"_Fucking mutt!!_"

"S-S-Seishiro-san!"

* * *

Karen was stomping her way to the Infirmary. She knew why she was going there, she knew what she's going to hear from the doctors and she didn't like it one bit. She knew what she was going to ask the doctors to do as soon as they give her the diagnose, as well as she knew they'll say no. 

She's going to ask it anyway; because there's no way Kasumi Fucked Up In The Head Demon Child Karen's going to become a mother.

An hour later she was stomping her way back from the infirmary, fists clenched so hard her nails cut into the inside of her palms, making them bleed.

She stormed into the house, slamming the door shut so hard it shook the walls and sprayed her and Yuzuriha resting in the living room with plaster.

She stormed out to the back yard, and after lighting a cigarette, stomped back into the house.

Arashi, who was changing Raikou's diaper on the diving room table, took one look at the smoking cylinder in Karen's hand and rose to her feet.

"It's not healthy for Raikou to breathe smoke-filled air, Karen-san. Nor is it healthy for your baby that you smoke." She's seen Karen make a dash for the toilets in the morning enough to know what she's talking about.

Karen screeched her heels to a stop and turned sharply to face Arashi. She dropped the cigarette and stomped it dead into the rug, creating a big ugly black burn mark in it forever.

Arashi opened her mouth to say something, but Karen won't let her.

"You, holier-than-though-Miko, out of here. **_Now!_** By god, I'll claw those big pretty eyes of yours out, run away, quickly!"

Arashi grabbed her toddler and fled to the sanctuary of Raikou's room.

"Would you like a cup of tea, Karen-san?" Yuzuriha scrambled to a sitting position after lying on the sofa with her cast-covered leg levitated on a pillow. She was fumbling to grab her crutch and the sight was so pathetic it quenched Karen's flaming anger into safe temperatures.

"No, no, don't get up. I'll make the tea. Fuck, I don't need tea, do you want tea?"

"Not particularly…"

Karen stormed towards the girl on the sofa, pulling her leg back onto the cushion a little too roughly. When Yuzuriha cringed, Karen dashed away, to the staircase, wringing her hands nervously.

"I can't even take care of a fully grown girl, _woman_, let a lone a baby!!"

"Karen-san…"

"Oh, I can do the abortion alone; I heard how it can be done…"

"Karen-san, would you listen to yourself?! You could injure yourself; you can harm yourself so badly you'll die!"

Karen, who so far stood with her back to Yuzuriha, whipped herself around towards Yuzuriha, "_But I don't want this baby!! I don't know what I'd do with a fucking baby!_"

"Ace and Spike will help you raise the baby, it's theirs; they'll love it as much as they love you."

Karen was now running her fingers frantically through her hair, pulling at it whenever she reached its ends, "But me…._me_…" she pounded on her chest violently, "what kind of a horrible mother would I be?! The child will become as twisted and horrible as I am."

Yuzuriha shot up, suddenly grabbing her crutch and limping over to the woman with amazing speed and grace she lacked a moment before, "What _on earth_ makes you think you'll give birth to a twisted baby?! What _on earth_ makes you think you'll be a horrible, twisted mother?!"

Karen opened her mouth to shout something back at the girl now standing inches from her face, but wasn't given a chance to express herself.

"You think Mammy and Bell and the nuns in the orphanage think you're a horrible, twisted person?" she screamed at the woman, "Because they see you taking care of infants and children every day and they think it's just fine!"

Karen shook her head violently, hands back in her hair.

Yuzuriha grabbed the fire master's hands and held them, hard, between the two of them, "_Look at me!_"

The woman did.

"If it weren't for all the time you've spent in that orphanage, taking care of the children and abandoned babies when the nuns and the workers were too exhausted to work, when the City was ruined, then half of those children would be dead now. I tried to help you out there but I gave up after two hours, I was too tired.

"You got off your sickbed, without wanting any sort of rest after all the hard fighting you've done for those children and after all the beating you took," now the girl's eyes were tearing freely, "and you dare tell me you're a horrible, twisted person? That you'll be a terrible mother?!"

"And what of the time when the famine was eating at everyone and you gave up every second meal you had to give it to the children, and to Spike, and was so thin Charlie said your period stopped and you might not be able to have children?

"You almost lost your ability to have a baby for those children, now that you are pregnant, and they're alive and so will the baby be!!"

Karen's whole body became limp. She crashed onto the first step in the staircase and sat there, doubled over, head buried between her arms with her hands still clasped together before her as if in prayer.

"You're a wonderful person, Karen, and you're going to be a wonderful mother. More than that, Ace and Spike are going to be amazing, wonderful fathers. You are keeping that baby, Karen, do you hear me?"

Slowely, Karen nodded.

"Now I'm going to make some tea in the kitchen and you're going to come there then you and I are going to sit down and talk about things, calmly. Alright?"

Karen nodded again. Yuzuriha limped away. The firemaster raised her head, wiping the smeared makeup as much as she could and tried to gather her wits.

"My mother used to beat me up, pretty badly." She said half an hour later as she sat in the kitchen, slowly spinning her tea mug round and round.

"She was raped in high school and her parents were too narrow-minded to keep such damaged goods under their roof. So they threw her away, sent her to her uncle and aunt in Tokyo. But the aunt wasn't any better than my grandmother and treated my mother like a slave around the house; making her do house chores, pregnant, to pay for her stay.

"My mother was an up and coming student, a girl with very high grades and lots of friends. Now all her world came crushing down on her.

"One day, on her way from shopping for food, a priest from the United States met her and convinced her to keep the baby she was about to abort; to keep me. He spoke to her about God and faith and heaven and filled her with hope. Somehow, he managed to sweeten the life penalty destinies brought upon my mother.

"Then, the government heard of my mother's baby about to be become a Dragon of Heaven and they started chasing her around, wanting to take her into a facility owned by Toujo Pharmaceuticals, where I'll be raised under a watchful eye. But my mother's had had enough of strangers trying to alter her life's course and, with the help of the priest, moved to an apartment of her own in a place in Tokyo the government found out about later."

Karen sighed, leaning over her cup sadly, and continued.

"My mother gave birth to me and immediately had to find a daytime job to fend for us both; the priest gave as much money as he could and his wife would look after me when my mother was at work.

"That seemed to be alright for a while, but my mother was never quite the same person since those boys raped her, since the government started chasing her around for me.

"I remember her agitated and irate since I can remember myself; she'd explode into fits of anger much like the one I just had for every small thing. The priest's wife was getting impatient, but still things were relatively safe.

"Then one morning I lit all the candles in the church under our flat, using my god given powers. The priest's wife freaked out and so did my mother. I never understood why.

"That's when the beating started to become really bad; so far my mother would only give me a slap or two whenever I was reckless and noisy, but now the beatings started for every simple thing.

"If that wasn't enough, news of the wonder fire girl reached the media. It was only a small comic section at the bottom corner of a local paper's last page, but it was enough for the government to rear its ugly head.

"My mom flipped completely and started kicking me around and beating me up so badly….I was half unconscious. All I can remember is that she was reaching to this candlestick standing on a mantle, to hit me with it, but it fell to the floor. She reached for another one and somehow stepped on the one that fell.

"I remember that, from where I was lying on the floor, it seemed to me like she was flying….then I heard the crack….the priest always told her to cover that table's corner with some cloth or something because, when I was small enough, I might bump my head against that nasty corner…"

Yuzuriha, mouth gaping for a long time now, finally snapped her wits back into action and reached for Karen's hand.

"It's alright," Karen smiled, eyes dry, "I'm a big girl now." She took a deep breath and sighed it out, leaning back into her chair.

"I've had thirty two years to think about it since then, I've had the horrors of that battle back in our world and the horrors here to look at and realize those were worse….I'm alright…."

Yuzuriha clenched Karen's palm. Arashi, hiding behind the doorframe in the kitchen's entrance, dared to step in and lay a timid, comforting arm across Karen's shoulders. Her attempt was granted a weary thankful smile from Karen.

"I'm alright now. Whenever I'm sad, Ace and Spike hold me until I stop crying. So I'm alright now, I'm stronger.

"I'm sorry I screamed at you, Rashi-chan. can you forgive me?"

The miko was so dumbfounded by the emotional overload and the awkwardness of the situation she only managed to bow her head to hide her blushing face and shake it gently.

"Thank you." The fire master looked away, to Yuzuriha, "And that you, Yuzur-chan…you know…I've underestimated you all along…"

Yuzuriha waved it off shyly.

"I meant it; I've been treating you like a child all this time when you're clearly already a fully grown woman." She squeezed the girl's hand in return, "You are."

The inugami mistress blushed and buried her gaze in Inuki's glittering proud eyes. "I'm nothing to be proud of….really…."

And then she told the two women of what she did when Death destroyed half the City.

* * *

A cigarette was dangling from the corner of Spike's lip. It was dangling there for two hours now, and already it was dark outside. Karen's retreated to their bed and was softly wheezing in her sleep, hand draped lazily over her lower abdomen. 

From time to time Spike turned around to stare at the prone woman, then sit straight again, staring into empty space.

Ace was looking at Karen, then at Spike, then back at Karen and so on. There was pleasant warmth in his chest saved only for times when he, Karen and Spike lay in bed, exhausted, in each others' arms and slowly doze off into a sweet slumber.

"There's going to be a baby to take care of, Ace…" Spike croaked eyes still foggy and vacant.

"Yes, and we're going to pull it off splendidly, nickity-split!"

"A baby, Ace, a baby…"

"It's yours."

"It's ours…it's a baby, Ace."

"It'll be a marvelous baby, Spike, with Karen's beauty and wit and your lightning reaction and my smegheadedness."

"It's a baby, Ace."

"Yes…well, you run that thought through a few hundred times more, I'll be at Charlie's place to brag about a bit." The hologram got up and offered Spike his lighter.

Spike brushed it off, leaning on his good side, staring into space.

"Right, see you soon."

"Yeah…I'll stock a kipper for you…and the baby…."

"Ha ha, you don't even know what a kipper is, Spike darling."

"Maybe the baby will know…"

"It's a baby, I don't think…oh, never mind. Be back shortly."

"Nickity-split…"

Ace rode his scooter all the way to Charlie's house, humming an old Titan tune his long gone crewmate used to listen to a lot.

"Give me a hug, Charlie, I'm going to be a daddy!!" he yelped as soon as the doctor opened his house door.

"Yes, so am I." the good doctor had big dark rings under his tired eyes, "Good for us." He turned to walk into the house.

Ace followed him hotly, "What, you too? Is Blue Fairy pregnant?"

"Yes…and the baby's developing extra-quickly, because that's how fairies are pregnant, apparently."

The hologram threw its arms sideways trying to grab Charlie into a hug, "That's amazing news, Charlie!!"

"Oh, brilliant news indeed; we're bringing a baby into this world. This fucked up, cruel, deadly, wrong world."

Ace's smile dropped.

Charlie crashed into the raggedy armchair in his living room, arms hanging out the sides, legs spread forwards.

"Into this City where the fire monsters burn half the livestock whenever they breed and wipe out another family of ten in the blink of an eye. Where the ground is so dry and unfertile from years of exploitation when it never was really any good to begin with. Into this world where even the most trustable Rescue Team member gets dumped by some punk and wipes out half the City and its populace and the oldest, most experienced Rescue Team members disappears into the north pole for a bit of a nap, leaving us all behind without the best help we could have in these crazy times.

"Into this place where the farmers are inexperienced and the land is treacherous and the monsters eat into the meat so much that we might all starve to death one day between those blissful convoys because they just didn't reach us in time."

Ace was shaking a bit, eyes fluttering nervously, "S-surely….it can't be that bad…"

"Oh really? Have you seen the veterans amongst our civilians, those who managed to claw and scavenge their way through every famine, through every attack, through every change of location? Have you?

"Sun scorched, back-broken, miserable, wrinkly leftovers of humanity to badly tattered there's not a bit of their body unshrunk by turmoil or unscared, like some beaten up chicken wobbling out of a burned down barn; this, my good friend of old, is how our babies are going to be.

"Because nothing grows good in this wretched Side of the Dimension, it's all like those pathetic excuses for crops the farmers claim to raise; thin, shrunk, twisted and broken miserable things.

"That's how our babies will look like one day, that's how everyone's babies are going to look one day, Ace good boy…

"Ace….?"

The hologram was driving his scooter back home so quickly he nearly ran over Kusanagi alone on patrol.

He stormed into the house where he and Spike lived with Karen until an alternative Rescue Team home will be built.

He found Spike draped around Karen, cigarette still at the corner of his lips. The hologram stopped before the bed.

Spike looked at the hologram. His hands were limply drawing circles on Karen's belly, "Look, I think you can already see a little bump there….isn't that amazing?"

"There must be a plan…there must be an alternative…" he reached into his hairs, "Think, Rimmer, _think_!"

His eyes fell upon a worn out bright leather bag he placed on a pile of his and Spike's rummaged things at the corner of the room. That was the old bag he took to his travels years ago, where he kept all the maps he drew of the Dimension he saw, where he placed the map Alex left him when he returned from his journeys.

Ace leaped towards the pile, tearing at the bag. He pulled maps out of it, scattering them around on the floor at the foot of the bed.

"I'm going to find a place where we'll build a new City, on a lush and fertile land, away from the river and all the things we've so foolishly ruined."

He spread the maps neatly one by the other to form a great big pictures, with Alex' huge maps above them for confirmation.

"We'll use the grasslands; grass' got to grow so wildly only on fertile land. And we'll keep the forest intact, taking all the timber we need from houses we already have and carry them over the new City's location." His finger ran lines along the maps over paint and plaster.

"We'll leave the forest alone and let the wild animals roam in it as much as they'll like and we'll calculate hard and good, who herds where and when so the land will keep its essence. We'll be doing things better this time….because we're not doing this for ourselves; we managed to smeg that up the entire last times...

"This time, we're building a City for our babies, for our children…"

* * *

Victoria flopped to the barren earth, back leaning on a headstone. She took a deep breath, trying to filet the smells of the dead from the smell of sweet upturned earth. 

Leaning on a headstone near hers, David was staring at her, admiring her moonlit beauty.

"I'm so tired, David."

"I know…"

"It's not even midnight, and I'm feeling like the sun's about to shine…"

"I'm sorry, love…he…he needs his rest…"

"You know what, David? I'm so tired and hungry right now that I don't even have the strength to bitch about him…"

"Good. Can you believe they're getting married, those two stupid brats…and their stupid dog…god, I hate that dog…"

"I think you're becoming more irritable, now that you're always sleepy."

David sighed. It's true; the sleepiness was making him feel useless and when he felt useless old fears and dreads reared their ugly heads and made him nervous and snappy; expecting an attack any minute.

"I'm sorry. Have I been angry at you for no reason?"

Victoria giggled, flattered, "No, love. Have I been angering you for no reason?" she hung big foggy red eyes at him.

He smiled faintly, "No, love; never."

Purring, she tried crawling towards him, to curl up in his arms.

A light twinkled in the sky, just as they were about to curl up for a nice little cozy sleep.

And suddenly, they didn't feel so sleep any more. In fact, a great wave of energy flew over them, like a ray of light, it filled their body limb by limb making them tingly and excited.

Victoria poked her head up, too buzzed to stay in one place. David leaped to his feet, his back to the hole in the ground where David was about to bury a body given to his care this morning and couldn't find the strength within him to finish properly.

The night was silent and electric and just when they thought they were going to scream from the uncertainty and puzzling strange energy, they heard a heavy thud behind them.

They leaped over the gravestones, to the edge of the hole, peering down as if pulled there by the devil's strings.

"Ow….that bloody hurt!"

They peered into the hole. There was man there, sprawled on his back, hairy legs sticking up, arms fumbling at the damp earth walls around him trying to rise to his feet.

He was wearing a beige crumpled shirt folded halfway up his arms, pants of the same color cut to the middle of his shins and a rangers' hat of a matching color, folded on one side.

Under the hat was a mane of blond curls, lazily cropped at the sides. He was fat or plump as Victoria would rather put it, with a friendly beer belly bulging slightly over his pants belt. To his feet he had army boots, or were they hiking boots?

He was glowing bright, lively green in their eyes, the kind of aura they were only used to see around Alex.

He scrambled at the bottom of the hole like a turtle turned on the top of his shell, arms and legs flailing pathetically in the air until he was finally able to gather his wits and find his footing.

When he did, he looked up at the puzzled, half horrified couple peering at him from the top of the pit. His eyes were big and blue, with such a childish surprise filling them he looked like a child who slipped and fell on his face in a puddle of mud, now standing and looking awkwardly up at the adults around him; he even carelessly wiped the dirt of one hand on his shirt.

"G'day," he said as soon as he realized the silence isn't going to be broken by one of the two above him, "Mad'm, sur."

Victoria and David stared back at him, not changing a thing in their posture or expression.

"M'name's Muike, Muike Randel…" he whipped his forefinger to the rim of his hat a little too quickly, "nice t'meet ya." He flashed an honest, warm but nervous smile at them.

"You're…." Victoria huffed.

David drew his upper lip back in disgust, "You're…._Death_…."

(tbc)

* * *

**A.N: **You may not be able to see it, but I'm doing my little evil dance of cliffhanger doom. 


	47. Replacement

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** to Draachen (Thank you, I don't like Will very much either…he he he….as for Alex and Kamui….well….both due to the plot and due to Mary Sue Watch he and Kamui are pretty much lost cause…sorry…), to my beloved Kyou-chan2 (You can see me do the cliffhanger dance all the way over there? Cool!! Airborne babies? Oh dear…I was weary of both getting Karen pregnant – weary of writing it, not on doing it since I wouldn't mind what with her being such a lovely lookin' lady OHOHOHOHOHO! – and of writing that backstory but people like it so, guess it wasn't that bad…), to cocoke5 (yes! I'm on LJ and so is this story, my user name is MeyRevived, oh, the diversity…), to lemonysh (yes, the ying yang ring….a tad tacky for my taste but it hits the mark, much like the Sorashi birth scene; I'm still gaging over that one…six meters under the floor, pssh, that's a new record for me XD) and to Sesshy'sgirl00 (You'll soon find out won't you? ha ha!)

**Apology:** MY GOD I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!! I had a re-take test on chemistry (still has another re-take test to do in math ;;) and university generally sucked the life out of me. So very, very sorry am I.

**Announcements:** As soon as this version of A New World (i.e unbeta-ed un-revised) is ended I'll be working with my beloved beta to improve this fic. Then the fic will move to fictionpress(dot)com under the name 'Legend'.

* * *

**Chapter 47 – Replacement**

"You're Death…"

The man startled and hurried to look away, "Uh….whut? Uh, don't knaw whut yu're tolking about…"

David and Victoria exchanged a puzzled look, then David turned his eyes back to the man suspiciously, "What's she then?" he asked, gesturing towards Victoria. The moon shone at her back, making her undead skin glow strangely and her eyes a brighter red.

Mike eyed her quickly and shrugged quickly, looking away again, "A sheela? With….strainge red ueys…or samething…"

David sighed, upper lip snarled in disgust, "Get out of that hole."

"I'm a vampire," Victoria chirped, crouching to offer the man a hand, "you'll learn it soon, don't worry; we'll show you everyone and everything around here." She beamed at him, "You'll make a much better Death, I'm sure of it."

The man jerked away, drawing his hands to his chest as if to keep her from grabbing them. The grave, however, was too narrow for his big bulk and didn't leave him much room to move away. Soon, David joined Victoria in her attempt to get Mike out of the hole and he soon grabbed an arm and jerked the man out of the grave.

"Nawooooo! Not fair…"

"Deal with it, you big baby…"

* * *

"Mrs. Levantine here is recovering quickly," Charlie beamed down at a pale woman cradling a newborn baby, "the ginger tea you concocted is doing greatly to revive her, Sohma-sensei," he turned to the tall, lean doctor at his side.

Hatori bowed his head a bit, "Thank you very much, Charlie-sensei."

"The Levantine's new baby girl and her parents aught to be out of here by tomorrow noon. If you see Mrs. Levantine's vital signs are this steady by next morning I suppose maybe you can keep her for a bit more, but do keep an eye on her blood pressure; she's had a rough delivery."

"Yes, Charlie-sensei."

"Now," Charlie sighed and made his way to the third sickbed containing a new mother, "Mrs. Adminet and her husband can leave as soon as next morning; their baby is doing just fine." He beamed another bright smile at the proud parents, "Quite a surprise what with the mother and father being so _very_ young…." The teenaged parents looked away, blushing, "but that's what happens when we still have no means of abortion in this infirmary…"

"This is good for the City, I believe, for the population must grow again after all the disasters it met. The mothers staying healthy enough to give birth is, in itself, a miracle in my opinion, sensei."

Charlie nodded enthusiastically, "Indeed the City must grow again, and room for a new generation is already planned…" he stared out the nearest window dreamingly.

"Oh? You seemed to be of a much darker mood lately, if I may say so, sensei…"

Charlie flashed a proud, confident beam at Hatori, "A friend of mine, Ace from the Rescue Team, he's hatching a plan to move the whole City to a new, better location. This plan gives the City and everyone living in it, or about to live in it," he eyed a pregnant woman who was guided to an examination room behind Hatori, "a brand new hope for the future."

"I'm exhilarated to hear that, Charlie-sensei." Hatori's face, however, didn't change much to show any kind of expression to his mentioned emotion.

Charlie eyed the other doctor for a moment, "Yes…I'm sure you are…."

A nurse poked her head around a corner in the recovery room, "The Anabels are asking for you, Charlie."

With a quick clowning twirl, Charlie dashed to the nurse's side, "Ah, another birth's about to begin; it's our fifth this week…."

The second in command nursemaid moved from the Levantine's bedside, "You need me, boss?"

"Oh, no need, Tony….maybe later, you've got your hands full enough." The nursemaid nodded and resumed his doings.

That moment the infirmary's backdoor opened. Victoria stepped in first with the big Mike, his arm twisted behind his back and held tightly by David, followed her. "Charlie?" The vampire chirped, "Charlie? I've got a newcomer here for you!"

"In a minute, get Hatori to check him for now. I'm kind of busy here…" the doctor's scream came from another room, over high pitched feminine whimpers and a manly cooing.

Hatori gestured for the examination room from which the sixth pregnant woman was helped out a minute ago. The three moved past him, Mike eyeing the Japanese doctor suspiciously.

Dragging the large Australian forcefully, David managed to get Mike to the examination table, "Sit!" he barked and folded his arms on his chest, making sure the other man knew very well that he better obey.

But Mike was unmovable; he kept his eyes, glaring murderously now, on Hatori who was washing his hands in the sink, rinsing his long delicate fingers with the antiseptic soap.

"Hey, Vicky, what's wrong with him?" David tried waving his fingers before Mike's eyes but even that failed to bring any sort of reaction besides more glares from the big man.

Hatori turned to his new patient and bowed quickly, "Good evening, my name's…" by then Mike was looming over him and Mike's fist was midway towards Hatori's jaw.

Twenty minutes later the examination room was drowning in awkward silence. Mike was pouting, the upper left side of his face swollen and red. David leaned against the table on one side of the hunched Australian, Victoria on the other side.

"Did you _have_ to punch him, Tony?" the vampire sighed.

The nursemaid was rubbing at his fist, face still red from anger, a vein in his right temple still pulsing, "That's what you get when you punch a staff member of this infirmary." He spat, eyeing the big man on the table in raging anger, "No one fucks around with the staff on my shift."

Victoria turned to the man beside her, "And did you have to punch him, Death?"

"He's a bloody nip…." Mike spat a little hushed, "And don't call me that."

"You're Death, enough of this arguing back; the sooner you'll accept it the sooner I'll stop dragging you around places." David sighed, "Why did you have to punch him? He didn't do anything to you."

"Ai said he's a bloody nip, that's whuy."

"Tssk, whatever. You're half mad, if you ask me."

"David….?" Victoria tried bending forward to catch David's eyes beyond the small Mike mountain sitting between them, "What if they're all like that?"

David sighed again and shook his head, "Alex's not crazy, Vicky, he's my best friend so I'll appreciate it if you'll finally stop snapping at him; you've got your other-better-Death now so leave poor Alex alone…"

Charlie stepped into the room, wiping his bloodied hands on a towel and turning to the sink after carefully eyeing the three by the table. "So, this is the raging bull you've dragged into my perfectly healthy infirmary, Victoria, David?"

"W-we didn't know he'd pounce Hatori like that…sorry…"

"What's your name?" Charlie's tone dropped to icy dangerous depths.

It took Mike a while to realize the doctor was talking to him, with his back turned to him and hunched over the sink, "…It's….it's nan of yur business…" he was starting to pout again and his shoulders now drew upwards like a punished child.

"You broke doctor Sohma's cheekbone and dislocated his jaw, it'd take some time until he'll be able to get back to his duties here at this City's _only_ infirmary." Charlie finally turned to face the table, "There are only three doctors here; me, Dr. Sohma and Dr. Prune. We're in the middle of a baby boom, casualties from fire monsters attacks pour in every other night, accidents happen naturally all the time; we need every medical expert we can get. Do you realize the damage you've caused, Mr…?"

"Randel, sur…" Mike was burying his eyes in the floor shamefully.

"Randel. If it'd be me you'd be officially attacking a member of the Rescue Team which is usually not a quickly ignored penalty."

"I thought the City rules said otherwise." David stared hard at the doctor.

"Yes, but not everyone bothers to do it, not so violently…"

"He's not the first…"

"Yes." Charlie finally put away the second towel he used to dry his hands, "I can think of only one other person who ever pulled that stunt on his first day here…." He walked closer to the table, "And from what Victoria told me, you and that other person seem to have the same occupation…"

Mike dared to look at Charlie, then looked away again.

"It seems the way to deal with both is also similar." David titled his head sideways, gesturing for the restraining straps Tony had placed around Mike's wrists, festooned to the table.

"Ah, yes, a policy of the infirmary that is; restraints must be placed on violent, out of control patients who attack staff." Charlie unfastened the straps and handed them back to Tony, "Thank you, you're dismissed, Mr. Soprano."

Tony lingered on, arms folded on his chest.

"If he misbehaves again I'll be the one to smack some sense into him." David flashed a quick, angry grin at the nursemaid." Finally, Tony left the room.

Another nurse walked in, stopping at the door and leaning on it, arms folded and a quizzical look in his eyes. Mike locked stares with the man and an expression of surprise and sheer joy took over his face, "Ralph!" he jerked as if to move off the table, then looked at his wrists and remembered they weren't tied down anymore. At this point he leaped off the table and advanced towards the nurse who was trying not to look too amused.

Charlie followed the scene, "You two know each other, 'medic'?"

Ralph the nurse kept an aloof, amused stare at the massive man advancing towards him, "No. I knew someone like him back in my world but he sure didn't wear nothing like this outfit. Must be another dimension's version."

Mike stopped dead, his opened-to-hug arms dropping to his sides, "Ow…that's OK…Ai saw wurlds luike that…" the look of wounded disappointment didn't leave his face, despite his words.

"Wait, did you say 'worlds'? You mean you also travel through dimensions?" David advanced towards the bigger man.

"Here's another common characteristic." Charlie beamed at the undertaker.

Realization suddenly hit the Australian. He scanned Ralph's face for a moment, then dug around in his mucky pants' pocket, eyeing the three behind him with a sneaky look, "Y-ye Ai travel using this…" he turned quickly as if about to pull out a gun and shoot them all, but his hand came out with something different.

He looked at his palm and saw the small pocket watch like machine in his palm clank and vibrate until tiny cogs and bolts sprayed out of it.

Mike stared down at it with horror and tried closing his fist on the machine to try and keep the tiny bits from flying away but to no avail, the thing began heating up until he had to throw it away o the floor, waving his palm to try and cool it. The machine fell to the floor and crashed with a small bang and a puff of violet smoke.

Mike was on the verge of tears as he looked down at the small pile of black ash his machine once was, "Oh nawoooooo, my TARDIS! It's ruined neow…"

David grabbed the man by the collar and brought them face to face, "You were going to use it to escape, weren't you?" the undertaker was angry, very angry.

Mike's big blue eyes nearly popped out of their sockets with dread, "N-naw…." he shook his head nervously.

"I think it's time I'll smack some sense into you, coward."

"No need," Charlie laid a palm on David's raised fist, "I believe you he's another Death and as one we need him safe and sound in the Rescue Team."

"This big blubbering baboon? He'd run away from everything you'd send him up against." David was still twisting Mike's collar in his fist, making the man whimper miserably.

"I don't know…" Charlie removed Mike's half folded hat and stared at the bronze pin holding half the brim folded, "The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps pin. Our big blubbering baboon friend was once a brave soldier, or stole the clothes of one…"

This wizened Mike up, he snatched his hat back and placed it rightfully on his head, "Ai didn't steal it; it's muwne."

"Then you know what duty is." Charlie's educating stare melted Mike's last defensive pout, "Sit on the examination table and be quiet. Let him go, David; he'll be a good boy from now on."

* * *

Victoria and David were not the only ones to notice the sleepiness lifting; sensing the new presence, Subaru and Seishiro mounted their horses and rode out to the infirmary, curious of this new development.

At the entrance they were met with Victoria who jerked and ran towards them nervously, waving her hands for them to stop.

Climbing off his horse, Seishiro nearly pushed Victoria away if it weren't for her super-human strength pushing against him, "Don't go in to meet him; it's a bit complicated…." He glared at Seishiro and turned a slightly calmed eyes to Subaru, hoping the other man'll lend a slightly less aggressive ear to her plight.

And so he was, "What do you mean, Bictoria-san?"

"Well….he…uh….has something against Japanese people…I don't know why but he does…he punched Dr. Sahoma so bad his broke his face…"

Subaru looked away, thoughtful, then looked at Seishiro and shrugged helplessly.

This wasn't the kind of explanation Seishiro was going to take; he had far too many questions on the subject of this new Death appearing in the middle of the night to be brushed away with such a pathetic excuse.

"Then you've seen him, tell us what you know."

"He's Australian, he's three times Alex's size only he's more fat than muscle and he's…." she sighed, "well…everything _but_ Alex, really…" she hung her head, dismayed.

Subaru snapped out of his thoughts and neared the vampire, "What do you mean?"

"He's oh-so childish," she shook her head, "we had to drag him to the infirmary because he tried running from us the moment we recognized him as Death. He was traveling dimensions when he came here and as soon as he remembered he had a machine that can move him out of here he tried using it to run away, but the thing broke down; he was so devastated…he doesn't want to be Death so he definitely know what it means…I don't know, I just don't see how a deserter like that can fill in Alex's shoes…"

"A deserter?"

"He's wearing Australian army fatigue so he must have run off some battlefield to travel dimensions, I don't know." She ran her fingers through her hair.

"No, he died during his service…" Grim Reaper's sweetened voice cut through the gloomy air as she walked towards them with her black cape waving softly in the warm, moist air, "Well," he flashed a meaningful stare at Subaru, "something like that…" the onmyouji looked away.

"You know about him, then you mean this was planned?" Victoria sounded more disappointed than pleased.

"Ah, who knows; Alex's been sleeping for too long, methinks, so someone had to step in."

"Couldn't you do it?" Seishiro sighed, "Instead of someone who sounds like he can't handle half of us?"

"Don't worry; he won't handle you, not alone anyway." The Reaper smiled sweetly if not a bit mysteriously.

Subaru picked on the hint, "How so?"

"He'll need someone to show him the ropes, won't he?" she beamed warmer now, meeting Subaru's exhilarated eyes.

"But…he's asleep…" The excitement was robbing off Seishiro, tearing off the grumpy front Victoria and her new brought about him.

"Then I guess we'll have to go wake him up, then, won't we?" She walked towards the infirmary, "Though you better sneak up behind me for now; until Alex is around to restrain him, he better not try to hurt his own men." She smiled across her shoulder and entered the building.

She stormed majestically through the busy rooms and corridors, smiling kindly at the crew fleeing away from her frightened and aghast. She often enjoyed doing this; the sight of some nurses' habit of leaping over their patients to try and defend them with their bodies was especially amusing for her.

Entering the room where Charlie was giving Mike his Rescue Team lecture, she chirped, "No need for that, he'll be shown and explained everything in the following days, Rescue Team duties included." She neared Charlie (who was unafraid of her, quite a damper on her good mood) "For now he must be shown his Deathly duties first."

Charlie opened his mouth to speak but Grip waved her hand dismissively, "Don't argue with me, mortal. Our Death here has much to do and so will you when your baby's born; it'd be a shame to cut off one thing and make the other be cut off too."

Charlie straightened himself and glared at the stumpy creature, "You wouldn't dare."

"Ah, I like the lack of 'I won't let you' I'm hearing; it means you know you can't fight it. Please, to solve this with as little strife as possible, dismiss the poor lump for now, I promise I'll bring him back to hear the rest of the lecture."

Charlie looked away, shaken and angry.

"And you," Grim turned to Mike who looked as pale as the wall he pressed himself against and as frightened as half the infirmary staff at the moment, "come along; there's much to do tonight." She gestured for him to come to her and, as if he was pulled by an enormous power, Mike was shot onto his feet and pushed up to her.

He looked down at her, eyes gaping and nearly in tears.

"Oh, don't be afraid of good only Aunty Grim; she won't hurt you unless you'll be a bad boy. You won't be a bad boy, will you, dear?" He shook his head violently. "Good, come along then." She turned and left the room, the large man dragged after her by the same power, following her.

Grim stepped out of the infirmary, Mike stumbling and whimpering after her. Storming past Victoria and David, she chirped at them, "Might as well come along, all of you…" she was speaking to Seishiro and Subaru hiding in the shadows behind the infirmary's corner.

"Grim, Grim! Victoria hurried after the woman, David following suit, "The air feels strange…"

"Your hunch is right, puppet," Grim beamed at the vampire, "the air's turned from this season's cool dryness to the same hot moisture one would expect in a tropical jungle. It's the exact same effect as Alex's habit of bringing a snow storm over whenever he's upset."

"Oh…oh dear…"

"Are we going to Alex's cave, Grim?" David was now trotting merrily by the short woman, keeping a watchful eye at the very miserable Mike dragged along.

"Yes, my dear, we are."

"Oh, great!"

"…Help…"

"Shut it, you lump!"

* * *

The cliffs and ground of Dragon Valley glowed dull orange in the moonlight, soft glitters adorning the rocks as the group moved through the path to the eastern wall of the valley; the ground was rich with tiny crystals and rough diamonds deeper in the ground, where the dragons dug them up for their keeping.

Grim released Mike from her power and nudged him towards a part of the sheer wall to the pointing jiggered tooth end to which a thin, winding path led.

The man turned to the creature with a puzzled, frightened look. Grim beamed back and pointed for something behind him.

Mike turned and nearly jumped out of his skin with fright. A huge dragon crawled his way around the cone-shaped mountain stone. Its body was red, reflecting the moon's shine in a metallic hue like well polished bronze. It had a beard much resembling a goatee, growing straight out of its chin. Its eyes were extremely human, both in the shape of their pupils and in the wise, poised look held in them. The dragon's hands were shaped like man with perfect four digits and an opposable thumb; the rest of the body much resembled a dinosaur's. The strangest feature about the dragon (the rest of the group noted, for Mike was far too dumbfounded by the creature's size and sudden appearance) was the fact that its two, long, rabbit-like ears had white puffy tufts of hair at each end, like two pompons.

The dragon scanned Mike and smiled kindly, "Don't be afraid; I'm a dragon."

His voice quivering and shrilling from fright, Mike managed to sputter, "I'm supposed to _not _be afraid _because _you're a dragon?!"

The dragon's smile widened and his already half-lid eyed narrowed, "You'll understand soon. Come, it's up there." It turned slightly and pointed towards a far off cave opening high in the cliff, looking like a small dark dot in the midst of the orange bulk, "You're not scared of heights, are you?"

It was enough that the bunch of aggressive strangers behind him thought him a coward enough to say it to his face, but to have a creature of obvious intelligence also see him for a frightened thing was quite enough to Mike; he straightened his back, yanked at his creased shirt, thrusting his lower lip out and tried to strike out a confident pose, "Naw!"

"Very well," the dragon turned its huge body, tail flailing behind him, "then follow me."

Ducking the immense red tale which swung his way carelessly, Mike case a last unsure glance at the group under him and turned to follow the dragon.

High in the Cliffside the heated, wetted air clung to the skin and clothes, and the altitude made Mike's eyes cross and his head spin even though he never once felt any fear of height; perhaps it was the event-packed evening that was working on him. The dragon stopped and clung to the rock surface with its mannish palms, jerking its chin towards the cave opening.

With a sigh and one last look towards the group behind him (they began climbing the path, Subaru and Seishiro now out of hiding), Mike entered.

Beyond the narrowly chiseled corridor at the entrance a room opened to the right, square and cozy, it was illuminated by a few candles scattered around the room. At the end of the room was a rough platform on which another, much smaller, green dragon lay curled in its sleep, its skin shining bright gold in the candlelight. The creature was curled around a young woman, her chest and arms covered by the dragon's long winding tail and one half-spread wing, her legs revealed to the middle of her shapely hips from a skirt of black fabric and metal pieces, her long black hair spilling around her neck and shoulder, above and beyond the dragon's curled front legs, shining dim turquoise. She was asleep.

Mike's mouth was agape and his did his best to tip-toe his way to the platform, in fear of waking the dozing damsel, "Ooow, she's a beuty!" he whispered softly, trying to draw near enough to crouch by the girl's face.

However, the whisper awoke the green dragon and it flashed open bright yellow eyes with pupils so very narrow and black in such huge eyes that it send another wave of sheer horror in the already nervous Mike thus sending him leaping backwards. The dragon reared its head curiously looking the strange large human shape before him, stumbling and tumbling all across the small room as Mike tried aiming his flailing legs and arms around to save himself a burn from one of the candles all over the floor and walls.

The noise Mike kicked up was so loud it woke someone else besides the dragon. Having finally found his footing, Mike turned to look at the girl and found he had woken her. He straightened up and tried tipping his hat at her with shaking, dusty fingers, "G-g'day m'am."

The girl rose a little, to lean on her forearm and stare at Mike funnily with her big green eyes, "M'am?" she asked with a surprisingly deep voice with echoed around in the small room as if to correct Mike's mistake over and over again, "I'm not a woman..."

"Oh….uh…" a thin film of awkward sweat covered Mike's face, drawing the orange dust he unsettled with his flailing, "Sorry…I have a cowld…"

The, now obviously man, sat up and glared at the big stranger in front of him, "Who are you?" he said he couldn't see the same lively green aura his Men saw, as much as Mike couldn't see the other man's translucent turquoise aura.

"His name is Mike Randel and he's the other Death, your brand new second-in-command." Grim chirped as she entered the room, standing beside the large man, hands clasped before her.

Alex' eyes widened with a twitch, "_Death_?!"

"Yes, why; did you ever really think you're the only one in all the dimensions?"

Alex shut his slightly gaping mouth and returned his stare to Mike, scanning him suspiciously. Cautiously, he advanced towards the other Death, "But he's…he's….well….." he tried ducking and moving to get a glimpse of Mike's right arm. Confused, Mike shied away and moved whenever Alex was about to get a proper glance until the smaller Death grabbed the man's palm and yanked it towards him. Seeing no numerical tattoo, "he's not like me…"

That moment the onmyoujis (who had a bit of a problem climbing the sheer cliff with their tarred lungs protesting) walked in the room and Subaru emitted a small sound of delight, drawing the Death's attention.

Mike's face darkened and he took up a defensive pose, "Whut's this? More nips?!"

Halfway towards his men, Alex turned sharply at the sound of that last statement, eyes wizened and narrow, "I see…you were a prisoner of war, from the one who got caught by the Japanese and forced to build that crazy railway through Burma."

The larger Death was the picture of held anger and proud hurt.

Alex turned to Grim with a venomous grin, "Dear Grim, must we all die such a nasty death?"

The Reaper shrugged, "Not all; some died in war, some not. Most of you were prisoners of some sort, most of which are your kind."

"Lovely…"

"Ai was in the war as well, Ai killed enough of these bastards." Mike aimed a plump, angry finger at the onmyoujis.

"No, you didn't, not of their sort anyway…"

"I deeply apologize for the actions my people suffered upon you, Randel-san. I…." Subaru bowed deeply, on his knees in the dust.

Alex grabbed him by the arm and yanked the man to his feet, "Don't bow down so much, you're not to blame for anything; you weren't even born in the war…"

Subaru leveled cool, hard eyes at his Death, "Then and if I was German, would you still say so about me?"

Alex mouthed a little and looked away.

"Whatever the case be, Mr. Randel," Grim gestured to Seishiro and Subaru, "these two and another one make up about half of your men," she swooped her arm to now include Victoria and David leaning against the wall, observing the scene in curious silence, "Men of Death you'll have to attend to and take care of, to guard and cater to every need so you better swallow your pride and start behaving."

"No need, Grim." Alex's voice was deep and hard again, as his old responsible self started stepping back after the long slumber, "I'll take care of them; he can handle the rest."

"That idiot's not taking care of me." David stepped forward, pushing Mike away a little so he can step to Alex's side, "He's not my friend and he's not my Death; who'd want a big baby like that? What can he do that you can't?"

Alex sighed sorrowfully, "He can walk freely in the City and help you to finally dig the graveyard into some order like you always wanted; he can help you dig up all the bodies from the mass graves Jacob made while you were away, he can make the dead speak their name so every casualty of the famine'll have a proper tombstone. Isn't that what you wanted? Don't these mass graves trouble you as much as any improper burial?" David opened his mouth to say something, "I can't come over to the cemetery, the Noters patrol around it at night to make sure I don't come in. He can help you where I can't; you'll just have to get used to it."

"Can't you come in some sort of disguise?"

Alex lowered his head, avoiding eye contact, "If I'll be discovered…"

Stepping away, David shook his head and ran his fingers through his curly hair, hanging scornful eyes at Mike.

"Well…" Grim clapped merrily before she was cut off.

"Take Mike to wherever the Rescue Team are living right now, he needs to sleep well through this night."

"There's no room; the Rescue Team members each share houses with citizens who volunteered a room for the cause." Victoria pointed out, keeping her eyes away from Alex's gaze.

"We'd like to offer our home for your stay; it is very spacious and the rooms are all furnished with high quality." Subaru took a small, modest step towards Mike, bowing again.

The large Australian's reaction was a quick, venomous spit to the floor, by the tips of Subaru's shoes.

"Very well," Seishiro hissed back, grabbing his fiancé by the arm and dragging him back a little, "it'd save us all the food, noise and bother. Also, I'm afraid we don't have the toys adequate to his early age."

Mike made a charging step towards the Sakurazukamori who held his raging glare with a hard, proud glare of his own, but the attack was brought the a stop with Alex's sword's point appearing by the larger man's adam's apple. Looking down, way down at the much shorter Alex, Mike caught a warning glare flashing in sharp, dangerous green eyes.

"I'm sure Victoria wouldn't mind sharing the room designated for her, seeing how she spends her nights with David and her days in her coffin, moved to David's shack. Show him the room." The relatively dwarfed Death ordered, "David, make sure this big….thing gets his ass over here in the morning." David nodded with a cunning grin, "I have something to do this evening." He moved to exit the cave, giving Subaru a pat on the shoulder and Seishiro a light punch to the same spot.

He left behind him a tense, nervous, hot atmosphere in the narrow stuffy cave.

Seeing the foreboding explosion, Subaru dragged Seishiro out of the cave. They were not-so-closely followed by Victoria trying to chirp Mike out of his boiling yet silent anger. It didn't work much.

* * *

The hot moist weather did not reach the North Pole, where Ice Man stood on a lone, sharp cliff of a glacier and stared far into the distance with the wind blowing majestically through his long fur coat making his unoccupied sleeve flap awkwardly at his side.

Beside him, at his feet, Fenrir sat, staring at the large, huge moon hanging before them and at his master's face at a time.

The silence engulfed the lone God and his wolf with icy smooth calmness they relished nostalgically. Before them an immense desert of ice spread, reminding them of similar views dotted by random snowed pine trees between which herds of moose and moose-shepherding men traveled.

The air grew to a sharper cold and a soft, slow shower of tiny snowflakes descended on the two figures, making them look curiously up at the cloudless heavens. Alarmed with the realization of what this sign meant, Ice Man cast his glance back to the white wilderness; A lone, black figure made its way confidently towards them. It reared its head and noted the two on the cliff edge, then leaped to the air, spreading huge bat-like wings.

Taking a few steps back, pushing his immense wolf back as well; they left a small enough landing ground of Death to step onto in the chilling night.

Alex let himself down to the hard white surface and slowly folded his wings back in. He was a menacing figure like this, despite his short stature in comparison to Ice Man's towering height; the moon glowed at his back, making him a vaguely man-shaped black blotch with a pair of glowering, menacing, nefarious green eyes.

"So, old man, long time no see." A snarling mouth opened, of which only the flashing white teeth and fangs were visible for the God and his wolf.

Fenrir nearly went into a frenzy; his arched his back, digging his claw-loaded feet in the ground, exposing his large yellowish teeth in a snarl, growling like an enraged demon from the deep dark depth of the Dimension's ugliest side.

His master laid his palm on his dog's forehead, applying a notable pressure to calm the beast down.

"And what's this? You've taken in a rabid mutt from the City pound? How kind of you."

The God's expression never once faltered from its hard cold blankness, "This is Fenrir, my ancient messenger from my northern kingdom."

"Ah, you're good old Nordic homeland; how very Wagner styled." Death sneered, "Perhaps you should have stayed there with your silly Nordic people and their silly little Nord division."

Ice Man did react at that, narrowing his eyes and lips angrily, "No, I left that behind a long time ago; like me, Fenrir now bears the same symbols I bear." He yanked at Fenrir's new light blue collar to turn it around and expose a golden pendulum at its middle, with two red beads and a golden Star of David over the ancient golden hammer symbolizing both the wolf's and God's old background.

While his master was obviously proud of the adornment, Fenrir was a little less keen on both symbol and collar.

"Hmph."

"So, you've woken and come here to snarl yourself into another battle?" Ice Man boomed angrily, hand drawing to the hilt of his sword (which he switched the side of which on his belt to adjust to the new handicap).

"No," a mean, sly grin sprawled across Alex's lips, exposing white fangs again, "I've drawn enough blood from you. Besides, where's the fun in fighting a cripple?"

Taking a step forward, Ice Man drew his sword halfway out, glaring hell at Death, "Care to find out?"

"No." the wind blew harder and colder at the three figures, "I have better business here than this petty quarrel; I've long put it behind me, though teasing you is ever so fun still." He made to walk around the two and head towards the huge glacier behind them towering like a mountain, "And if you have brains in that icebox of a skull of yours you would not follow me or try to stop me." He moved off, leaving the God and his wolf behind them in the growing snow.

Alex was not the only one sleeping through these long months in a cave to escape the woes of this Dimension and his own soul. Since Alex woke up, he had another to wake, and an older, more important quarrel to settle than the one he has with Ice Man.

His soft-padded boots made no noise as they half-slid-half-stepped on the shiny smooth ice floor of Lestate's icy retreat.

The large hall the vampire made himself had an arching dome supported by four curving wall, meeting at the zenith of the cave, directly under which Lestate lay on a block of a bluish translucent coffin-shaped ice platform.

Stepping up to the altar-like structure, the wind blew wildly through Alex's now knee-long draping black locks, spraying them around him and the vampire like an evil spell.

"Awake." Death's voice rang cold and hard in the icy hall.

Dim blue eyes snapped open, two shades darker than they aught to be due to the gloom of the hall, widening pupils contrasting the pale, glowing white of his skin. The eyes snapped to Death at first with horror, then with surprise and finally with bitter carelessness, "Why did you wake me?"

"I'm angry, Lestate De Lioncourt, and you're the reason for it."

The vampire sat up with a snap, unkempt hair billowing around his head like a mane, "Oh? _You're_ angry with _me_?! How _obscenely_ rude! Prey, master Death, tell me how your humble, loyal servant wronged your highness."

"Mind your tongue; I'm twice your age, wisdom, manners and strength." The last word was not carried without a noticeable doze of threat. Lestate raised his chin defiantly and sat up straight, crossing his legs elegantly over the edge of the altar, folding his arms defensively on his chest.

"'Loyal servant' you said?" Death walked around the altar, circling the vampire as he spoke without once letting his eyes off the Creature of Death, "And haven't I been _exactly_ that to you? Have I not fed you night after night to fill you with strength and stealth, had my blood not filled you with abilities I've seen and learned from vampires of the many dimensions I've visited and learned?

"Without me you'd have starved a long time ago, despite your age's ability to stay dry for ages; you'd have still become a bag of bones without my aide, unless you'd risk the Little Drink from the City citizens until they'd grow suspicious of you and would come to the Rescue Team house with torches and stakes.

"In all the years we've known each other, did I not keep you from trouble with the citizens, when you seduced their sons and daughters, when you teased them with your alarming agility, when you dug into their minds until they felt your presence and were very near to pouncing at your hungry curious probing thoughts?

"And when the fire monsters crawled out of the river and you were called time and time again to defend the City, did I not shield you with my own body and keep you from the fire so very deadly to you flesh? Around you my flesh's just as sensitive and just as hurtful but I cast myself over you time and time again to defend you, my vampire, my first and foremost precious vampire.

"Or have you looked deep into my soul as well and saw the other Dark Lord in there, lurking in my heart looking back at you with his big, red, powerful eye? Were you puzzled at his strange, ancient power so very different than your own? Were you angered at his dwelling in my heart? Were you jealous?

"Surely you've stared into my heart for you've seen Kamui there, and saw into _his_ heart as well. Seeing what each heart planned for itself, still you remained silent and warned me not even once of the danger I was leading myself into blindly, into the self damnation, self humiliation I ended up in. It was Subaru who spoke to the City Council and Subaru who thought up the whole plan to release me, all you did was to snark at the wardens like you so love to do with those you so arrogantly consider as lowly mortal wretches.

"So tell me, old friend, who's the humble servant and who's the obscenely rude traitor? Who's the true friend and who's the cowardly brat so elegantly slipping and sweet-talking himself out of every responsibility, out of every well earned returned favor?" Death stopped before the vampire, eyes ablaze and face flushed.

Lestate held the stare for a long time as the freezing silence drew tense and harsh between them. Then, finally, he looked away, lowering his head to hide his face.

"You speak true, old friend; I've been an ungrateful brat, far worse than that pretty little thing which toyed with you before I finally pulled my head out of my own arse to see the wrong I've done to you…" he raised his eyes back to Death again and tears of blood flew from them, "I've wronged you so very much for far too long, you're right…can you ever forgive me, old friend? _Can_ we ever be friends again, at all?"

At last, Alex melted from his hard, aggressive posture and lowered his eyes modestly to stare down at Lestate's palms which he took in his, "Of course, old friend; I already forgive you."

"You were right," Lestate sighed painfully and drew his hands away from Death's, "I was enraged with jealousy but not of the other vampire within you, but with the brat…"

"Before this night is over you'll go and wake Love from his sleep and have him tear that notion out of your heart, Lestate; nothing good can ever come from loving me."

"Is that what you believe in honest?" The vampire's pained eyes met Alex's questioningly.

Death nodded and sighed, "I've slept to try and lock within me any vane hope of every finding love to warm this old frozen corpse; it's useless."

"I beg to differ, though I no longer offer myself as help I…"

"Good. Come, let's get out of here; this whole continent reeks of wolves and that unnerves me for some reason. I cannot stay here, in the snow and the wilderness. But before we leave you must feed, your cheekbones are already too sharply protruding to let me say goodnight with an easy heart."

Lestate laughed lightly at that, and reached for Alex's wrist. Death drew it away and, instead offered his arms for a hug.

Smiling softly, Lestate accepted it and, curling lavishly into the embrace one last time, sank his fangs into the long, white neck.

* * *

Surprisingly, the next morning Mike appeared at Alex's cave without David's forceful escort (though the graveyard man still tailed the big Australian to make sure the man both knew the way and made it fully to the cave without an attempted last minute escape).

Mike stepped into a puzzling scene, as puzzling as every bit of thing he saw since his arrival in this dimension; Alex sat on the platform, his legs folded before him eastern style, with a pile of dark slightly glittering stones by him from which he'd pick one at a time and stick it in his mouth. It took Mike a while to realize those stones were diamonds in the rough and that the small man was crunching them into glittering dust and swallowing them like they were snacks.

"Wh-whut are yu doing? Those aare diamonds, yur' eating diamonds!" he paddled to the pile, grabbing a bunch in his large palm and staring at them with large, childishly excited eyes.

"Yes, diamonds, the best food for a starving creature of our kind to eat besides gunpowder and radioactive substances. Actually…." He fished around in his pile to grab a few tiny black rocks which left a luminescent mark on the orange rock behind them, "I think I have a few of those." He popped the dangerous tiny things into his mouth, swallowed and closed his eyes in sheer pleasure.

"**_radioactive?!_**" Mike made another frightened leap backwards, hands placed before him as if to stop waves of poisonous radiation from harming his body.

"Oh, don't worry," Alex sighed, "it can't hurt us; we use up the energy these little bastards release to enhance ourselves and by god, do I need some energy!"

"B-but, but, but!"

"You're _not human_, Mike, I hope you know that at all…"

Mike stopped cowering from the now gone black stones and stood a little straighter, though his shoulders had a guilty, unwilling hunch to them so very like a punished little boy, "Ai know, Ai know…never wanted to be a bloody alien but no one aasked me, did thiy?"

"Ah," Alex raised a brow in curious surprise, "so you've learned of our kind's past on Earth…interesting. You've been to our home planet, then? To the Blue Circle clan?"

Mike looked away, folding his arms on his chest defensively and turned to walk away.

"No, please don't go; I've never met another Death, I'd like to hear your story out, please." Alex tried sounding as soft and caring as he could, despite the other man's towering, obvious might, "Also, we're stuck here together so we might as well get to know each other, no?"

"Don't have to be; Ai don't want to stay here and be Deth like everyone keep telling me to be."

"Well, I'm afraid you have no choice. If you know what being Death mean then you probably know what 'destiny' truly means. Well, and I say this with as much bitterness and anger as you speak of your Deathnes;, destiny's particularly snappy and dangerous here. If you try to defy her doings and walk your own path she'll force you back into her own way with meanest, most painful, bloodied means. Trust me when I say we're stuck in this together with no way out. Might as well take it like a man and do your duties….for once…."

Mike cast an angry pout at Alex and turned away again.

"Come on now, Mike, be a good boy and sit by my side; I won't make you eat anything dangerous, yet. Promise…"

Huffing and pouting bitter anger, Mike finally succumbed and obeyed, plopping ungracefully beside Alex who had to jerk away to give the big man some space, "Whut do yu want to heer?"

"Where are you from, where did you fight, how did you die and how did you get to the Blue Circle cult? When did you learn of your Deathness? When did you run away to travel dimension and, most importantly; have you ever met other Deaths aside from me?"

Mike blinked dumbly at Alex's stream of questions, frowning, "Yu're an odd little thing; yu're so small but yu talk like yu command half the wurld."

"I didn't order you to do anything," Alex snapped back, "may I remind you that I _asked_ you to sit and talk with me. I _can_ make you obey my commands if I ever wanted it, but I try to keep this friendly seeing how we're doomed to work together from now on."

Mike reared himself upright, trying to loom over Alex menacingly (which he was quite capable of doing; even when sitting he was still towering way over Alex), "Oh reely?"

Alex's face dropped into a deadly, dangerous glare and he curled his back like a hissing cat, exposing his fangs a little, "_Yes, I can._"

A short, hard standoff followed, which ended with Mike flopping back into an obedient form, curling into himself somewhat like a kicked puppy, "Well, naow need for voilence…"

"And I'll have you take back calling me an odd _little_ thing!"

Mike snapped his eyes back to the smaller Death, "But yu aare!"

Alex glared again, growling.

"Yu're going to hiss at me next? Calm down, yu'll scare me off soon…" he looked away light-headedly, pretending to not care.

"_Mike_…"

"Yu aare."

"**_Mike!_**"

"Ai'm not taking it baack, yu can scratch me, too, if yuw'll luike, Ai'm not bothered."

Alex grabbed a fistful of diamonds and crushed them into dust to take out his anger, "_Fine!_ Be that way…just answer the fucking questions already."

"Language!"

"Fuck that shit, answer the goddamn questions already!!"

"Profanity tuu." Now Mike leaned back on the wall, chin and lower lip thrust forward righteously, "But Ai'll answer yure questions, because at furst yu asked nicely."

Alex ground his teeth and sat back, trying not to show his hurt pride too much.

"Ai was buwrn in Australiaa, in Dalby, Queensland." He stared at Alex to try and see if the man recognized what he's talking about, which Alex didn't and looked adequately puzzled, "It's about 210 kilometers off our capital, Brisban…?"

"Thought the Australian capital was Sydney…"

"Naow! Australia's capital's Camberra, Sydney's just our laargest city."

"Oh. Fascinating." Odd Little Death looked away with a cynical sigh.

"Yu aasked where Ai was from…"

"Fine, fine, go on."

"As a chuild Ai wus raised normally, with parents and teechers and school and everything…"

"When were you borne, Mike?"

"February the fifteenth, 1892, whuy?"

"And when did you become a prisoner of war?"

Mike looked away in gloom, taking his time to answer while fiddling with a loose string from his pants' pocket, "Same date, 1942…our brave lieutenant-general Arthur bleemin' Percival surrendered us to the nips then…but there's more than just that, Ai fought the battle of Pasir…"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you fought long and hard and was a great hero. I merely asked for the date of your birth, I didn't hint you surrendered willfully."

"Whuy does it matter?"

"Because I was born on the date I was captured too, only a hundred years earlier."

"Hundred yeers?! Naow, Ai wasn't that old, though Ai was olda than the rest of the boys…"

"Yes. I'm sorry I interrupted you, go on…"

* * *

"Well…." Alex kept his eyes on the orange rock floor, deep in thought, "That's….awful…I suppose…" already he was calculating, comparing his misery in the years of his imprisonment with Mike's.

"After we were freed egen they send us to a Red Cross hospital, where we rested and tried to gain our health back…those of us who stayed aluive…but naow one iver thought of going out to catch those bastards and no one iver held war trials for all those crimes, not like in Urop…" Mike's clenched fists shook, "I don't know whuy…"

For a long while, Mike sat in silence, reliving painful memories in his mind, battling with old angers, torments and tormentors. He curled deeper into himself, trying to minimize himself into a large, round ball much resembling Kamui's defensive position.

"And other Deaths? Have you met anyone else when you traveled dimensions?

That shook the bigger man out of his thoughts and he stared down at Alex as if the smaller man yanked him from a deep sleep, "Uh…yis, two actually. Ai've been to three wurlds with Deeths, but Ai've awnly met two. One sent his messengers, a boy and a gurl that looked perfectly ordinary to me, to tell me to bugger off his territory. I met one wuman, she was very nuice; she was Dutch, died in the wur as well. I think she was doing some underground activity when the gurmans got her, maybe. She didn't let me staiy very long either, said it muight unbalance her wurld or something…"

"And the third?"

"The thurd tried beating me up to get me out of his wurld. One moment Ai was wulking out of a perfectly normal pub and the next minute I was pinned to a wull by these two vampires, brothers I think they wur. Then the Deeth came along, a very sturdy, angry man with cold uys like he could kill me any minute. He looked for a number on my aarm as well, like yu did, but he didn't find anything."

"And he had a number?"

"Yes, saime as yurs Ai think. He asked me where mai number wus and showed me another tattoo he had; a green triangle…"

"A criminal." Alex hissed, eyes narrowed and mind feverish with thoughts, "So, there are Deaths from all sorts of places, all died in the war, all died on the Allied side….I hope…"

"Ai've never met anyone different….but maybe there's more than just us."

"Maybe…Ah!" Alex leaped off his seat and walked to the cave opening. He walked back in, energized, "Come; the night's fallen and I can somehow escort you out to town, show you what needs doing and introduce you to those you have yet to meet."

At this Mike seems unwilling and stubborn again, "Do Ai really have to do this?"

Alex sighed, placing his hands on his sides menacingly, "Yes, you must. Before you came here I was too weak even to mend a zombie's wound. I feel stronger now, which must mean that you're here for backup until I'll get back to my full strength."

"And when yu do, could Ai go away?"

"Where would you go?" Alex asked impatiently, "Your TARDIS broke, from what I hear, and here there's no room to escape to anything better unless you feel like howling your ass to the Bright Side."

Mike straightened up, "Ai muight!"

"Fine! Whatever, but first I must get back to my old power levels and that….well….it might take a while…" he murmured the last few world, his disappointment in himself taking big guilty bites into his confidence. He rubbed his face, digging the tips of his fingers into his hairs, "I feel so very pathetic like this; I've never needed assistance before…"

Mike rose to his feet, sneaking up to Alex carefully, "Don't cruy…"

"I'M NOT CRYING!" Little Death snapped back, nearly nipping at the hand the big Australian reached to pet him on the hand, "And I don't need your pity, asshole."

"Yu really have a fawl mouth."

"Good evening!!" Victoria stepped into the tense scene, beaming and waving her hand merrily, "How are you feeling this evening, Mr. Randel?"

Sheepishly but not uncomfortably, Mike beamed back, "Yu can call me Muike, it's alruight."

"Great! I'm hungry, Mike, so could you…" she nodded towards his wrists with a hint.

Mike sent a puzzled stare at Alex who sighed, "As Death, in this City anyways, it's our duty to feed the vampires or they'll grow hungry and have to feed on the citizens. If they do that…well….hell might break loose."

"Feed them? How'd we do that?"

Alex shook his head in exasperation; just how many more obvious things must he explain this big lump who's obviously ignorant to his duties, "You offer her either your wrists or your neck and she'll bite it, and draw blood to drink from it."

"_Whut?!_ She's be drinking my blood?!"

"Well, I _am_ a vampire, you know; vampires drink blood…"

Mike drew his wrists to himself protectively, edging away from Victoria and Alex, "But it'll hurt and Ai muight duy if she takes too much."

"Don't be silly," the vampire advanced at the retreating man, "I can't kill you because you have endless amounts of blood."

"Whut?!"

"Your body _creates_ blood when injured, it doesn't naturally has blood running through veins like in humans; you can make as much blood for her as she wants to drink. For god's sake, stop running and just give her a fucking wrist already. Look away if it disgusts you too much."

"Won't it hurt?" the Australian whimpered one last protest.

Alex leaped at the bigger man and snatched an arm free from behind the man's back where he 'hid' them. Yanking it, he offered Victoria the wrist which she grabbed forcefully, stunning Mike with her strength.

She sank her teeth in and took a few gulps then withdrew her mouth away, "Ugh, it's so weak! Tastes like normal blood; can't he amp it like you do?" she turned to speak freely and openly to Alex for the first time in far too long.

"Guess not. I'm suspecting he didn't meet enough different kinds of vampires like I have so he doesn't yet know what other vampires can do and what they need. Since we're going to split the work between us, this is the person you'll have to drink from starting this evening. I'll try figuring out a way to make him a little wiser on the whole blood subject."

Mike darted his frightened eyes from one short figure to the next, feeling like a lamb before two farmers deep in conversation about ways to cook his meat.

"Good evening…" Yuzuriha stepped into the circle of light the cave's candles created, and hurried to Alex's side, staring sheepishly at Mike who stared back suspiciously.

"This is Yuzuriha Nekoi, shut up Mike, shut up now." Alex darted a hopeful glance at Yuzuriha, "She's a very good friend of Victoria….and a very good friend of mine." The inugami mistress looked away sadly, "When she'll be old enough we'll turn her into a vampire of Victoria's kind; it's a promise I made her a long time ago."

"Ai'm not dealing with hur." The big Death hissed.

"Yes yes yes, whatever." Little Death rolled his eyes then stared worriedly at the girl behind him, "You don't look so well, Yuzu, is everything alright?"

She shook her head and looked away grievously. "I told Karen and Yuzuriha of what I did when everyone were fighting you…they didn't like it…Karen was obviously upset but she sort of kept it to herself. Arashi freaked out completely and started screaming at me and calling me a traitor. She talked about it behind my back, and in front of me, at the dinner table!

"I….I don't feel comfortable living in my own house anymore…well…it's about time I moved out, no? Kamui and Fuma are going to move out, when they'll get married, Subaru-san and Sakurazuka don't live with us and Yuuto-san's living with Vash…time I'd move out as well…"

Alex turned to her fully, wrapping an arm around her, "You can move in with the onmyoujis; there's plenty of room in their house you know."

The young woman shook her head, "I don't want to live under anyone else's conditions, ever again. Raiku's living in the room Kusanagi-san used to live in so he's living in a backyard shed of one of the main cattle farming families; all the Rescue Team members live like that now. So I'm sharing room with him," she caught the warning look in Alex's eyes, "and don't worry, we sleep separately."

"Good. Good. Independence's a good thing for you now; you're old enough for it." He gave her an encouraging squeeze.

"I can't walk into that house again; I feel such hostility there now…even Sorata's not talking to me like he used to…only Kazuki's happy to see me and that's because she's too young to understand anything."

"I wouldn't know about that. But what about Karen? Surely, the two of you are good enough friends for her to forgive and understand."

After hanging her head miserably, silently weeping, Yuzuriha finally snapped her head up, hanging bittersweet teary eyes at Alex, "She came to speak to me a couple of nights ago. She said she understood my choice, said the old rules and bonds of our home world don't apply here. She said she's seen me do and say enough brave, loyal things to not hold this against me, that she's still like to consider herself my friend…" emotions overwhelmed Yuzuriha again and she covered her face, lean shoulders shivering with sobs,

"She said that when he baby's born she'd like me to be its godmother…" she managed to whimper finally, then became consumed with sobs again.

"Yu Yu, that's wonderful!"

"Yes, yes it is. Now, won't you sit down? It must have been a grueling journey up here with that leg and the crutch." Alex guided the girl to the platform, where Mike was sitting, arm in the air for Victoria.

"It's okay; Inuki's been very helpful." Tears streamed down her cheeks again, "Alex….will I really not be able to see him anymore after I'm turned?" she whimpered.

"Well…" the smaller Death shot his eyes to Victoria thoughtfully for a moment, "I don't know about that….you might be able to catch his spirit somehow, though he might change his form…"

The young woman wiped at her face, "What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the dog that swallowed you during the big fight….?"

Yuzuriha's face paled and she shot her eyes to Inuki, "B-but….but….he….he'll be so very different…"

"Yes, but so will you. And he'll always remain Inuki deep down inside, no matter how hellishly he might look."

Solemnly, Yuzuriha looked away and sank into thoughtful silence. The promise she made a long time ago now started to unfold all its tiny but meaningful consequences. She'll have to deal with them, or decline the offer when the time comes…

* * *

The next morning Ace made his way, along with the rest of the Rescue Team, to the City Council. Hung across his back was his rucksack with his rolls of maps and the plans he has been jutting down for the past days and nights since he hatched up his plan for the City's future.

Walking directly behind him, Spike was watching Karen slowly as they climbed the steep hill, "All this climbing, are you sure you're up to it now? I mean, in your condition…"

Karen turned to her lover, stunned, "What do you mean? I do this climb three times a day on patrol, why won't I be able to do it now? I'm not at such a late stage, the pregnancy's not even evident yet."

"It is! I can see a little curve there, it is getting visible!" Spike protested loudly.

"That's just the hearty breakfast you had me eat."

"You need to eat for two now, Karen." Ace flashed a proud beam over his shoulder.

"If you keep feeding me like that I'll stay big enough to be two people even after the birth!"

"Eh, excuse me for interrupting this obviously private chat," Sorata stepped up closer behind the three, "But I have to say that there's nothing wrong with gaining some weight after birth, why, my babe's thighs never looked this good before we had little Raiku." Which earned him a very quick, very painful punch to the lower back. "This pain…" he choked, massaging the painful spot, "is your love for me….I love you too, babe."

Arashi growled. Staying in the same mood, she shot a menacing glare across her shoulder at Yuzuriha who was tailing behind the small group. The girl, hobbling along the steep road up the hill with her crutch and Inuki loyally by her side, returned the look with a glare of her own.

Two hours later the Rescue Team sat outside the Council's hall, bored out of their wits and tenser than a prisoner on death row waiting a presidential pardon. Ace had spread out his maps on the large round table, next to his draft of exactly where and how the City was to be built. He gave the men and woman of the Council his detailed plans to pass along and read, and yet it took them so long to debate it….

From time to time, muffled sounds of argument and banging filtered through the thick wooden doors as protests were made, quarrels began and ordered was called for. Obviously the plan proved too radical for some of the older, stubborn members of the Council, while their slightly more pragmatic fellows argued for the plan; it was a radical plan and a plan that will obviously prove difficult to carry out, but it surely wasn't the first of its kind and it was definitely one of the most well thought of and practical.

Confident in his plan's details and instructions, Ace leaned against the wall by the hall's doors and let his eyes drift over the Rescue Team; what he saw was probably the most updated and honest report of the mental and physical condition of each and every member:

Spike was halfway out the window, his cigarette-holding hand stuck outside in the fresh air to keep smoke from reaching Karen lest it somehow hurt the baby. Trying to keep this position was a tad tricky since the old burn was still very painful and uncomfortable for his to maneuver his body around in awkward position.

Karen, on the other hand, stared up at whatever few tufts of smoke which did make it into the gloomy, damp corridor outside the Council's chamber, envious and needy for nicotine. To try and keep her mind off her buzzing withdrawal, she gestured for Yuzuriha to come and sit by her with an encouraging smile and a quick dart of the eyes towards Arashi as if to signal the girl that, together, they'll set up a strong front before the miko's veto.

Tara was busy sorting through dried branches of herbs she picked up on their way here. She now lived by the marketplace, which was an ideal place for a witch to look for medicinal and magical raw material. Sniffing a wilted yellow flower, she faltered and sneezed a small boom which spread a yellowish cloud from the flower. She blinked, dumbfounded, at the puff and gazed around nervously, "T-that wasn't supposed to happen, he he he…" she beamed apologetically at the slightly startled group.

Charlie sat by Sorata and debated with him about dresses versus pants and shirts for baby girls. Besides developing quickly, fairy babies had the habit of somehow informing their mothers of their future sex before birth so already Blue Fairy and Charlie knew they were about to have a daughter. The doctor looked absolutely exhilarated at the notion of an offspring to his young family, which was an astonishing improvement from the mood Ace found him in when he came to break the news to Charlie of his own impending fatherhood. Ace smiled at that idea; the fact that his plan for the City's future brought back light, hope and happiness to the hearts of many young and would be parents in the City.

So far, the debate between the now experienced father and the soon-to-be dad brought very little conclusions; Charlie was on the side of keeping gender symbols away from children while their young brains are too immature to decide for themselves, while Sorata was far too engulfed by the endearing notion that when he'll have a baby girl he'll spoil her with every pink dress, ribbon and skirt he could lay his hand on.

In Sorata's imagination, he saw a tiny version of Arashi to be pampered and pranced around in sheer awe and love. From time to time he'd lay a hand on Arashi's knee, proudly squeezing it whenever he'd say "When we'll have our baby girls…" not once noticing how his plural reference to their future offspring made his wife puzzled and quite alarmed.

His wife sat and plotted out what she'll try cooking today. So far her cooking skills proved near fatal both to her and her meals' diners and she was very worried that when she and her husband move to their own house (in the new City, of course) she might cause serious damage to her family (however large it'll end up, according to her husband's grandiose plans) one doomed day when she's the one in charge of cooking.

For the meantime she kept her eyes away from Karen and the girl she now considered as her greatest disappointment and somewhat of a new enemy.

Yuzuriha was busy bragging Karen about how Alex fixed Kusanagi finally and how the man no long smelled bad and how herbal baths with lots of flower petal-and-cream soap (which Kakyou was supplying them, made by his own hands) worked miracles on the whole scent of the zombie business.

Sitting obediently by her, Kusanagi tried not to move too uncomfortably as he was spoken of like he was a dog freshly returning from a bath and haircut.

Sharing most of his time with his little love, however, proved a very good effect on Kusanagi who no longer bothered trying to look sheepish or mannered around the little girl. He was a bit more comfortable around her now and would dare tell her when she was too loud or too energetic for his slightly smoky consciousness. Being a zombie took a while to get used to, but he was trying to get accustomed to it as quickly as he can or his Little Miss might feel guilty about her love dragging him back to the surface again.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when the girl at his side emitted a long shrill of joy at seeing Victoria and Lestate shuffling their feet sleepily into the corridor.

With the sky thickly clouded over (something Mike had to pretend doing while Alex worked his powers), the immortal members of the Rescue Team were able to make their way to the City Council to attend the meeting as they aught to in their status.

Victoria skip hopped her way to Yuzuriha and gave the girl a tight hug, chirping a 'hello' at Kusanagi and yanking his hand to a jerking handshake, then quickly started a lively, loud, merry babbling conversation with her friend.

Lestate made his way to Mike and beamed a cunning smile, "Well done, Big Death, you managed to both wake us at this time of the day _and_ cover the sun with clouds. I say, you're easing into your role perfectly." He draped himself elegantly on the wall, leaning on the windowsill next to where Mike sat away from the main group, nearer to Tara than the mostly-Japanese bunch.

The Australian stared cynically up at the vampire. He might have had some very small thing to do with rousing the vampires (which Alex almost forced him to do at sword-point) but the weather was far beyond his control at the moment, nor was he willing to admit or comprehend all the things Alex explained him of how to pull tricks like that. "Y-ye, cheers, maite…." The poor man seemed still too shaken and bewildered to realize he was stuck here, with these duties nor that he was even able to carry them out. After this meeting he was to head out on patrol with Spike and Karen (Ace was to stay at the Council for more planning or for arguing for his plan, depends on the outcome). Hopefully, Ace, Lestate and Tara thought, this might snap him back to reality and make him start digesting his new position and situation.

A long, moaning creak tore through the various conversations filling the wide dark corridor as the heavy wooden doors opened and the Council's clerk poked his head out. He scanned the men and women before him with dusty, bored, heavy eyes and coughed out a, "You may come in now, gentlemen."

* * *

"This plan…" the City Mayor in Chief waved his hand over the main new City map for a minute, stretching the tension in the room to intolerable levels, "Is probably…" he shook his head, making his dramatic delays nearly snap Ace's patience, "the City's last hope for any kind of future…" he leaned back in his chair and watched the Rescue Team take a deep relieved breath and relax their tense stances.

An ex-theater actor keen on Shakespeare dramas and tragedies, the Mayor in Chief was always pleased to create or observe intensely emotional situations. He relished on this one.

"The plans on how to move the City, however…" his assistant in command, a shrunk old fading blond with wasp-like appearance and a bitter, thin mouth, cocked an eyebrow of dismay, "seem a bit…how shall I say…overly grandiose for our abilities. I have to keep wondering how on earth will we create new houses instead of the old ones and new ones for our expanding City if we're not allowed to touch any of the woods around the plain you suggested would be the City's new location."

Ace stepped forward, forefinger shaking in the air excitedly, "Ah, you see, we won't make any new homes instead of the old ones, at all. We'll move the old stone and wooden houses to the new location. For new houses we'll use the local stones and rocks; no animals in this dimension, from what I know, would mind if we mine some building blocks from this City's surrounding and from around the new location…as long as we won't be ruining any borrows and hibernating dens…if we'll find any…"

"_Move entire houses off their land?!_ How on earth do you plan on doing that?!" another Council member (one of the skeptics who argued against the plan) yelped out.

"We have Ice Man, Jacob the horse farmer and David the graveyard man to use their powers. There's our new Rescue Team member and…." His face dropped into an almost commanding grim expression, "An old member we can always call over."

"No! Never!" a small explosion of arguments, shouts and bangs on the table commenced as the radical idea brought old bad memories and feuds back to the minds of the City Council. Through this, Ace stood unmoved and uncaring, as if facing a great stormy sea.

"**_Gentlemen!_**" Charlie's voice tore through the air, surprising everyone with both its speaker and its stern, commanding tone. The hall filled with silence as if surprise sucked the earlier vocal chaos like a black hole.

"The plan Ace offers is, indeed, grandiose. It's hard, stunning, beyond what any City on this dimension ever faced before. But, may I remind you, that so far the City only moved as shredded leftovers, torn and tattered few remains of a much bigger City. When we moved up here there were only fifteen of us and the Rescue Team, after the City counted at least three hundred citizens in its good days.

"Must we sit here and wait for another rolling disaster to hit us? Must lay our limbs for destiny to cut off one by one before she'll leave us, crippled and miserable, to flee to a new location where we can lick our wounds and slowly get better again? We'll only heal in time to meet a new blow.

"But this time's different; this time we move before the fire monsters burns our populations back to fifteen survivors and Rescue Team members again. This time we won't let the environment control us, thus keeping an open breach for destiny to sneak in and hurt us; this time we'll plan every effect on our surroundings carefully so no new menace can possible find us without us knowing about it well in advance.

"Look at these," he banged in Ace's rough sketch of the new City, on circles around the new perimeter, "guard towers, a whole chain of them! We don't have these now, just a couple of old ones facing the sea to watch out for the threat of pirates, who aren't even a threat anymore!

"This…" he folded the sketch and waved it over the heads of the Council, one by one as if bumping it over them, "Is the best thing that's ever happened to this City, to this Side's citizens, to us!

"And you dare argue with it! You dare let your bloated egos and swollen pride keep the City from using every mean it can have to make this plan work?! Must I use my authority here, as a citizen who's been here before most of you ever landed here? As the first Rescue Team member? I have a right to sit amongst you here and veto the decisions of any Council member who came here after me. Must I do this? Must I pull rank to save this City and dirty my hands with petty political tools? I hope not. Tell me I won't have to do it." He paused, panting, face flushed, stabbing flashing glares at each and every member.

For the Mayor, this was a performance magnificent enough to deserve this whole ordeal. He rose to his feet, pushing his chair away loudly, and cast his arms towards Charlie, as if asking them for an embrace, "Please, dear doctor, calm your stormy anger. Spare your emotions, for it's a pity to waste them on lowly, petty us. You're right, we will not stop until this plan's followed to the smallest details and…" his face darkened a bit, "if that thing must be called here again…then let it be." He sighed, uncomfortable, and sat down again.

Charlie turned to look at Victoria, Lestate and Mike. The first blinked at the doctor with awe at his speech, the latter blinked at Charlie with puzzled bewilderment of a child shaken out of his dreams. Lestate, however, beamed a proud smile at his old friend and nodded, turning to the door as if to go and fetch Alex when in fact, he used his mind to call out the man.

* * *

The black, bleeding huge armored horse rode through the City like an evil storm, trailing bats and clouds of dust after it. Citizens in its path startled and fled to the side, staring at it in horror as it rode past. The short whitish figure riding it, its wings spread behind it like a fiend, was familiar to them enough to start a new wave of turmoil and dread in each and every mind that looked upon the horse and rider.

Alex rode up the hill to the City Council and slowed to a trot near the building, looking across his shoulder at the City below to make sure his entrance was well felt and understood. Satisfied with the atmosphere he spread, he climbed off the horse, folded his wings and swung his cape back into place, then stepped inside.

The clerks and few Noters in the corridor stopped and stared, some making a move to stop the intruder; they were too late as Alex flung the hall's doors and stepped in, closing them behind him.

He stepped forward, to the large round table, and stopped to stare at the Mayor and his colleagues for a while with an air of icy pride and distaste.

"What is it?"

The Mayor pushed himself slightly against his chair and sighed, motioning for Charlie and Ace to explain.

"We're going to move the City out to the grass planes outside the Tramfaldores' craters." Ace tried beaming politely at an old ex-comrade, "We'll need to move whole buildings from here to the new location so as to minimize the use of new building material and create another natural imbalance like we did with this City." He stopped to see if this changed anything in the small Death's merciless expression (it didn't), "We'll need every member of your kind; Ice Man, David, Jacob, Mike here...and we need you as well."

Alex mused at this for a moment, then turned back to the Mayor, raising his head a little as if to stare the man down, "Sadly, I'm banished from the City and cannot enter it nor help it. I'm no longer a citizen, you see."

Irritated, the Mayor stood up, leaning forward on the table with blazing eyes, "You must do it! We order you to do it!"

"Order, eh? Who do you think you are, then? I said I'm no longer a citizen, under your decision, and therefore am out of the City's law. You cannot make me do this, old mortal; you have no rule over me."

"For this project, we will lift the deeming over you. Then you will be a citizen and you _will_ cooperate."

Alex emitted a snorting sound of scorn and looked away, at the nearby window. The hall filled with agonizingly tense silence, "A temporary citizen's not enough. To perform my duties as Death, duties far more important and meaningful than any of your serve-the-City-in-the-Rescue-Team nonsense, I need to be able to roam the City whenever I want; before _and_ after its relocation."

"Well you better be a good boy, then, and earn it." The Mayor hissed, cunningly.

Alex drew a small patronizing stare at the man through narrow eyes, "From what I recall, you called me here in request of something, no? I now have Mike here," he raised his hand towards the Australian who became bolted to the floor with fright as he realized he was not lumped into the venomous exchange, "who is also Death and is my second in command. I can sit in my home and plot what needs doing and have him do it. It can stay this way forever, I don't mind. You need me, gentlemen, I can do with or without you. If you want my help then you'll take the bitter taste it'll leave in your mouth after the project's over or you won't have me at all; I don't need you."

The Council began murmuring and whispering amongst themselves, jotting notes on crumpled pieces of paper about them and passing them around, nodding or shaking their heads according to their opinion in the matter.

After a few moments of this, the Mayor raised his hand to silence his colleagues, "We'll need a few minutes of discussion over this…."

Ace sighed, remembering how the last 'few seconds' stretched to eternity for him.

"You will not; you will make a decision right now. I still have things to do today."

The Mayor mouthed in astonishment, "Have some patience, we have much to think about."

"Make your decisions _NOW_, humans."

The Mayor (and many others) shot blaming eyes to Charlie who glared back and pulled a small piece of paper from the breast pocket of his black vest - his City Council member certificate – and waving it gently as a warning.

Finally, after much grumbling and hissing amongst themselves, the Council were hushed again by the Mayor who leaned back in his chair, "Alright; you have your citizenship back."

"And membership in the Rescue Team." Alex watched them squirm and start arguing amongst themselves again.

"What would you need that for?" a small, grayish man piped.

Alex returned a soft, small cunning smile, "Even monsters need a routine."

Watching the scene from aside, Karen had to wonder why was Alex stretching this so much; was he enjoying a small sweet revenge or was he really expressing a longing for his old life in the City?

"Fine, fine, you have it."

"Citizenship starts as of the minute I leave this hall, Rescue Team duty starts after I finish clearing all the mess my absence brought about." The Mayor reared himself for protest against, "Remember, gentlemen; my much needed powers, my terms."

Satisfied with the annoyed silence he spread about the hall, Alex flashed a toothless victorious grin and left the building.

He walked out lazily, getting his horse ready for riding again in leisure. Then, mounting it with a leap (it was a rather big horse for a small men like him), Alex went for a stroll in the City market and the river front with unique, careless abandon. The fresh wind blew through his long hair and the citizens stared up at him with a mixture of old irremovable confidence, fear and awe.

He did not demand his own terms for no reason; he had a lot of things to do still. The graveyard had to be inspected, the vampires' coffins had to be checked, along with their new locations and the onmyoujis had to be visited for a dinner or at least tea. Most of all, Alex was curious as for the progress of the river and its fire monsters; from the minds of the citizens he picked up horrified images of the alligator-like things so dense in the river that their vague shapes can be seen in the murky water, something Alex planned on inspecting with near childish curiosity.

* * *

At twilight, Alex was at the Field of Love (as the citizens called the ever spreading field of daisies around Venus and Jacob's hut), for a bit of a business meeting with Yuuto. He brought Mike along, for future learning.

As he saw the large man approaching, Yuuto got off his neat white chair and placed a worried hand on Vash's chest, "Listen, Bash-san, this new Death character…well….he might get a little edgy around me. I don't want you to look suspicious or even be on edge or anything just…act natural, but keep yourself vigilant, alright?"

"Nat a problem, boss. What's eatin' you?"

"Not now, they're too close…Alex!!" the blond waved at the two madly and took a few excited steps towards them, "So good to see you again, oh, it is so good to see you again! How lovely, look at your hair!"

Blushing a bit, Alex brushed the long ponytail he tried improvising earlier that day to keep the pesky hairs out of his face, "Uh…yeah, I guess…it's kinda weird, I have to admit."

"Don't be silly, it's lovely! As soon as you'll learn how to brush it properly and tie it back…"

"That's the bit I haven't got a hold of yet I'm afraid."

"I'll help you later, better, I'm sure…." Yuuto stopped himself from mentioning Yuzuriha or Karen, might his pronunciation of both reveal his Japanese accent in the middle of his English one, "Venus will help you."

"She wears her hair loose like a wild animal and I bet she never combs it…"

"Well….if she does she might, you know…straighten it up and then it won't…."

"Is that burd naiked?" Mike's eyes boggled at Venus' distant figure by the horseshoed. The wind blew half her mane away from her body, explaining Mike's comment.

"Yes, yes, she is very, very naked, Mike. Staring is dirty, stop it."

Mike tore his eyes away, face the shade of a beet, and stared at the tips of his shoes sheepishly, "Wuzn't staring…"

"Mike Randel, this is…"

"Love, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mike." Yuuto offered his hand for a shake and exchanged a quick battle of flashed glares and stares with Alex to hush the smaller Death up. He stared down at the huge palm almost engulfing his completely and tried not to giggle nervously; there was so much power in these arms and hands, power which might unleash itself might Yuuto's background be uncovered.

"And this is my assistant, Vash Du Stampede."

"G'day sur."

"Howdy, how are ya doin'?"

"Good, now that we're all introduced and friendly, let us sit and talk business." Alex pulled up a chair for himself and Mike and yanked the bigger man onto his.

Yuuto drew himself to his chair elegantly with a sweet beam, "So serious, you never change. Would you like some fine Darjeeling, Mike?"

"Oh, Ai love ta!"

"Ha ha ha, what a delightful accent you have, Mr. Randle, where does it belong?"

"Queensland Austraalia, sur!"

"Aaah…" Yuuto bit back an attempt to inform the man that they were neighbors.

"Business, _Love_, let's get to it."

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry. So, how can I help you?"

"Subaru and Seishiro's wedding."

"Ai'm leaving."

"**_You will sit here and you will stay or I'll tare you a new mouth and a new butthole!_**"

Whimper.

"A few days ago Subaru came to consult with me about wedding locations. What with all the new plan to move the City I advised him to wait with the wedding a bit until we get to the new location. I figured that the new location would be a far better scene for a wedding than this little bump of hard rock in a windy plain the middle of nowhere. From what Subaru described me I think a nice, lushly-grassed plain with lots of flowers would be a much more elegant site."

"Are yu gay?"

Yuuto gawked at Mike and blinked in silence for a while, "I…uh…sometimes…"

"Somtuimes?"

"He's Love; he can do whomever he wants whenever he wants. His sexuality's no easier to explain than most terms of quantum physics."

"Ah."

"As for the location you mentioned," Alex sighed, "I'm afraid the onmyoujis won't be the only ones grabbing it for a wedding, if you catch my drift."

"Oh, for god's sake," Love rolled his eyes, "don't tell me you're in on this silly competition between them and Kamui and Fuma's wedding."

"How many of them aare there?!"

"_Shut it, Mike._ Personally, I couldn't care less what the brats are doing but there is the issue of what Seishiro wants of this wedding. From what I understand, Subaru's got most of the decisions about the wedding – like the bride that he is – and Seishiro has very few. The few wishes Seishiro has – or is allowed to have – I aught to respect."

Yuuto sighed and sipped his tea, "You want me to talk to Kamui about it? He's the bride of his wedding so he's the ones to make these decisions."

"God no, he'll never agree to it; that thing can smell a conflict to bitch in from half a dimension away, he'll pick this opportunity to rain on Seishiro's parade." Alex looked away and shook his head gently.

"Maybe Subaru can sort it out with Kamui. He _is_ the bigger sister, isn't he?"

Alex snickered.

"Are yu talking about men or women?"

"We're talking about nips, Mike, now shut up and listen while the grownups have a grownup discussion."

"Or," Yuuto pushed his cut saucer away a little uneasily, "they can have the wedding here…"

"I thought you advised them to wait."

"Well, I also advised them to not make too much of a fuss over it and this bridal bash's starting to sound like a fuss."

"No, no, no; I'll talk to Subaru about using his relative dominance to persuade Kamui into delaying his wedding a little."

It was Yuuto's turn to snicker, "Subaru, dominance?"

"Yeah, well, over Kamui I mean."

Nodding, Yuuto looked away with a smile.

"Sur, where's the lavatory heee?"

Yuuto straightened up and cast a few nervous glances around, looking for suiting locations, "I think behind that shed over there. But if you see a middle-aged burly man with garden tools or a chisel run away."

Mike got up and blinked, baffled, at Love.

"Go quickly before anyone in the shed notices."

Hurriedly, Mike trotted to the shed, hands waving at his sides slightly. Watching him as he goes, Alex shook his head and smacked himself in the forehead, "What am I going to do with that lump? It's like having a kindergarten graduate around all day."

"He seems alright, though, very loyal once he gets into it. I think you and him might just get along together splendidly." Yuuto beamed.

"He ran away from his Death duties back in his world and had tried running away from them here. He won't care fore half our men….which brings me back to you, _Love_…."

"I'd like you to keep calling me that," Yuuto said into his teacup, "today at work I saw Sahoma-sensei's condition. I wouldn't like to wear some of the bruises he has on him now…"

"And you're using you European looks for it. I see, it's…..sort of understandable I guess."

Yuuto shrugged. He was beginning to realize that the faint sound of sawing coming from his side is Vash snoring and looked to see the man half folded over the table with his face buried in his folded arms. "Oh, lovely, I ask him to stay vigilant and he dozes off…"

"I wonder why he'd be so exhausted…." Alex stuck a teasing stare at Yuuto.

It was deflected icily, "Because he's been patrolling with the Rescue Team lately, on the new riverfront trail they set up to warn against the fire monsters. Why?"

"Nothing….just wondered."

"Most terms in quantum physics…you bastard!"

Alex poked his tongue out, "So, Yuuto-saaaan, how did you get your faire, European looks?"

Yuuto leaned back and refilled Mike's cup, cookie crumbs and drops of tea dotting its saucer, "My grandfather met my mother for a one night stand in grandad's first shore leave in Japan and my mother was a French embassy worker."

"Always thought you had something…._French_ about you, Yuu-chan. Your grandfather ever bothered marrying your grandmother?"

"He did no such thing; it was strictly a one night fling."

"Oy, those pesky Allied troops; they'll hump anything that's healthy enough to stand it."

"Strangely enough, I heard the same thing from David the other day…"

"That's because the both of us were around when Allied troops went swooping through the world, 'liberating'….things…"

"Only he directly referred to Americans, not everyone in the Allied forces."

"Well, I, personally, never saw any Brits in action but I did see Russians on the hunt and heard enough tales of Americans so..."

"Interesting." Yuuto looked behind his shoulder to see Mike trotting back, still mending his pants closed, "what a very earthly person you are, Mike."

"Wha?"

Sweet beam, "Nothing. Have some more biscuits."

"Ai'd lave that; thui're gruweat!"

"Thank you, I made them myself."

"My compliment to the sheef."

"Dear lord," Alex sighed, edging away from the biscuit-consuming Australian, "the Cookie Monster has more table manners than you…"

"wuuuf?"

"Never mind…"

* * *

After a long, growling debate with the onmyouji about various wedding plans and problems, Alex' last job for the day was the graveyard.

He and David walked by the three mass graves with David ranting on and on about how inconsiderate and careless Jacob was to make mass graves instead of personal ones and Alex trying to stay as much away as tact would allow it; his ears were still sore from Seishiro and Subaru's various 'arguments' about wedding stuff.

Finally, they came to stand by a freshly filled grave and the last for the week, hopefully.

"So," David leaned on his shovel, "why'd you ask to get back to the Rescue Team?"

"Spite? Sadism? Boredom? Who knows. All I know's that half the anger I had at this banishment was the fact that I'll have no use in this City, that I'd be unneeded. We have to make ourselves useful, don't we David, or we'll have nothing to live for anymore."

"You have your Men."

"That's what Mike's here for."

"Tssk, how much use can he bring?"

"I fixed Kusanagi this morning, David. I couldn't do that before."

"You needed to sleep your energies back."

"It's more than that; I've become old enough to need a helping hand. I don't need a hand in patrols and petty fights for the City. Solely taking care of my Creatures' too much for me. Bedsides, when all is said and done…I miss doing good for this stinking City's people…"

David straightened up and placed his shovel by the headstone. He waited for the silence and the darkness to blow away the air of heaviness from around them, and looked around at his domain, "So, are we going to keep the old cemetery here? What would relatives of the deceased do after they moved to the new place, when they'll want to visit their dear one's resting place?"

"We'll make a new graveyard by moving this one over there."

David snapped his eyes to Alex, frowning, "_move_ it? Like we'll be moving the houses and all that?"

"Not with the earth and all, no; we'll move the bodies themselves."

"_What?!_ We'll dig up all those remains and move them?! Do you have any idea how much work that'd take."

"I didn't say we'll move the remains, David, I said we'll move the _bodies_."

David watched the green eyes glow ghastly in the moonlight, "Y-you mean….make them….m-move again a-and all that…." A sickly shiver grasped his body violently and he stumbled back, paling.

"Not the souls, just the bodies. I don't plan on you attending the whole affair; you wouldn't be able to handle it. Take the next few days off and take your honey to a honeymoon or something; me and Mike'll stay here and get busy on those mass graves."

David removed the hand he placed on his mouth to keep himself from vomiting, "W-what do you mean," he swallowed hard, "get busy on those mass graves?"

"Well, we need to see just how many are down there then find out their names for the new graveyard."

"How will you find that out?"

"We'll ask them." Alex flashed a short smile and turned to look at the three makeshift marking stones, "Something tells me Mike's got a knack for zombies. I don't know why, but it's just a hunch."

By then David started getting a hold of his wits again and stepped back towards Alex, "And the whole moving business?"

"Wait till the rest of the City's moved then get a long convoy from here to the new location by foot. Shouldn't take more than a night if we'll be able to pull enough horses out as well, use some carts; all that stuff."

"Sounds like a good plan." David took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his face, "aught to be nice."

"You aught to go lie down a bit, David; growing your hair won't heal much of what's still under it. And take a few days off; you won't be able to hang around here too much."

David nodded and started shuffling to his shed.

"The old monster's riding again." He said, half to himself.

"Eh?"

"This whole moving of the City stuff…just feels like one last big adventure for you….for us…"

Alex shrugged, staring at the moon thoughtfully, "I wouldn't say 'last'; you never know when's your last adventure's coming in this rotten place. Besides, just because it's all grassy beyond the Craters don't mean it's all fun, fluff and bunnies; there are those white wolves in the wilderness beyond our wretch zone, and the people of Eastern City, and those marooned pirates….There's still a whole lot of vipers in this old pit of a Side."

"Ah, so thing'll stay interesting, then?"

"I think so, yes. Not before we'll get our asses well rested from the next adventure…"

"Amen."

"Goodnight, David, see you in a few days."

"Goodnight, brother."

(TBC)

* * *

**A.N: **For those of you who wonder about Mike's background, search for information about the 'Death Railway' (no puns intended, honestly!) and Singapore during World War 2 or simply about ANZAC. 


	48. And They Lived Happily Ever After

**Disclaimer:** I don't own X/1999, I didn't come up with any of their brilliant characters, they're the geniuses not me

The character of Alex, Jacob, Venus, Charlie, David, Anthony, Dvora and Dimitri are all mine. The Noters are half reality. The rest belong to all the book/movie/TV/anime/manga they came from. If you can spot where they're from then good for you!

**Author's Thanks:** To Abydosstar who commented on my LJ (Ah, the typos. Yes, most of them were me trying to write an Australian accent, though. I had no idea you read this fic, I loved your comment so much! I'd like to find the maiden of iron and might who'll manage to bitchslap Arashi, but yes, the bitch deserves her slap.) to my beloved Kyo-kyo ('mentally handicapped puppy' awwww, so cute! Oh dear….Yaaay!! First person to pick up the WW2 tid bits in ANW. You're so very clever ;; I heart j00 2) to Ladyoftheblackwings (Bunnies of mayhem?? Oh n0es!!1! You've been such a wonderful support to me, thank you) to Draachen (I care about Mary Sue….I know it's a big disappointment but I hope you managed to enjoy the story anyhow) and to sesshy'sgirl0 (Future chapters? Err….gee, I don't know…. . ;;)

**Announcements:** this version of A New World (i.e unbeta-ed un-revised) is ended, now I'll be working with my beloved beta to improve this fic. Then the fic will move to fictionpress(dot)com under the name 'Legend'.

* * *

**Chapter 48 – And They Lived Happily Ever After**

"You don't look like you've had much sleep."

Subaru sighed, exhaling a puffy cloud of smoke, "Ugh, yes; me and Seishiro-san were arguing about the wedding into the small hours of the night."

"Ah, tell me about it!"

"We used to make love until the break of dawn, now all we do is bicker about the wedding _he_ wanted to have!"

"Clothes?"

"Nope." The light onmyouji turned icy eyes to Kamui, "about the date. He wants to have the wedding first…"

Justice shrugged and leaned back, feet dangling from the edge of the Court's back entrance's staircase, "I'm all for it; you guys were together before we even knew we loved each other."

Subaru needed a moment to digest what he just heard. "Y-you mean….I thought you were behind this race to the altar nonsense." He blinked, cigarette halfway to his lips.

"Nope; it's all Fuma's fault. I can make him wear a pink tutu to the altar, as long as we get there before you guys. My beloved fiancé finally learned to grow a spine and put his foot down; trouble is he didn't get a hold of how to pick his fights "

"In that case," Subaru straightened his back, eyes determined, "I'll go to Kigai-san and start getting seriously busy about the wedding. With you I'd talk about the wedding, but with Fuma I have nothing to talk about."

"You mean you don't respect him."

"Indeed."

Kamui sighed and eyed Subaru cigarette. His eyes drifted to the Rescue Team patrol in the distance behind, "There goes that new Death….what's he like?"

Subaru closed his eyes and shook his head, "Troublesome."

"I heard. What's his problem with Kusanagi?"

"Back in his home world he was imprisoned in a labor camp our soldiers sat up during the second world war. He has a few issues with Japanese people…"

Justice was unimpressed, "And that has what to do with Kusanagi?"

Subaru's eyes widened in shock, "Kamui! As Justice I'd expect you to see how this has to do with any former Japanese citizen."

"No; if one of those soldiers or whatever landed here I'd trial him on the spot, but we're grandchildren and great-grandchildren from the same nation of those soldiers; we're too distant from the whole thing. I don't know who my father is, let alone know what my grandfather did during the war. How would I know if any guilt lays in my family?"

"As an onmyouji I see things a little different than that." Subaru informed Kamui with a stern, maternal tone.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. If you think that fifty-something years could clear away all the angry and hurt ghosts our nation left behind in the war, you're much mistaken. I think I saw victims of just about every possible atrocity we did in the war."

"'We', it's not 'we', Subaru; it's 'them'."

"My great-grandfather set a strict rule for all the following Sumeragis to come after him and to live in his time; our clan is forbidden entry to Yasukuni shrine, back in 1937! Our clan has a policy to take the strongest onmyoujis other than the head of the clan, and teach them the various languages of our victims so they can handle all the angry ghosts."

"Hmmm…"

"At least in Europe there were public trials and people who specialized in hunting down the murderers; all our government ever did was deny and ignore everything."

"Fine, fine; point taken." Kamui sighed, leaning his cheek on the staircase's bar. "Have you thought of a place to have the wedding?"

Subaru took a quick inhale from his cigarette and smiled slowly, "There's a lovely patch at the very edge of where the forest ends and the City's new location's supposed to be; it's round and sunk into the forest and lined with these flowery bushes, like it was _made_ to be a wedding location." His eyes twinkled as he looked back to Kamui.

"Aww, sounds amazing."

"It is."

The door behind Kamui swung open and Will appeared at the opening. "Fuma ist going to kill you, you know that."

Justice shrugged.

Copying him, Will walked to sit by Kamui and, settled down, reached for the box in Kamui's lap. He flipped the top open and pulled a cigarette out. For light, he took the cigarette Kamui was enjoying.

"Well, I'll be going then; much to do…" Subaru winked at the two boys.

Eyeing the two patrol Team members still in the background, Kamui smirked, "Go apologize some more to that big thing over there."

Subaru's eyes froze over again, their glare razor sharp, "I wouldn't say that so mockingly if I were you." his eyes flashed to Will until Kamui understood the meaning. The light onmyouji then mounted his horse and rode away.

"Ugh, what-ever!"

"Vat's he talking about?"

"Nothing, Will, nothing."

The door behind them swung open again, too quickly for Kamui to fully realize who could be at it this time.

"_**KAMUI!!**_What _on earth _are you doing?" Fuma's voice was perhaps the perfect concoction of horror, disgust and dismay, all brought into life with such true, honest passion that Kamui felt an ache in his heart, as if he was caught sleeping with someone else.

He sighed and looked across his shoulder to his fiancé with guilt and softness, "I've been smoking since junior high, Fuma; it's this dimension that got me doing it again after that damn year made me stop."

Fuma was unmoved; he stared down at Kamui with contempt and disappointment, "It's so unhealthy, so stinking, so _vile_!"

"I like doing it, Fuma; it makes me feel relaxed. It gives me a reason to take a break from all that work. Oh, please, can't you be a _little_ understanding?"

"About you slowly killing the man I love? No, Kamui, I can't be understanding."

The Justices' night haven't exactly been filled with love and romance, and Kamui was starting to have enough of this back talking new Fuma at his side, "Then deal with it!" he yelped and turned away from the bigger man, squaring his shoulders defensively.

Fuma narrowed his mouth bitterly and turned to enter the Hall again.

"Hey, Fuma…"

The door swung open a little, inches before it was shut.

"I thought about it and….yeah, a tiara of flowers _is_ a little inappropriately girly."

The door closed.

"He's still angry, I sink."

Kamui shrugged, "Nothing a bit of sex in the evening can't make him forget."

Will choked on his cigarette laughing, "Sometimes you about him like he's a dog; give him a treat and he'll be quiet."

"Yeah. All I need to do now is teach him how to fetch." Kamui's voice rang of a kind of bitterness Will hadn't heard in a long while.

* * *

"Andrea Fjrosuonskit"

Alex and Mike shot their eyes from the notebook where Mike was writing names down, to the skeleton before them.

"Can you repeat that?"

"Andrea Fjrosuonskit"

Mike shot a miserable glance to Alex, who turned a kinder expression to the animated remains, "Can you spell that please?"

"A-n-d…"

"No, no, just the family name."

"F-j-r-o-s-u-o-n-s-k-i-t."

"You got that, Mike?"

The Australian shook his head and shoved the notebook into Alex' face, "Can't yu see that's wot Ai did?"

The smaller Death grabbed the thick wrist hard enough to break it and removed the list from before his eyes, "I. Can't. Read. _Asshole!_"

"Yuu're whole centuries old and you couldn't fuind the tuime to luurn how to reed?"

Alex' eyes were on the brink of burning two holes in Mike's sweaty, sun baked forehead, "I was _busy_. I was busy being Death, busy doing my duty, _busy!_ If we follow your logic that must mean you've had time to learn so many thing you aught to be a professor."

Mike snorted scornfully and resumed scribbling in the notebook, holding it at a distance from his face, the small crude pencil looking like a toothpick between his mighty fingers. With his tongue poking out, he adorned the next line in a long list of names with big round neat letters which were quickly smudged into a messy shape from the way Mike ran his sweaty palm over the whole page.

"Whuy don't yuu pull them aot of the ground and Ai'll write theer name down?"

"Because you need practice in this; moving all of them out to the New City's going to be a lot of hard work."

"This is easy! It's a little fun, actually….accept for the smeell." A silly grin split Mike's sun-red face.

"You're talking funny. The sickness pills must have started kicking in."

"Thu're making me a little loopy, but they keep me from loosing mui breakfist." The Australian beamed.

"Yes, we wouldn't want you to hurl your guts out here, do we? We don't want a _flood_."

"Ai wus hungry!"

"You used up all the milk in that poor family's house!"

"Only because yuu made those delicious pancakes!"

Alex couldn't bring himself to snap back at that remark. Instead, he turned his back to the big man and sighed, focusing his attention on the gaping pit before them, filled with human remains. He noticed the small hand of a child poking out of the earth on the pit's wall, away from the mail mass of bodies at the bottom.

Puzzled, Alex decided to use the opportunity to see how much of his powers was back; after all, a child's body was small and not much energy was needed to re-animate it.

Concentrating and sharpening his mind on the idea, Alex stared at the hand intensely until the little fingers started moving, then the wrist, then the whole arm. Finally, a boy sat up and climbed out from the layers of dark brown earth. By then Alex' vision was blurring and his head spun, but he fought to concentrate hard enough to bring the boy the ability to speak.

His partner in Death was wavering, losing his balance and his footing on the perfectly flat solid ground, but Mike paid no heed to that; his attention was completely sucked to the dirty body standing on the pit's edge. A fragment of a second later, he was on his feet and running to the boy's side.

Mike fumbled for his water canteen and began wiping the dirt off the pale, hard face, looking deep into the empty eyes and trying to recognize life in them.

The next thing Alex saw was the earth coming at his face, and then it all went black. Focusing his attention on the pain in his cheek, Alex pulled his last strength back to attention and sent one last filament of power to the tiny zombie.

"Kenyon." a sweetest, most innocent, yet empty voice emitted from the boy's mouth before its eyes rolled up and its body became limp like a rag doll.

Alex sank into darkness.

"_**Nooo!!**_" Mike grabbed the boy into a tight embrace before it fell to the floor, making the tiny body disappear in the folds of bright khaki uniform and sweaty, hairy arms, "Come back, please come back" tears washed down the big man's blue eyes, down his dusty face, to land on the dirt covered brown hair of the boy, "…Oh no….oh no…." he curled himself around the boy, whimpering and shaking miserably.

Alarmed by the sound, Vash stepped out to the Infirmary's back yard to behold the frightening scene. He dashed first to Mike, who seemed to be the conscious one who might explain what the problem was, "Hey now, boah, you don't look too well." His face was grey with worry.

Mike reared his head from resting atop the boy's, hanging big teary eyes at the blond above him, "Help him, yuu have to help him…." He wept.

Helplessly, Vash shot his eyes backwards to finally register that the black and white lump on the ground was Alex. He rushed to the man's side and knelt down. Digging into one of his red coat's pockets, he pulled out a cylinder and rammed its tip into Alex' thigh. A tiny, hidden needle was pushed out of the protecting cardboard wrapping it lay hidden in so far, and poked out through the tip and into Alex' white flesh.

A second later Death's green eyes flashed open and he leaped to his feet, waving his arms in the air and shaking his head frantically. The substance in the syringe was so strong, especially for a weakened creature like Alex, that it was shooting up and down Death's limps like a rampaging stampede of fire ant.

"What _on earth_ was that?!" Alex hissed as soon as he managed to harness his wits enough to make coherent speech.

"Our friend here, why he's in trouble." Vash pointed to the blubbering, quivering Mike.

Alex blinked his eyes back to focus and frowned, "The boy? He knows him? Hey, Vash, do me a favor and go get a glass of water; I think he might have sat in the sun too much."

The gunman nodded, "Sure thing, pal, but you sure you got things here under control?"

"Yes yes yes, now go get it."

It took Alex a while to gather enough strength to walk towards his associate; not only because his knees were still threatening to buckle under him, but because the expression of utter lose and grief on Mike's face reflected something Alex himself once felt and had long since buried deep within him.

"Mike?" He said, once he was finally at the Australian's side. Laying a hand on the big man's shoulder, he repeated the name again only softer now.

Mike was on the brink of hysteria, "Help him, Alex; Ai don't know what to du…..Ai can't du anything…Ai….Ai…..hee's deed again….and he's so small…..and Ai'm so useless" his sobbing shook both his body and the fragile little thing in his arms hard enough to ease a few twig-like knacks from the small body's joints.

Crouching by the man-mountain, Alex kept his hand on his shoulder and stared intensely into Mike's eyes, "But you _can_ do something for him, Mike; and only _you_ can do it. Only _you_ can bring him back; no one else's strong enough to do it..."

For a moment, Mike's big eyes brightened and the glimmers of hope filled them with warmth. The next moment it was gone, and a dark cloud fell across his face. "Ai can't bring him back; he's deed. This isn't him, it's just a copy; it's not the rweal…." Emotions choked him incoherent.

"I know….but you can still keep this one; it'll be something, won't it?"

"How could that wurk?" Mike's voice filled with hurt and bitterness, "It won't be the same!"

"No, it won't. But, Mike, think of this; he might be another dimension's version, but he's still the man you knew. And the boy from your dimension, the one who grew up to go to war and die in it, well, that boy is now here and can be brought back to live a happier life." Mike's face brightened, which encouraged Alex to go on, "He can live again under your care and love, and be happier than he ever got to be in your world. Wouldn't that be wonderful, Mike? Wouldn't that be amazing?"

A sweet, pure smile spread Mike's lips half apart and his eyes were warm and lively again. He unlocked his embrace and looked down on the tiny body in his hold, head tilted back and eyes closed serenely. Mike sniveled, "He looks luike he's just sleeping peacefully, luike he's just taking a nap….that's not how he duid …"

Alex squeezed the wide shoulder under his palm a little, "Yes, I know, I know; the real dead can never really be brought back. Believe me that I've learned that lesson myself all too sharply. Now, bring him back."

Mike looked down at the small, grayish-white face half sunk in his large palm, with its frame of dirt and messy dry brown curls, and smiled. "Yuu said your name was Kenyon? Alright, Ai'll call you Kenyon, though Ai didn't know yuu by that name." he began gathering his power to work them into the boy.

"Just a second, look." Alex brought one of the boy's wrists before Mike's eyes, "You might want to heal that before you'll wake him."

"Whuy did he do that?!"

Death shrugged, "He's wearing the orphanage's pajama, that place had so many casualties during the famine; maybe he just lost too many of his little friends…."

Mike hung a piercing gaze in the smaller man's eyes, "Can Ai make him forgit that?"

"If his soul's still with us, then you can speak to it and make it forget. Try waking him; truly waking him, not just reanimating him like what we did to all the others so far, and if you can do that, then his soul lingers on."

Tears gathered in Mike's eyes again, "And if it's gone?"

Alex sighed, "Then we'll have to bury him with the rest; it'd be a dishonoring shame to drag an empty vessel around like it still has content, just because it belonged to someone you once knew."

His bottom lip quivering, his shoulder shaking with sobs again, Mike turned his attention to the boy again. He ran his large, plump thumb over the inflexible skin of the boy's face.

Slowly, the skin started flexing back after each rub, and the cheeks under it filled up a little, giving the skull-ish face a healthier, less ghastly look.

Finally, the boy awakened, opening two large, deep-ocean-blue eyes. They were foggy and sleepy and so very empty they seemed like the hard, joyless orbs of an adult. "Mary?" his voice rang in the air, piercing Mike's heart like a tiny sickle, "Why did you come here? Why did you wake me? Have you found little Nelly? Have you found Gavroche? And Sister Lorain, is she here too?"

Biting his bottom lip until the skin broke, Mike turned painful eyes to Alex who nodded and looked away.

A fast bird crossed the air above them in hurried flight. A leaf was blown on the ground, from the edge of the pit to the first tombstone on the row of graves. A cloud shifted away from the place where the sun's orb hung hidden behind a blanket of gloom. The air grew heavier with moisture.

The boy's eyes brightened and he blinked away the fogs of sorrow unbecoming of his age. Now they were filled with wonder and surprise as he stared up at the two faces looming above him, so very tainted with hurt and pain he did not understand. "Who are you, sir? What am I doing here?" his little hand came to rest against Mike's elbow, pushing against it to free himself of the tight embrace.

The Australian let him go, but held his wrists gently in his large hands, "My name's Muike, Ai've…found yuu hee, playing at the graveyaard where a little boy rweally oughtn't be running around." The big man's voice still wavered with tears.

Alex rose back to his feet and took some steps away from the two, monitoring their actions from a respectful distance.

"My name is Kenyon, but I don't know my family name, I'm afraid. I am an orphan, you see; my mother and father were killed when my family had just arrived here and from then on I've been living in the orphanage. I do feel ashamed about not knowing my family name, but you see, when the thieves who attacked my mother and father came at us I leaped before my mother and they hit me on the head…and I can't remember a lot since then, not of my home, anyway."

Mike couldn't help a proud giggle, "So eloquent, Kenyon, and so brave. You rweally are him…"

"Him who?" The boy cocked his head curiously, a delicate frown marking his dirty brow.

"No one, Kenyon, no one. Ai'm an old man babbling to himself; will yuu forgive me?"

A sweet smile broke across the boy's dry lips and he nodded, "I will. If you'll bring me back to the orphanage and promise not to tell Sister Mary that you found me here…"

"Ai sweer Ai'll never so much as utter a single wurd about it." Mike started climbing to his feet, suddenly towering high above the small boy.

"Would you look at that! I do believe you're a living mountain, sir."

"'Muike' is alright and, yeah, Ai'm pretty big."

"I'll be this big one day." Kenyon beamed, standing on the tip of his toes to try and look taller (he only got as high as Mike's belt).

"We need to get him to the orphanage, right?" Alex spoke up, giving Mike a meaningful look.

"Yes, we do, then we'll take yuu to your new hawme." Mike tugged on the boy's hand which he took in his as they started heading for Kenyon's former home.

"You mean you'll adopt me?" the boy twittered, skip hopping at Mike's side to catch up on the long legged man's strides.

"If yuu'll agree."

"I agree! I agree! I agree!!" Kenyon turned his attention to Alex walking ahead of the two of them, trying to look too uncomfortable around the childish psychology he was too inexperienced to handle. "You'll be my new father, right?" he beamed at Mike, who nodded happily, "Then you will be my new mother?"

It took Alex a while to realize latter was turned to him, "What?! What the…._No!!_"

* * *

One morning Seiichiro woke up, rubbed at his eyes, placed the kettle over the fireplace, toasted himself some breakfast and made a few sandwiches for the road. Then he washed his face, changed his clothes, sipped some strong tea, donned his traveling cape, took his long cane from the door's side and stepped out of his little den of a home in the hobbit village.

Today he did not intend to go very far; just to pick some mushrooms in the western forest and maybe run into Kakyou for a little chat. Shouldering his wicker basket, Seiichiro made his way through the village, scattering warm beams and greetings at the Halflings around him who greeted him on the fine morning.

He stepped out to the edges of the crate and began walking down the path his feet carved in the tall grass surrounding the place that was now his home. The road to the forest was long and the sun was still low over the land in the early morning; the perfect time to walk as much as he can before the heat becomes too hard for a man his age.

The food and daily exercise he was getting in the agricultural little village worked miracles on Seiichiro's body, but he was no longer the young man he used to be.

Nevertheless, as he stepped into the large, flat, deep valley between the crate and the forest, his heart sang in the cage of his ribs; he was beginning to enjoy these journeys far too much for what he considered comfortable. Soon, he'll want to head out in travel again, and soon he'll break another set of dear one's hearts, leaving behind sadness, betrayal's bitterness and hurt. The hobbits treated him so nicely, overcoming their somewhat inbuilt xenophobia to welcome him into their tightly knit society, and here he is already plotting his next great escape; really, Aoki Seiichiro, what are you thinking, you foolish old man?

But this morning, instead of a serene open field filled with free flying insects, randomly blooming flowers and fresh air, Seiichiro found Noter chariots, hand made cranes, huge teams of working men, flocks of sheep and cows and the deep, threatening sound of rocks being rolled about in the ground.

The City's Pioneering Team (as it was flamboyantly named by the Shakespeare loving Council member) began their work at the new location a couple of days ago by bringing the cattle in to dine on the tall, vital, lush grass covering what would one day be the New City's streets. This was a method both eco-friendly and amazingly beneficial to all method of clearing the ground for the constructions; the Team got their building ground cleared up quickly, the cattle farmers got their animals fattening up on the extremely enriching lush grass and the animals themselves got a bit of a vacation from being side by side with living, walking, snapping crocodile-shaped barbeque stands.

The Team was guarded by a group of twenty of the City's toughest Noters from the Dragon Valley base, armed to the teeth, who were there to make sure the Lady Destiny did not try souring their last hope of peace just yet.

Working side to side with the City's unemployed farmers (deemed redundant by the living, walking, snapping crocodile-shaped barbeque stands) were all the Rescue Team members free for the day. Today that meant Yuzuriha, Kusanagi, Sorata, Tara and Vash were on the site.

Ignoring the familiar faces in the crowd, Seiichiro looked upon the ruin of his serene open spaces of freedom, with horror and dread. What were they doing to his precious personal space?

He turned to leave, but it was already too late; the Noters have spotted him. One of the ten chariots circling the workers in a Wild West formation, left its position and stormed towards him, the two women in it roaring at Seiichiro to freeze on his spot, zeroing their M16 in on his forehead.

The whicker basket dropped off his shoulder, as Seiichiro raised his hand in surrender, the cane flopping to his side in the soft grass. "My name's Aoki Seiichiro; I was once a citizen of your City, a long, long time ago…" He murmured deeply, too hushed to be heard by the women.

It was, however, picked up by Yuzuriha's keen ears. Shrieking, she leaped her way to her former comrade's side, stopping inches away from him.

It took her a while to realize the man before her was, indeed, Seiichiro; he had changed so very much. She saw a man in a long, loose cotton tunic, breeches reaching only halfway down his thighs with tattered fringes. Barefoot, he stood before her with a slightly unkempt beard drawing down to his chest, with equally long air tied loosely on the back of his neck and glasses made of wonderfully crafted copper, but definitely not the snazzy, modern eyewear she remembered him sporting. "A-Aoki-san….?" She frowned, "Is…is that really you?"

Aoki was equally baffled by the young lady who sprang to his side, for Yuzuriha had changed herself. Instead of the short-haired fresh and innocent little girl he knew, now stood a young woman; her body was definitely taller, and rounder with a deep hint to how she now had a sexuality, and the gall to make it known; wearing a tight dark red top with a v-neckline which put any ideas of ignoring her no longer tiny, pointy breasts, but now round and fully developed chest. Her long hair hung down in a single, somber braid down the side of her shirt, making her femininity harder to ignore for Seiichiro. Her face, too, lost its round-ish childish appeal; it was longer now, and slimmer from the long months of the famine still showing its marks on her. Her eyes were still big, but they no longer gaped like two big black holes for information – they were wiser now, and much less innocent. Small puffed patches under her eyes marked sleepless night, but the flush which spread in her high-set cheeks when Kusanagi edged his way through the grass to her side, made it clear to Aoki that some nights were not spent in nothing but worry and patrols, but with romance. "Well …"

"What do you mean 'well'?" The young woman frowned, leaning towards him a little with her hands on her sides with blame, "You disappeared one night just like that and suddenly you pop up here? Are you not Aoki Seiichiro?"

"Uh…."

The inugami mistress folded her arms on her chest, piercing the man with hard eyes, "The Aoki Seiichiro _I_ knew was a brave, modest, strong family man who never would have thought of leaving his friends, who care and worry for him, the moment things got a little difficult. He wouldn't just up and go like that to search for….for…" she waved her hand at the basket with obvious content, "whatever it is he wants, like some lonely man who has no one to his name but himself; The Aoki Seiichiro I knew would stay by his friends, and embrace them for the new family they now were, like we _all_ did. I guess you're not that man, huh?"

"Hey now, Yuzu-chan," Sorata walked in between them, laying a hand on the girl's shoulder, then on Aoki's, "It's good to see you again, Aoki-san! I don't care were you were; you're welcomed back. Wherever you lived all that time, we're going to be neighbors now, isn't that nice?" he beamed at the man, gesturing with his hand to the clearing space behind him, where the New City would stand.

Seiichiro closed his mouth from trying to come up with something to say to Yuzuriha, and shook his head, reaching to remove Sorata's hand from him. "I-I'm sorry….I'm afraid I don't know you…" he exhaled in English and began walking backwards and away from them. He bent down quickly and gathered his cane and basket, "I'm very sorry, sir, madam, I didn't mean to trespass like that….I'll leave now."

Aoki Seiichiro turned his back to the three and headed in the opposite direction with a quick, sure step. As he reached his hobbit crater, he bypassed it and headed straight onwards just as fast and just as surely, without a moment's stop to gaze back at the place he lived throughout all those long months.

"That was Seiichiro-san, it _was_!" Yuzuriha huffed, "No one else would apologize like that to complete strangers."

Kusanagi wrapped his arms around her, laying his chin atop her head, "No, no, it wasn't."

She shot a glare up at him, "What do you mean?! Of course it was him!"

"No," Sorata sighed, eyes longingly following the quickly disappearing figure, "it wasn't him. Not anymore."

Yuzuriha tried to glare at him as well, but her vision became a blur with tears she felt surprisingly ashamed of. Instead, she hung miserable eyes at him, "What happened to us, Sorata?" her voice wavered, tears cracking it into miserable shards, "Where did we all go?"

Sorata bowed his head and sighed again, hands on his sides. Then he raised his head again, and eyed Yuzuriha again, trying to smile, "We went to where he goes now."

"What do you mean?" She whimpered, large tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He's going to find himself in the Lost Dimension's Dark Side, missy." Kusanagi's deep voice rumbled in his empty, living-dead chest.

* * *

The elderly couple whose humble yet extremely comfortable little farm house, where Mike was situated until the new Rescue Team's house will be built, shot to their feet as soon as the two Deaths and the little zombie walked in. This wasn't the sort of ceremoniously little rising to attention they'd do in honor of Mike's status whenever the Australian'd return from his various occupations; this was tainted with real fear and horror.

"Oh no! Oh no!" the kind only lady rushed to the three, waving her hands before her as if to push them out the door where they stood, staring at her, puzzled.

Her husband huddled behind her with one healthy leg and another whose ankle was broken, never to be fully healed by the smaller Death's little rampage on the City.

"Whut's wrong Mrs. Kate?" Mike's face fell with alarm, "We wiped our feet before we caime in."

"No, no, no! Take him outside, get him outside." Mrs. Kate hurried to Kenyon's side, desperately trying to lift Mike's heavy arm cradling the boy's shoulder. The little zombie stared up at her solemnly with his big, blue eyes.

Alex tensed, preparing to deflect any arguments against bringing an undead thing into a mortal couple's house. Though the orphanage gave little Kenyon a thorough shower before they sent him off with his new uncle (Mike wouldn't accept the title of 'father', being far too sheepish to assume such a role) , the smell of rot and death still clung to the boy's hair and would not leave; like what happens with most zombies, for some strange and unexplained reason.

Mike brought his other arm to shield over the boy, half bending himself over the little body who leaned into him in fear, "This is Kenyon, Mrs. Kate, Ai just adopted him from the orphanage; yuu wouldn't muind such a sweet boy luike he is here, would you? He won't eat much and he'll help yuu and Mr. Kate around in the chicinn coop."

Kenyon nodded, still staring perplexed at the elderly lady trying to prize Mike's fingers apart over his chest, "I'll do my best to pay back for whatever you'll have to spend on my upbringing, Mrs. Kate. I'd be ever so grateful if you'll allow me to dwell here under your roof."

Dishearten and exasperated, the old lady moved away, covering her face with her hand and swaying towards her husband, who stood leaning on his crutch with his long wrinkly face suddenly grey and cold. "It's not that, cupcake," she wailed, filled with grief, "I'd love to once again have such a little darling in my house as this tiny ray of sunshine you brought here….but…" she gasped and exchanged a long, gutted stare with her husband, who looked away with pouted lips, "it's the house, y'see, my precious bear; it won't have children in it…" she collapsed into her husband's arms, weeping.

Alex' eyes narrowed, shooting around the heigh-roofed hall whose yellowish painted walls reflected the fireplace's light with such rare domestic cozy warmth that'd be hard to believe existed in a place like the Dark Side's City.

"Whut do you mean, Mrs. Kate? Are there buurglers here? Chuild snatchers? The Nowters will deal with them. Ai'll bring another bed into my room; Kenyon will sleep by me; no one will haarm him."

Mr. Kate shook his head, "You can't stop them from doing it; nothing and no one can."

Mike shot desperate eyes from the old man to Alex, who seemed to be understanding something here, "Doing what? Stop who?"

"This house is haunted; it needs to be cleansed or whatever you'll bring here that's fresh and lively and young will quickly perish." Alex hissed, glaring from one wall to another.

Mrs. Kate wailed miserably. "They creep up on them at night, when we're too exhausted from the day's work to rise up to fight them," her husband spoke with a grief-ashen voice, "they'll reach out their little white hands and strangle them in their little cradles; it's what they did to our grandchildren…."

A horrified shudder ran down Mike's spine like a stream of ice water and he tightened his hold on Kenyon who seemed both magnetized and petrified of the story.

"They won't even let us have chicks; they smash their poor little skulls like eggshells; whenever our chickens have eggs we have to bring them to the house next-door, so they'll grow old enough to not draw those little demons' malice."

Mrs Kate removed herself from her husband's embrace and turned to the Deaths, "Please don't bring the little boy in here; it'd be outright murder."

"Why did you not leave this house and burn it? It's haunted, no one can live here until its cleansed." Alex's eyes stared cold and hard at the couple.

"Our grandchildren lived here once, where you now live, cupcake," Mrs. Kate sniveled, "we couldn't bring ourselves to part with the place which once held such precious memories to us…"

"H-how…." Mike managed to exhale the breath he held in him, trapped with fear, "How long have you lived luike this?"

"Two years….two years since they came and strangled our little Bessie and Tommy like they were wringing chickens….we heard them scream in the dead of night, and saw them in the air….screaming for us to help them…."

"_That's enough!_" Alex barked at the two, who tore their tormented gazes from the past to the small man. He turned to Mike with an air of undisputed authority, "This house needs to be cleansed of these things; obviously vengeful spirits of children who died here and can no longer tolerate anything with the chance in life they never got."

Mike nodded enthusiastically, lower jaw protruding stubbornly.

"You need to call Subaru." Mike's face fell, but Alex would have none of that, "I can dabble a little with onmyouji but I already passed out today; I don't know what I can and can't do. You don't even know how to do it. Subaru's the strongest medium I know, he's been doing exactly these very same things for years in his home world; he's perfect for this task."

Mike shook his head resolutely, "Ai'm not talking to a nip." His eyes were hard enough to make it clear to Alex that he will _not_ back down from his stance.

"For Kenyon!"

"He can't dui anyway."

"They can maim him, Mike, and fixing a zombie's a whole lot more work than just getting them to walk and talk. Imagine what it'd be like every morning! If you keep fixing him, they'll grow angry and might come after you."

"Ai'll fight them off."

"You're _Death_, Mike; your job is not to harm your own creatures, but to speak to them and command them to your will."

"Ai can't _see_ them."

"They're hiding from us, because they can sense my weakness and your ignorance; nothing can bring them out but the strong, reliable power of an onmyouji of Subaru's scale."

"Ai don't care! Ai'll let no one harm me or Kenyon!"

"Then they'll become so frustrated they'll kill them!" Alex's arm whipped to point at the Kates, "Is that what you want? To sacrifice this innocent, old couple who have been so kind as to take you in to their humble little home, because you won't back up from _your stupid, __**childish**_pride!"

"And if he was the son of an SS officer, would you send for him so easily then?"

Alex was shaking with anger now, face red and mouth snarling, clenching his fists so hard he wounded himself with his nails, "_Don't you __**DARE**__ compare you to me, you little fucking __**prick**__ of a big baby! You know __**nothing**__ about anything, don't you __**dare**__ compare my hurt to your __**petty**__ little jungle experience!_"

For a moment the scene halted, stopped dead by the very _tension_ in the room, as the two Deaths glared each other down with fiery hatred and disgust. The Kates stood aside, embracing each other protectively as the two men before them developed smoke-like auras around them and the air filled with electricity. Kenyon tried backing away from the menacing short man before him, desperately trying to wriggle free of Mike's iron grip on his shoulders.

A single white ofuda sliced through the air like a bullet and flattened on the wall opposing the scene. The air then throbbed, like some ancient heartbeat. The yellow plaster under the spell cracked and, suddenly, a beastly shrill filled the air. Raging and fierce, it was earsplitting, heart-tearing, and the little glass vases resting on the fireplace's mantle snapped and cracked into a small rain of clear glass snowflakes.

Three more ofuda shot through the room, landing each on a different wall, causing the throbbing to resume and bringing the shrieks into painful new levels. Mrs. Kate's ears trickled with blood and Mr. Kate's half-healed joint cracked again.

Squeezing in past Alex, Subaru strode into the room with two burning, fierce eyes like a possessed man. He raised another ofuda in his hand, holding it taut in an arm whose muscles he worked so hard they shook a little. Screaming spells and chants, he raised his other hand and gestured in the air and a shield of burning red pentacle appeared before him, stopping the broken pieces of the Kates' ravished furniture from hitting him.

Shielding himself like that, Subaru advanced towards the room high in the house's second floor, where the miserable spirits of lost grandchildren were held captive in tiny vicious fingers of a small horde of vengeful child spirits, who looked more like ashen white goblin than children. Finally in the room, Subaru cast a pentacle of ofuda to the floor and, drawing for a short dagger Alex found for him in the Eastern City, charged the weapon with spells, and rammed it deep into the floor.

A beam of light exploded in the house, for a moment blinding the two Deaths from glaring into each other's eyes, and the shrieks gathered into one big cry….or was it a mournful, disappointed wail?

A moment later and the room filled with air again; a calm descended on the scene like the soft torn bits of fluff and feathers ripped out of Mrs. Kate's cushions. Subaru took a deep breath and opened his eyes again.

The only sound to fill the suddenly strangely empty-feeling hall was the faint rhythm of Kenyon's whimper as he hiccupped into Mike's sleeve in tears, shaking like a leaf in a storm.

Subaru climbed down the stairs, straightening his white jacket and brushing bits of debris and feathers of his black turtleneck. He passed by the three figures at the door and flashed a calming, warm smile at Kenyon who trusted the sudden silence and calm to dare poke his head out of the Mike cave around him.

The onmyouji walked past Alex, brushing his hand quickly across the width of Alex's hard back, and walked out.

The two Deaths stayed just where they were, though the Kates already dared to unwrap themselves from each other's arms to gaze around at the sudden tranquility around them.

The Deaths' auras were still hanging above them like smoke from a piece of burning wood, and their glares were still hard and cold as stone; the hard words exchanged before Subaru stepped in were too heavy to be brushed away just because the main problem was resolved.

Finally, oozing with scorn, Alex spat at the floor by Mike's boots, and stormed off and out of the house. Only then did Mike ease his muscles to allow little Kenyon free, and looked around with eyes still hard and cold.

He remained solemn and aloof like that throughout the rest of the evening, no matter how much Kenyon and the Kates tried easing some warmth out of him.

Much like him, Alex spent the rest of the evening and night in the North Pole, his hair and cape blowing wildly in the ice air with snow gathering around him until it buried him up to his waist.

* * *

Subaru and Seishiro lay in bed, side by side, with a small gap between their bodies. Both pretended to sleep and both pretended to be calm. Exhaustion from the day's work soon overtook Seishiro and he fell asleep in honest. His fiancé, however, was completely unable to sleep, though his future husband's day's work took a toll on him in exhaustion just the same.

The morning after this night, Subaru kept saying to himself in his head, they'll ride out through Kakyou's forest to their wedding's location. Where they'll marry by the day's twilight. By this time tomorrow he'll be a married man.

'Was in really necessary?' was the biggest question hanging in Subaru's mind; after all, he was still marked as the Sakurazukamori's prey, and what bigger bonding than that could there possibly be? But said Sakurazukamori wanted them married, said Sakurazukamori proposed to his prey, so at least for said Sakurazukamori, this was necessary.

Perhaps what scared Subaru the most was not the finality of it all, or the notion of being tied down to the same one person all his life, but the fact that he had no control over it; things were either Alex's choice, Seishiro's choice or Yuuto's choice. It was not the tiny, technical details Subaru worried about; that was all _his_ choice. Then what _was_ he complaining about? Oh, everything.

For once, he didn't know the text they'll hear from Yuuto; perhaps they'll be forced to make promises Subaru's not willing to take. But what sort of promises won't he be willing to take? Surely, that's just a silly fear; there's nothing he won't give, do or say for his Seishiro.

And maybe Alex will do something, just to make sure they will truly be united, something Subaru would not be willing to have done. Like what?! Alex would never harm a hair on any of their heads, wouldn't dare take something from their essence, from their bodies; so what's there to fear of?

Or will Seishiro do something? Like change. Like age. Like turn, yet again, into someone Subaru never knew before and never saw coming. Ah, but the latter never _really_ happen, did it? At their first time together, Subaru knew Seishiro was the head of the Sakurazukamori clan, but denied all its meanings due to the folly of his age.

And hadn't he once already learned to love the 'new face' Seishiro presented before him? If not in their original world, then surely in this one, and had their love not grown deeper since then?

Perhaps Seishiro may never change in a way that would split them apart, but he will definitely age, and age was probably Subaru's only true and most justified fear about this commitment. After all, Seishiro was much older than him, has been smoking for longer than him, have been working physically harder than him back in their world and in this one.

Subaru turned his head on the pillow and looked upon his lover's profile in the moonlight coming through one of the two bedroom windows. Sneaky nocturnal rays of light highlighted the clawing of white hair at Seishiro's raven temples, made them brilliant silver, as if to tease Subaru further. Enraged, Subaru turned to look away, but the thoughts clawed on.

In all the western movies and TV shows Subaru's scene, what one sentence of what's said in wedding stuck hardest in his mind now?

"Till death do us part"

The sleepless onmyouji laughed and shook his head slightly at his foolishness; they know Death, he'll never do them part. Even when Seishiro will die, surely as when Kusanagi died, he'll be back immediately.

Back immediately, without a moment's pause, without even a thought. Right?

Was that enough to turn off all the ringing bells and wailing alarms in Subaru's mind? Of course not. Was he feeling the beginning of that manic panic he still remembers all too well from the time his fiancé was on dead roll? Oh too acutely.

A shadow crept up from the window, overpowering the moonbeams for a fragment of a minute, and Subaru smiled. A figure walked up to his side of the bed, laying a palm on his forehead. Subaru's smile turned sluggish as facial muscles begged for some looseness and lack of control. His eyelids drew down like curtains and sleep wrapped him softly like a duvet, like a shroud.

The figure turned around and climbed out the window, its long black hair reflecting the moonlight in turquoise.

* * *

It was a long day for Alex, not because of all the work but because of the company and the fact that he was ordered to be excluded from any of the works. "You prepare the couple, we'll prepare the wedding." Yuuto chirped at him early that morning, and Alex had to consent or he'd be endangering the wellbeing of the ceremony.

Now that Love had a small team at his command, the wedding's location was to be prepared solely by them, and by no one else. Venus filled the tall grass with flowers and asked the gigantic plant to forgive her as Shikimai cut it into reasonable height. More flowers were produced and now Watari and the kizune were tying them like beads on a string to wrap around the simple altar's supporters and to decorate the food and dinning tables. Venus and Jacob (who was allowed to help his wife with all her chores though not being a Love man himself) then settled on the cooking, baking and designing of dishes, preparing a meal for the humble wedding of twenty two diners.

Alex' job was to set up the separate tents where the couple were to prepare for the wedding; a simple chair, table and bowl of water in Seishiro's, a whole toilette table, chair and bowl of water for Subaru. That, in Alex' mind, was not enough and definitely not the most he could do. Finally annoyed at his redundancy, Alex stomped over to Yuuto who was setting the crisp white maps on the dining and food tables.

"Give me something to do, damnit, I'm Death and this is the wedding of Men of Death; I aught to have something in it as well!"

Raising his eyes from straightening the impeccable white fabric (spun into maps and napkins from Kakyou's personal stash of his sheep's best wool), Yuuto sighed, "Very well, help me out with all this table decoration thing; it's more of a mess than I predicted."

Alex grabbed the edges of the map on the opposite side of the food table and straightened them, staring at the pile of napkins ready for dispersal in the middle of the tables, "Hey, Yuu, you gonna put these on as they are?"

Yuuto's eyes flashed nervously to the mentioned pile, "Yes, why?"

"White on white?" Death's expression was enough to convey the message of doubt.

"T-there's going to be flowers all over the place in all kinds of pastel-ish colors…" Love tried to sound artistic enough, "that'll break the whiteness."

"That's not the point, Yuu-chan; white's Subaru's color, what about Seishiro's?"

Yuuto blinked.

"Black napkins, for sure."

Love shook his head violently.

"Black napkins, Yuuto; the groom's gatta have something of his own in this ceremony."

Love folded his arms on his chest, "But _black_?! It's so….dark!"

"So's this wedding."

Yuuto stomped his way to Death, "No it's _not_; it's a _wedding_, there's nothing dark in weddings!"

"There is if the groom's the Sakurazukamori."

"Do you see a Sakura here? No. So it's not a dark wedding, stop giving everything you deal with the 'dark' title; it's starting to get tacky."

"Tacky?! How dare you? I am Death on Earth, if that isn't dark, I don't know what is!"

"You're not the only Death now," Yuuto's voice grew poisonous, "and the other one isn't at all dark."

"You wanna have _him_ here now, _Kigai Yuuto_?"

If Love could, he'd fume from his ears.

A black-gloved hand landed on Yuut's shoulder, "Y'all, quit this fightin' right this moment, 'hear? That just 'aint proper at a wedding!" Vash towered over the two of them, his expression a grim strict mask.

"He wants black napkins, Vash, _black__napkins in a wedding_!" Love pouted, "Because he's a big, bad, dark Death."

"He's also a homosexual and if there's one thing that ah lurned in all ma life 's that homosexuals know their stuff when it comes to designin' things. Trust the man's taste, Yuu-Yuu; he sure knows what he's talkin' 'bout."

"Gee, thanks." Death sighed exasperatedly.

"Jus' tryin' to get this weddin' done with as little bellyachin' an' bitchin' as possible."

"The heyseed's right, you know," Spike added, stepping off his horse and walking up to the three with Karen and Ace in toe.

"What the city boy said." Vash smiled through the slight sting Spike deflected with a smirk and a slight bow before grabbing an apple from the bowl of fruits on the table and taking a huge bite out of it.

Yuuto sighed and turned away, "Whatever. The nice, pretty, colorful flowers would soften the clash." He walked away to see how Shikimai and Watari are doing.

"Why are you taking designing tips from the man who thinks an all-pink suit is snazzy?" Ace snickered.

"'Cause we've got a genuine article thing here to get all the designin' done properly." Vash beamed proudly, patting Alex friendly on the back.

"You can stop that now, Vash." Death grumbled.

Karen broke into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth, "Oh," she sighed once she recovered her breath, "this wedding is going to be so exciting…." She chirped, tears welling in her eyes.

"What on earth's wrong with you, Karen?" Alex asked with obvious repulsion, "I never saw you tearing up so quickly…"

"It's the hormones," Karen whimpered, "They're cramping my style at all the wrong times." She tried wiping her eyes without smearing her makeup.

"You're going to be that sappy woman blubbering up all through the ceremony, aren't you, and the speech."

"Screw you." she whined.

Death snickered scornfully. Spike took a vicious bite off the apple, Ace wrapped his arms around Karen, involuntarily caressing her slightly bulging lower abdomen and Vash moved uncomfortably.

"Well?" Yuuto kneeled by Watari who sat inside a circle of flowers, picking them one by one and running a needle through their base to bead them together, "How did it go?"

The young man sighed and shook his head slightly, "He shares a room with a small boy, not that it means anything. When I woke him there wasn't a face in his mind or an image of anyone particularly special for me to assume." He shrugged and resumed his beading, trying to hide the slight unease he felt at failing the task Yuuto gave him the night before.

Yuuto sighed and sat down, poking and grabbing at the flowers with the tips of his fingers, "So, my fears were based; he really is asexual…"

"Must he be sexual to love?" Shikimai enquired with his deep, velvety voice.

"That's how human things work, I'm afraid."

"Will you still try to introduce love to his mind? Perhaps he juts never experienced it." Watari suggested, "And if he loves then it'll be awakened."

Yuuto shook his head exasperatedly, "There wasn't even the slightest bud of that emotion in his heart; the only things he loves are mixed with loyalty the kind soldiers experience to their unit, or the love one has for his home, for a beautiful view, or for his offspring. But love in its romantic form is completely missing from his heart and, I'm afraid, from his mind."

"Perhaps it's for the best," Watari's eyes flashed towards Alex who was distributing the ink black napkins along the dining table, "perhaps all Deaths aught to be that way, or _are_ that way."

Yuuto blinked at his Man, the idea starting to sink in.

"As a guarantee that the thing they aught to do goes uninterrupted, to keep them out of tragedies and mistakes."

"Oh no…" Love gasped, eyes shooting from Watari to the kizune, "so Alex is…."

"A mistake, in a sense."

Love covered his mouth with his hand, eyes filled with horror, "But he's the best of his kind that I've seen…."

"Then perhaps there are better, and they too cannot love."

"He's good, that's for sure," Shikimai concluded, "but he is flawed nonetheless."

"No, it's not a flaw!" Yuuto cried, stubbornly, "If he didn't know how wonderful love can be then we wouldn't be here, preparing this wedding now; he wouldn't know his Men would be only the happiest with love in their hearts."

The three sat silently for a moment. The sun drew down the sky's dome and twilight was nearing. The onmyoujis were already nearing their edge of the forest and soon they'll be at the wedding's location.

"How very cruel of fate, to create such a thing as him." Watari mused, burying his eyes in the beautiful flowers, "Creating a creature dealing with love all around, yet unable to find fixed love to be his own…"

Yuuto stared at his Man and realized something about Watari he felt ashamed of not understanding before, as Love.

* * *

"Knock knock!"

"It's a _tent_, Alex, just get in already." Seishiro sighed, running the shaving blade carefully down his left cheek.

Death snuck in with a delightful smirk and a twinkle in his eyes, "How's it going, groom-san."

"You mean groom-number-one-san, may I remind you that Subaru-kun's also a groom."

"Funny, I thought you knew him better." Alex poked at Seishiro's ribs playfully.

"I'm shaving; if I twitch I'll cut my jugular."

"Ooooh, snappy! Someone's a little wedding-nervous?"

"If you don't have anything better to do than to poke fun at me I suggest you'll take your business somewhere else; I'd like to be alone for a while." The Sakurazukamori snapped angrily.

"Fine, fine, just wanted to give you a little something for the wedding, then I'll be off." He lay a brand new crisp black Armani three-piece suit and a matching black trenchcoat and a black silk tie on the chair behind Seishiro. "See? I'm leaving now, bye-bye, see you at the altar."

"Yes yes yes, now _leave_, please!" When Seishiro turned around to see what Death brought the breath was snatched from his throat and for a long time he was speechless.

"Knock knock!"

"Alex!!" Subaru chirped, turning around with a jerk.

"Will you be more careful, Subaru-san? I'm trying to give you a haircut; if you keep jerking around I'll puncture your jugular!" Karen barked angrily. In charge of Subaru's appearance, she was now bringing his hair back to a style it hadn't been in since 1991, and it wasn't an easy task with an overly bouncy, hyperactive Sumeragi.

"Hello hello, look who's almost prepared to become an honest man's woman." Death beamed proudly, "You make me tear up, you really do. Isn't this exciting, Karen?"

"Fuck off, you filthy bastard." The firemaster's hormones swung to the other end of emphasized emotions.

"You mean an honest man's _man_, right?" Subaru sighed, annoyed, "I'm starting to have it up to here with all this talk about me being the bride of the wedding."

"You have to admit said talk has something to it." Alex snickered in glee.

"Scream at him some more, please, Karen-san."

"You'll look so lovely in the wedding…" the firemaster whimpered.

"Oh dear…"

"Look here what I brought you, Suby-kun." Alex spread the light onmyouji's share of his surprise behind the groom and his tearful hairdresser.

Turning around, Subaru gasped as he lay eyes on a bright white Sumeragi clan shikifuku, bead chains included, the black pentacle standing stark against the white. Mouthing speechlessly, Subaru could only look upon Death with endless gratitude.

Karen mumbled something in a high pitched voice, covering her mouth and crying happily.

"Oh, Alex! It's….it's _perfect_…." Now Subaru was tearing up as well.

"Right," Alex backed up towards the exit, hanging the shikifuku on a hook beside Subaru's toilette mirror, "I'm leaving before I'll lose my lunch." As he drew the tent's flap open he came almost face to face with Kamui.

The two stared at each other in surprise and shock in tense silence.

"Oh dear…" Karen whispered and poked Subaru's shoulder to snap him from the shikifuku to the new scene.

"Ah….uh, Kamui's going to be my bridesmaid, er, Alex, I probably should have said something about that…..uh….sorry?"

Alex and Kamui blinked respectfully, still standing before each other, still staring at each other.

"I thought I'll be your bridesmaid." Alex finally broke the tension, turning around to pout at Subaru.

"Ah-ah, b-but Kamui's….well….he's…uh…."

"Your little sister, I get it, _fine_!" Alex sighed, folding his arms on his chest.

"You'll be at the altar, swearing me in with Yuuto…" Subaru offered apologetically.

Death snorted and walked out, bypassing Kamui nonchalantly, leaving the young man behind him a bit stunned.

"W-was that all?!" Kamui finally asked, still a bit startled.

"Guess so…." Subaru tried to smile brightly at the younger man, "guess it's over then."

Kamui looked away, stepping into the room slowly, thoughtfully, "Feels kinda…strange, I think…."

"Strange," Subaru's eyes grew serious and parental, "but good, right? You're relieved, right?"

"Of course I am!" Kamui snapped a little angrily, "It just feels strange, to think it's all over…" he mused, fingering the shikifuku's sleeve, "Guess it _is_ over, huh?"

"Isn't it about damn time it will?" Karen glared at Justice irritably.

Kamui turned his eyes to them, "Yes…"

The light onmyouji smiled proudly.

* * *

When the time came, the onmyouji stepped out of their tents respectfully and walked up to the altar, on a path opened for them by the small gathering crowd. It was raining cherry blossom petals, provided by Grim sitting up on the tallest tree in the forest's semi-ring around the location, scattering their scent upon the people attending the ceremony.

As Yuuto spoke and swore both men into the marriage, Victoria, Yuzuriha and Karen started sobbing happily. Alex had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from joining them, though his eyes were rimmed with bloody tears. By the time the ceremony itself was done, Sorata had joined the weepers, wailing happily, with Vash joining in the fun to give himself a chance at some light groping under the excuse of a warm hug.

The air was still sweet smelling and light, warm despite the night's darkness, as the guests and the newly weds sat to dinner.

"It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it?" Death beamed at Lestate, sitting by him.

"Simply breathtaking." The vampire beamed back, raising his glass symbolically at Yuuto, "I love what you've done with the maps and flowers and napkins; very stylish."

"I rest ma case, gentlemen." Vash snickered into his white wine soaked chicken breast.

"Shut up."

Arashi snapped her palm on her mouth and pushed herself away from the table, getting to her feet to flee the large bowl of spicy curry Venus passed around the table for all the diners.

"Aw, babe, what is it? Are you feeling sick again?" her husband asked worriedly, rising to follow her.

"That's been happening a lot lately," Karen mentioned pointedly, "_again_..." but the monk was not around anymore to hear her; he followed his wife to the edge of the forest.

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Sorata buried his nose in her growing hair, "That's right, breath deeply; take in as much fresh air as you can, you'll feel better in now time."

Wiping her sweaty brow, Arashi took a deep breath and sighed it out, "You don't understand, do you?" he whispered.

"Understand what?"

She turned to him, tears in her eyes, "It's happened again." Her eyes shot to little Raikou currently having a taste of the curry which made his mother sick, sitting on Ace's knees.

"What's happened again?"

Sometimes, her beloved husband was so hopeless it was discouraging. Arashi fought back the tears and shook her head, burying it in the monk's chest, "I'm pregnant, again." She whimpered from there.

Sorata grabbed his wife by the shoulders and gave her a slight shake to bring her face up again, "What?!"

She looked at him and nodded, looking away mournfully.

"**That's WONDERFUL!**"

"_No it's __**NOT**_"

Sorata's face dropped, "W-why not? We want more children, don't we?"

Arashi ran her fingers through her short hairs, "Yes…but not so fast one after the other…."

"Considering when we started again after Raikou, I wouldn't say it was so fast." Sorata pouted in objection.

"He's not even a year old yet." Arashi snapped back.

"Alright, alright….so….we'll wait a while before the next one." The monk shrugged.

Arashi pushed him away angrily, "The next one? Just how many do you plan on having?!"

"As many as we can have." Sorata's face wore that silly expression of pure joy and adoring usually worn when worshipping his wife's beauty.

"That's easy for you to say, Sorata," his wife spat angrily, "you're not the one pregnant for nine months, you're not the one giving birth!" she jabbed.

"I am the one who usually does most of the parenting, if Raikou's raising so far is any indication." He pointed out matter-of-factly.

That rendered Arashi speechless for a while, as she filled with surprise, then shock, then anger, "So you'll have more children with this awful, neglecting mother?" she snapped.

Sorata opened his eyes from musing and blinked at his wife, stunned, "….No…" he fumbled with his words for a moment, trying to find the right ones to put out this fire, "I love being the one staying at home taking care of the children, doing the cooking; couldn't think of a better way to spend my days. You, on the other hand, couldn't think of a better thing to do all day than patrol the City and practice with your sword." He beamed.

"It's _wrong_!"

"Why?!"

"Because….Because…" now she was the one at a loss of proper words.

"Because I'm the man and you're the woman and it aught to be the other way around?"

"Yes!"

"Would you really be happy taking care of a little devil like Rai-kun all day? I would; me and him think the same way only I know a little more about what his mother wouldn't like to see when she's coming home…" Arashi looked away and moved to turn her back to her husband, "No, no, don't despair; I want to have a big family with you, baby, and I'm willing to take care of the children while you're away doing what makes you happy.

"See, I don't see anything wrong about that, I love doing that. What does it matter if we're not the most conventional family around, at least we're not dysfunctional; our children are and will be loved, we take good care of them, no matter who does what in the process." He held her shoulders again and turned Arashi to him, cupping her chin to raise her eyes to meet his, "Isn't that true? Aren't we a happy family?"

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Arashi nodded.

"And isn't Raikou growing up to be a happy, healthy little boy?" she nodded again, "So don't cry, and don't worry about little things like our roles in the family; that's the old world's rules, we don't live there anymore."

"That's not the way I pictured myself in the future, as a mother." Arashi spoke finally, wrapped in Sorata's arms, "I was supposed to stop all the fighting and become a proper housewife."

"And I was supposed to die for the one I love…"

It was Arashi's turn to grab her loved on by the shoulders and as she did so she dug her nails into his flesh, "Don't say that! Don't talk about it, don't mention it, don't think about it ever, ever, _ever_ again! In this world….in this world….you never know what might…"

The monk laid a finger on his wife's lips to hush her, "Then let's not speak about it at all." He embraced her again and the wind blew gently around them.

"So….can you sense what it's going to be?" Sorata couldn't help but asking, once the silence around them grew soft and embracing around them again.

"Another boy." Arashi sighed.

"Aw, we better have ourselves a little girl soon; too many sons will be too much hassle."

Arashi sighed.

"A little girl to pamper and dress up all day, a little girl to brush her hair and decorate it with all kinds of ribbons and pins." Sorata babbled mindlessly.

"No, Sorata," his wife dead-panned resolutely, almost commandingly, "I'll be the one to brush her hair."

"Then can I, at least, put ribbons in it?"

"As long as they're not _pink_."

"Aw, _babe_!"

"I have spoken."

"Not fair."

* * *

He died in the hut where all the lost causes were moved to, when the hospital shack was too crowded to hold you and you were truly beyond hope, the place where too many of his friends went to and left only on a stretcher, towards the cemetery.

What exactly killed him is unknown; perhaps it was malaria, perhaps it was beriberi or cholera, perhaps it was jungle fever, or some sort of an incurable infection in his bowels due to something he shouldn't have eaten in the jungle, perhaps it was malnutrition, dehydration due to the unrelenting diarrhea they all had. Maybe he was just too exhausted, demoralized and despaired. Who knows. The only fact for certain was that he was beyond help, beyond hope and dead.

He remembered the moments of his death; that uncontrolled pull downwards, the elation upwards and the pure white light that engulfed everything around him suddenly, taking him away from the stuffy shack, away from the remnants of his unit, away from Wampo camp, away from Thailand, away from life.

Te next thing he sensed was the sound of water ebbing against the tin can Von Klaus carried around trying to give some last comfort for the dying, and he was unbearably thirsty. He scared the poor Dutch half to death when he opened his eyes suddenly and motioned, as much as he could, with his fingers for the can.

They brought Doctor Coats to see him when Mike was revived enough to attempt to speak. The poor Brit blinked at Mike with amazement and smiled weakly, "Perhaps he'll get over it, after all." He sighed.

"Then can we move him back to the hospital?" Sergeant Carwood asked hopefully, standing over Mike's makeshift cot with a beam of light infiltrating the rickety roof behind him and giving him an angelic aura.

"I suppose, but try not to get your hopes up; he lost far too much weight and might just regress again." Coats whispered in Mike's NCO, hoping Mike wouldn't hear him.

"But there is hope still, yes?" Van Klaus asked, squeezing Mike's hand, "I mean, he lost weight but he is still better than the most of us." He looked down at Mike with bright twinkling eyes, "Right? You big bear, you're still stronger than all of us together, yes?"

Mike smiled and started getting better already.

He was up on his feet completely by the time they moved to Tarsau camp and in full working strength when the continued their hellish course to Tonchan. The boys wondered at his recovery, not so much for his physical strength returning, but for his morale which seemed to constantly stay elated and optimistic despite the fact that his fellow prisoners were dropping like flies.

It was in Konyu that the Death Gods started visiting him. They came to him at night, when he'd sneak out of his sleeping shack to take a dump, and would scare him witless over and over again. The guys thought he was starting to lose it and that his screams and dashes back to his bunk, with his pants still around his ankles, as a sign of breakdown. They didn't see the Death Gods, only he could and only he could hear them and speak back to them.

Mostly they didn't want to speak to him; just wanted to hover around and ogle at him. By the time he realized what they were doing with their notebooks he was confident enough in his control over them to order them to stop it; they were writing the names of his friends there and that was just inexcusable.

They suggested they'll write down the names of the British sailors, but Mike was stubborn that they'd stop it altogether. When they complained, he told them to go pick on someone else, why were they hanging around _him_ in the first place anyways?!

They told him he was Death and their master.

Mike repressed that and kept straightening the muddy dark jungle floor for the sleepers to be set in angry silence.

One night, when they only began their impossible struggle against hard rock and the wet season, instead of some rest from eighteen hours of work, Mike had a dream.

In his dream he was leveling the jungle ground when the railway stretched forward beyond his feet. He looked up along the hard metal rails and saw a man walk on one of it, crude wooden clogs to his feet and a dirty, stripy pajama pants and black shirt to his body. He walked towards Mike, this little man, and a black and grey cloud of ash spread behind him like a great hound of a storm following its master. The little man smiled viciously, scornfully, at Mike and spread his arms sideways as the clouds spread likewise to reveal a scene behind him. "You think you have it tough?" the little green-eyed man asked with rage in his voice and Mike looked beyond him to the men working in the cloud. They wore uniform like the little man's pants, and a large red cross adorned their backs. They were grinding something down as well, with the same tool he had, but they were not grinding brown earth for railing to be set. Mike's head spun in his dream and he blinked quickly, sweating heavily, frowning at the strange sight, "Ar-are those….are those bones?!"

He woke and the dream was gone.

Halfway through the cutting of the huge rock in Hellfire Pass, Mike was having enough of it. The Jap guards were beating a man to death, the forth since the work here began, and Sergeant Ito was the head of them, while the engineer was looking upon the scene with careless calmness.

Mike's eyes, burning with lack of sleep, the searing heat of the day and the beads of sweat which kept dripping into his sight, to the nearest Death God who was "hyuk hyuk"ing away at one of his friends slipping on the rubble goofily behind Mike. "Write his name in there" Mike murmured under his breath, hanging determined, hard eyes at the creature.

The Death God looked away to follow Mike's gaze, lying now on the engineer, then back to Mike. It nodded and whipped up his notebook. It hovered over to the man who stood on a pile of rubble, overlooking the cutting in comparison to his blueprints. Before him Sergeant Ito ordered his men away from the dead body of Duncan, who was with Mike in boot camp back in days long forgotten.

Suddenly the engineer's hand snapped to his chest and an animalistic scream roared from his failing chest. His foot slipped and he came crushing down face first from the little hill where he stood, right into a big pool of mud the rain created. The thump of his fat body became a splash and mud covered Sergeant Ito and his goons ungracefully.

For a while the whole area became silent with shock, leaving no sound but the constant noise of the monsoon's heavy raindrops on the large jungle plants' leafs. Then someone laughed; Cob, who bunked up right above Mike on their boat to Singapore.

Slowly, Ito turned with eyes so angry they nearly glowed. It looked like a dream, in slow motion, through it all happened too fast.

Their intelligent officer leaped before Cob, arms to his side, chanting apologies in Japanese and bowing deeply as Ito brought his rifle to his shoulder and took his aim. For Mike, it happened without sound, save for a small, hushed, "_No_" his commander, who was working right before, him said.

Then the shot rang sharp in Mike's ears and the next splash and thump was that of Cob and the Lieutenant Lew who dropped to the ground, shot dead. The sounds came back there, including Mike's beloved commander's beastly scream and the sound of his bare feet against the mud and the rubble as he ran towards the two, to cradle the body of his best friend Lew.

Mike's commander was never the same since then, though by the time its full meaning hit Mike it was far too late.

The two of them were the only to survive the whole four years of Jap captivity, them and a few tattered remains of men from mixed units and branches of several armies. On the boat back home to Australia, in 1946, fed and treated back into the healthy condition in which they arrived into Singapore in the first place, Mike learned just how much the whole ordeal took its toll on his commander.

It had another dreamlike quality to it, this memory; perhaps because he was woken from a nice doze in the brilliant sunshine on the deck where he dreamt of beef meals and seeing his home's deserts of red dust. He opened his eyes and the world was white, like when he died, because of the bright sunlight. Then he turned his head, to chat to the guy next to him on the deck chairs, but that man left and Mike was half blind from light anyways, when he caught sight of flaming auburn.

Wearing his best A class suit, his commander looked ever so dashing, like a real gentlemen out on a stroll in a pleasure cruise and Mike wanted to tell him that, and maybe make him smile in honest. See, his commander smiled at him alright (for he had no one else to speak to now), but it was parental and it was fake and it was in order to try and keep Mike quiet whenever Mike worried too much about him and thought chatting is healing. Mike knew he was often a burden on his commander but by then they had no one but each other to rely and lean on when the memories they tried repressing crawled back into their minds and made their world a lot darker.

Mike's world wasn't dark now; the sun was too brilliantly bright, the colors were starting to return as Mike's retina recovered the onslaughter of the sun and there was a whole bucket of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream in Mike's belly that the nice kitchen lady gave him. The weather was lovely, the air was sweet, the ship wasn't rocking, his stomach was full and most importantly; now his commander was here with him.

But his commander walked on, as if he couldn't hear Mike's chirping at him to come and join him for a bit of sunning on the chairs. He walked towards the railing, towards the edge of the deck. It was then that the realization poked at Mike's mind, though he pushed it away and kept hollering at the other man, trying to tempt him with some of the ice cream the nice kitchen lady still had in store.

His commander kept his back to him as he placed one army boot on the second railing from the bottom, then the other boot. He turned to look at Mike one more time, with a wry smile on his faintly freckled face, then turned to the sea again and Mike shot to his feet, charging towards the man.

The point when the memory was no longer blurry like a dream but sharper than ever, was that point when the sun hit his commander's hair hardest, making the ginger hue burn like fire.

The next moment his commander was gone; he leaped into the ocean, probably right into the jaws of the mighty sharks which followed the ship to feed on its waste and carrions. All that was left behind in Mike's eyes was the spot the bright red of his commander's hair left I his vision, like the imprint the sun left when stared at for too long.

Mike hit the railing a second later and looked down, seeing nothing but his commander's neat overseas jacket floating in the water with its arms sideways, and a white crescent-shaped tail breaking through the water in violent jerks. His commander was gone, and the air was full of Mike's screams as if no other sound ever existed in the world.

The dark, square-ish mud-walled room Mike woke up was also filled with his screams as he sat up in his bed, sweating like a pig.

"Shh! You'll wake Kenyon." A little girl sitting on his knees whispered, bringing her little finger to her lips.

Mike ogled at her, baffled, as he blinked the memory and the dream away; the surprise of her sudden appearance knocked Mike silent and sober.

"Who…who are yuu?" Mike whispered after he managed to recover his wits.

"I'm Little Nelly."

"Kenyon's friend!" Mike whispered a little too loudly as soon as he managed to sort his brain out enough to pinpoint where he had heard the name before.

"Be quiet already!" The little girl snapped childishly, "You'll wake him."

"He…" Mike turned to look at Kenyon who, in his sleep, tossed and turned himself away from laying on Mike's arm to laying on the edge of the bed with his arm dangling down to the floor, "He's not rweally asleep….Ai mean, he thinks he is but he's not, _rweally_, asleep, yuu know?"

The little girl nodded somberly.

Finally snapped completely awake and clear-minded, Mike noticed the girl was dressed completely white and had a strange way of glowing in the moonlight, despite her dark skin and hair, "A-a-a-are yuu….are yuu a g-g-ghaust?!" he jerked back, thoughtlessly dragging Nelly along with him on his knees.

She nodded, "But I'm not like the bad ones that were here before; I just came to see how Kenyon's doing. We miss him in the playground, y'see?" she smiled sweetly, though somberly.

"Playground?"

She nodded, her white ribbon adorned dreadlocks flicking back and forth around her like antennae, "Where we all meet at night."

"We?"

"The kids who died in the famine. This famine, the one before that one too…"

Suddenly Mike's head seemed a lot heavier and the cold sweat returned, "Then….then Ai took him from that? Wus he happy?"

Nelly shrugged and thrust her lower lip foreword, looking to the window, "Don't think so; he was always kinda sad for dyin' an' he never played with us as much as he played when he was alive. See, he didn't die like we did so he was sadder."

"And now, do yuu think he's happy?" Mike exhaled, relieved.

"Maybe; I gatta see how you're bringing him up first before I can know that, don't I?"

"A-Ai'll be real good to him, Ai promise! Ai'll send him to school with all the other kids, Ai'll….Ai'll…Ai'll play with him and get him new clothes and he'll niver know he even ever duied; he'll be the happiest little boy iver."

"Yup, but he'll always be a little boy, you know, and that'll take some 'xplaining."

Mike pouted and looked away in thought, "Ai can handle that, Ai can handle that…don't wurry."

Nelly shrugged again, "I 'ain't worried; I'm jus' here to see how Kenyon's doing'" she beamed at him.

"Yuu know, this is the fuust time Ai'm talking to a ghaust."

"Really?" she chirped

"Yup. Ai was always terrified of ghausts, and scared of old ghaust stories. Ai never thought yuu can talk to ghausts, always thought you have to exorcize them or something."

She stared at him with big innocent eyes, "So now you know better?"

"Ai think Ai do…."

"That's great!" her figure started disappearing, like vapors she was slowly disintegrating upwards and away.

"Hey, hey, where are yuu going?"

"To the playground, silly," her voice squeaked, for not much of her was around anymore to be see, "haven't I told you that?"

"Oh. Ruight. Have fun!"

"Thank you! Goodbye now, Death sir."

"G-goodbye….yeah….Death…." Mike was left alone in the dark room, looking down at his naked toes poking out of the blanked too short for him. Guess that's exactly what he was right now. Guess it might not be that bad, after all.

* * *

A month and a half into its construction, the New City's territory was starting to take shape; the ground was cleared of grass and leveled, aside for one natural hill which was extended by use of rocks (imported from the Dragon Valley's cliffs, the forest and the City's rims) to hold the Infirmary's building. Aside from that hill three more were created, one for City Hall, one for the Rescue Team's future building and one for the jail. Sixteen other fake hills were erected, on which guard towers were erected in the New City's future parameter. For this purpose alone, trees were lumbered from the side of the forest facing the New City.

The new Rescue Team house was now the next project, along with main roads crisscrossing the New City into which new high quality roads of pressed and plastered rubble will be joined as soon as the City's old stone buildings will be imported and whenever new stone buildings will appear. When this work will be done the City will start losing its buildings, three a day, and soon the New City will be complete.

Back at the City, Yuzuriha, Vash and Kusanagi were guarding the repairing and making of huge carts which will be used to transport the citizens to their new homes on the day and a half tour planned for the time when the New City will be complete. Parallel to these works, the Noters were busy erecting temporary pup-tents all over the City, to accommodate the citizens whose house will be moved, until they'll move back to their new location. At the New City's location, Mike, Tara and Spike were guarding the constructions.

Ace has never been quite this busy before in his whole life, flying from one city to the next, zooming by various spots of work to oversee the whole procedure to which he took like a fish to water. It was like orchestrating to him, and though he's never done anything of that sort before, he found it within himself to organize everything in just the right time and exactly according to his plans.

The process did not come easily to him, no matter how often it seemed so; his nights were short, his days so busy he often missed his tradition to sit for a spot of tea and cakes with his loved ones, which he kept so hard to. What pained him the most was that he was missing out on his Karen's pregnancy developing, something he looked so very eagerly to see and be present in. At least, he comforted himself in the idea that when the New City will be complete, he'll have all the time in the world to lay about and practically watch Karen's belly develop, if he so much as wished it.

The City Council had offered him a place in their ranks and though he wished to stay a Rescue Team member in patrols and guarding the New City, he began to see the advantages of such a job; the pay in food would remain the same, he'd have an easy, short job, and (as an honorable member with a say in when and where he'll attend meetings) he'd be able to stay at home by day and take care of the new baby while Spike and Karen are away patrolling.

At the moment, Ace was on his way to the north of the City (the furthest side from the river, might the Fire Monsters crawl out and burn the carriages at night) to oversee the carpeting work. He bypassed Dimitri with some distaste at the big man, sweating in the sun as he toiled at bringing shape back to a cart found under a huge wall crashed in Death's attack on the City, and carried on towards Death himself.

Alex noticed the bypassing and smiled, "You don't like the Russians, do you, Arnold?"

"Nope. They kicked Napoleon out of Russia, I'll never forgive them for that."

"Ah, it's the winter that kicked him out, and his overly stretched supply lines. He wasn't the last to have that done to him but at least he wasn't truly kicked out of there; that was a century later."

"I still don't like them."

"Best nation in the world, if you ask me; warm hearted, true, strong, resilient, loyal, funny…."

"Yes yes yes, save your gratitude to someone else."

"Pogromists, all of them; always were and always will be." Jacob commented from behind a huge horse used around the building site to make fitting for new carts.

"You're talking about Kozaks, Jacob, I'm talking about Russians."

"Kozaks _are_ Russians." The horse farmer replied with a snarl.

"Ukrainians maybe."

"But Russians too."

"Not all of them!"

"Oh," Jacob rolled his eyes, "you can say that about everyone, can't you?"

"Can I have your attention again, Alex, you can have your nationalist conversation later."

"It wasn't nationalist, it was….stereotypical…" Jacob commented across his shoulder.

Ace's nerves snapped, "_Why do you have to argue with everything?!_"

Death beamed amusedly, "What was it you wanted to know?"

The hologram sighed and ran his hand on his face as if to refresh himself, "I just wanted to know if you found enough dead horses to bring back and save the farmer's animals?"

"The farmers can use their horses; I personally visited every farm yesterday, all day, to see all the animals were fit." Jacob butted into the conversation again.

"I was asking Alex…"

"They have hey, they have a roof over their heads, they have a good veterinarian checking up on them; they're all fit, each and every one of them. No point in not letting them do the job."

"And the dead horses, _Alex_…?"

"Look," Jacob swung himself under the horse's neck and walked over to face Ace, "these carts you ordered are humongous and they'll be loaded to the brink; you can't possibly let one horse alone pull them, or two or even three. There aren't enough horses in the City for all those carts, but there will be if you add dead horses into the equation."

"That's why I'm asking him about the dead horses." Ace whimpered exasperatedly, voice high and miserable.

"But you aught to listen to me as well, because I know everything there is to know about live horses and I tell you you'll need a lot more than just the horses in all this City."

"That's why I need dead horses."

"Yes, but live ones as well."

The hologram seemed to be about to give up completely, "Why?!"

"They wouldn't stand such a long journey without a break to stretch their legs a bit and trot around a little; it's torture to keep them in carts like that."

"We won't be carrying them in carts; they'll be tied to the back and side of all the carts and trot to their side."

"Trot all the way there?! That's crazy; you'll tire them out by the time they'll get to the evening break. Better have them walk."

"That'll mean the whole convoy will walk and that would make the journey last for two days."

"Then they'll travel for two days." Jacob folded his arms on his chest and nodded in agreement with his own words, "What can you do? Have exhausted, overworked horse back to their farmers after they've handed them to us, healthy and happy at the beginning of the ride? That's unfair."

Ace looked onto Alex, begging for help. All Death did was shrug and shake his head, "You aught to listen to Jacob; he knows everything there is to know about horses."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"More than I let on."

"Just tell me how many dead horses did you find?"

"A couple of hundreds, but some of them are too small to be tied to these carts."

Now that was a reasonable argument, "How many?"

Alex moved uncomfortably and scratched at his ear, "About half of them…."

"Then we'll tie two to a cart, one after another, and keep them tied only to carts with other dead horses to keep them at the same pace."

"You'll have to tie the dead ones with the dead ones and the live ones with the live ones anyway; the smell of death makes horses very nervous." The horse expert commented.

Ace shot a glare at Jacob's direction, "Since you know everything there is to know about horses, I hereby appoint you to be the one to make all the arrangements of where goes which horse, why and how." He smirked.

"Oh, very good!" Jacob's eyes widened in excitement, "I'll go visit all the farmers for their horses, see all the sizes and strengths." And with that he was off, mounting his horse and riding away happily.

Ace's jaw dropped a little, having his hope to see the man try to squirm out of the responsibility and then get a chance at reprimanding his sudden shyness. That opportunity misses, Ace turned to Alex who stared after Jacob, "It's his obsession, horses, isn't it?"

"It's his family's occupation for over five hundred years; it's what he's known since he was a babe."

Once again, Ace was robbed the chance to ridicule someone who just spent every opportunity again to annoy him, and so he turned to walk away while murmuring under his breath.

Inuki, who became fascinated with the large horses the likes of which arrived in the first convoy from the Light Side, moved away from his mistress' side to beside Jacob's horse as they rode. Half an hour later, he was still gone.

Worried, Yuzuriha began walking around the open-air workshop, calling for her inugami.

Suddenly she caught sight of him, standing a little away from her, sniffing the ground. "Inuki!" She chirped, using the same tone of semi-surprised delight she has been using on these occasions since she received the pup to her care.

The inugami raised his head to look at her and, wagging his tail happily, began trotting towards her.

Something, however, was starting to go wrong in him; he stopped, whining and twitching as if an invisible force was attacking and biting him. Alarmed, Yuzuriha called for him again and began running towards him. Then something happened that made her stop and gasp; as he stood there, fighting something she could see, his abdomen started bloating and twitching, growing and growing and causing Inuki a tremendous amount of pain.

Then the lump, now almost Inuki's size and quivering like a creature from a science fiction horror film, tore through Inuki's side, and broke out. Yuzuriha watched with min-numbing terror as her poor inugami's body was removed like a jacket and thrown aside, empty, while a humongous black dog climbed out of Inuki.

Standing on all fours, it was almost as tall as her, with sticky black fur tattered and filthy. Its head was, aside from its size its grotesque appearance, the worse sight about the dog save for its huge brown and filthy claws; four pairs of eyes red opened to stare at Yuzuriha and the teeth in its mouth were huge, yellow and bone-crushingly sharp. Drooling grey, sticky goo, the beast stood staring at Inuki's former mistress as if awaiting the young woman's reactions.

Yuzuriha was so horrified she was unable to recognize the very same dog that took her in its mouth on the day she betrayed her best friends.

She fell to her knees and tried to gather her wits back while Kusanagi seemed to be absent. The beast walked towards her and reached its huge moist nose to hers, giving it a small gentle nudge. This, somehow, managed to squeeze some clarity into Yuzuriha's thoughts; slowly she reached for its side, to bury her fingers in its thick coat.

Instead of a messy, hard gritty fur her fingers felt soft fluff, instead of bad breath she smelled a dog's odor and warmth. She looked at the creature's face and saw its eyes, all eight of them, might have been red and scary, but they looked upon her with love and admiration as any other dog would look at his master.

Then she realized, "Y-you're Inuki…aren't you?"

It rubbed its head against her, keeping his forehead against her chest bone and raised its left paw to gently claw her for sympathy.

"You _are_ Inuki; you want your tummy rubbed, don't you?" Yuzuriha's voice now resumed its cheer and that characteristic tone only Inuki could clearly identify, of the love she felt exclusively for him. Digging her fingers deep into its fur, she scratched at the huge thing, tickling it behind its nibbled ears and at its ribs.

"Inukiiii, Inuki, my little Inu-Inu-Inuki-ki." She cooed and heard him 'woof' in return.

Only the 'woof' did not come from the beast; it came from behind her, and the beast was gone as soon as she raised her head to look across her shoulder. Stunned, again, she blinked at her Inuki standing behind her with a rag ball in his mouth. He didn't look like the beast anymore; he looked like the good old wolfish Inuki she knew since childhood.

Puzzled, she turned her head from the inugami to where the beast stood a moment ago, unable to understand what had happened.

Then she understood and she stood up to search with her eyes for Death. It was a test, to see how she'll cope with how the world will look to her once she's a vampire. In her heart, she still felt the pang of horror at the sight of the beast, though it was neighbored with the old warm love she'll always have to her inugami.

At least, she thought as her eyes finally met Alex' and gave him a brave smile, she will be able to _see_ Inuki, after Lestate worried her with talks of vampires being unable to see spirits.

"That was haash." Alex heard Mike's voice behind him.

"Shouldn't you be at the New City, guarding?"

"Ai had something to tell yuu, and it doesn't change the fact that what yuu did was haash."

"She's a nip, what do you care?"

"Because yuu're harsh to everyone, Victoria told me."

"Well then, you won't be harsh to her and Lestate and David, and I'll be harsh to the nips you won't care for."

"Are we going to keep this who-was-rweally-miserable contest any mowe?" Mike sighed, annoyed.

Not answering, Alex snorted and folded his arms on his chest stubbornly.

"Ai talked to a ghaust last nuight."

"Good for you."

"Niver did that before; was afraid of ghausts, Ai was."

"A Death that's afraid of ghosts, who would have thought." Alex shook his head exasperatedly.

"But Ai'm not afraid of them anymowe."

"Good for you."

"Ai thought of something else, too."

"Oh?" Small Death's voice couldn't ooze cynism anymore than it already did.

"Ai want to be Death now, and be a good boy."

"You have no choice, you know."

"That's exactly it; see, before Ai had no choice and that's why Ai was doing it, but now Ai _want_ to be Death, and be good at it."

"Well," Alex sighed and allowed himself to turn around and look Mike in the face, "it's _some_ improvement."

The big Auzzey pouted, "Yuu can be a little more positive about it."

"I'll give you a big, shiny smiley sticker the first time I'll see you taking care of your nip charges' needs, despite your internal arguments. And don't start that conversation again; you'll give me the same condition as soon as something dead and German finds its way here."

Mike placed his hands on his sides and tried to look down at Alex even more than he already was, "Very well then, we have a deal." He reached his right hand to Alex with his little finger poking out, "Peace?"

Glaring dejectedly at the gesture, Alex sighed and returned the gesture, shaking pinkies, "Peace."

Mike beamed so contently, that after a while, Alex couldn't help overcome his cynic air and crack a small smile well while looking away.

* * *

The last two projects were now fully finished; transporting the old City's stone houses, Infirmary, City Hall, Court (which was transported solely by Ice Man to keep the whole affair purely Justice), and various farms and houses, to the New City.

While that was on the go, new stone houses were built by the City's small army of unemployed citizens and citizens who were professional builders and the single architect of the City. The majority of buildings erected were special ordered placed by Rescue Team members; a double-part house for Yuzuriha and Kusanagi to be shared with Victoria and David, a house for Spike, Ace and Karen with room for the new baby and a work room (which, the men plotted, will one day become the room of the next baby), a small farm house for Venus and Jacob who will share the new daisy field with Love's new cozy house.

Arashi and Sorata would stay in the old house of Seals and Harbingers, and will slowly fill each and every room (attic included) with children (as Sorata plotted). Kamui and (mostly) Fuma were building themselves a nice penthouse atop the Court to save them the need to wake up early enough to ride halfway through the City to make it to the Court in time.

The new Rescue Team house, built in the exact same manner as the old one, was to house only Tara, Vash, Mike and young Kenyon with a huge meetings room where Ace was to hang all his beloved maps concerning the New City plans and area.

More adjustments were done to already existing buildings were extensions and another floor for the Infirmary, including three roomy operation theaters, a proper storehouse and a spiraling staircase and a parallel, equally spiraling flat descending level to allow stretchers to be rolled up from one floor to the next. The Noters' headquarters earned another floor, with a wider office for Lion and a proper meeting room and a briefing room. A school was added to the orphanage, and teachers were appointed amongst the citizens.

That completed, it was time for the citizens to move, now that their fields have all been moved (the fields in a one-day small mess of arguments between the 'flyers' amongst themselves and with the farmers, which almost came to blows if it wasn't for Subaru and Charlie's stubborn, brave interruptions) as their livestock was alreadymoved to the new, fertile land bit by bit.

The farmers were all signed on a paper binding them to new grazing rules to keep the fields around the New City from drying up completely, and the whole population signed on a document promising that any new families would only have two children each (a rule only the Rescue Team were allowed to break, under Sorata and Ace's firm begging) and that those already with two or more kids would not have any more. The two documents were added, a copy to every civilian (children included) was added to their personal files in the City Hall's new section, which was moved from the Infirmary, and was now the registrant's office run and organized by Yuuto whilst keeping its tittering, cheerful staff.

During the whole construction of the New City, from start to finish, David was at another enclosed bay of tall grass almost surrounded completely by the forest, digging the new graveyard. It was from this side of the forest that trees were lumbered, so that it worked for the benefit of the new cemetery.

This cemetery was no longer shoulder to shoulder with the Infirmary, a troubling fact which occupied most of the old Infirmary's costumers whenever they came there, even for a small checkup. The new cemetery was neat and clean, with wide paths between straight and orderly lines of graves over which clean headstones stood straight. The flowering bushes naturally growing at the forest edge and amongst the tall grass were kept, or moved whenever a grave or path was to be lain in their way, to give the cemetery a fresh, calm air. Benches of stone and wood were placed five to a row of graves, and vases were chiseled, each night, by David, to be placed by each grave for families to place flowers in them whenever they came to visit.

His old, simple shack was broadened and strengthened by stone, and a wide hall with a rectangular platform of marble was erected at its center, for pre-burial ceremonies. Where David used to sleep was now the area where the dead will be cleaned and dressed before they were placed in their coffin for presentation. The coffin and gravestone workshop was another addition to the now unrecognizable shack.

Looking at his job done, David took a deep breath and smiled; this was the graveyard he had always wanted to have, instead of the barren, sun-beaten parched place he used to run.

As a final act to goodbye to the old cemetery, he, Victoria, Alex and Mike sat all night to sort out the old clothes from the equipment shed by the Infirmary. The things they found worthy of keeping they donated to the orphanage, after Subaru's had a long hard check of every item.

That night, Kakyou rode out with a few baskets of cupcakes and butter buns, to distribute amongst the citizens camping in his dominion for the night.

He was officially made the Forest Keeper, along with Dimitri, to guard for any dangers coming from the old City's direction, and patrol their land for any infiltrating dangers. Along with the guarding aspect of the new duty, his and Dimitri's job was to keep the forest healthy and teeming and enforce another law passed in the City Hall, along with the one about grazing and fertility, to never cut down too many trees and ruin the forest's regenerating abilities.

The new role was an odd idea to Kakyou, who never had a proper occupation in his entire existence, but the prospect of having some authority and the ability to defend the one thing that brought him health and happiness from the moment he arrived at the Lost Dimension – the Great Forest, as it was now called – filled him with pride and confidence.

Like Yuzuriha, Seiichiro, and the rest of his former Tokyoites, Kakyou changed beyond recognition from the sickly waif he was the moment his frail figure was sucked and cast into this dimension; he was no longer lithe and fragile, but an agile man fully capable of grabbing one of his adult sheep and carry it on his shoulders like a tribal herdsman. Of his effeminate looks not much remained but his delicate face and his hair, which was now so long he had to tie it back and fold it over and over again to keep it from dragging on the floor and becoming dirty.

Arashi, who never got to see him much during their nearly-two-years' time in the Lost Dimension, came across him in the forest as he distributed his cooking amongst the civilians, did not recognize him and addressed him as a total stranger. When he reminded her of who he is, she smiled politely and asked him over for a dinner some day, as soon as they got the house back in order.

She informed him that the moment she and her husband will get the house recovered from the move and have all their furniture in order, they'll have a big meal, "For us all."

With his mind filled with all kinds of fantastic images of how that might look like, and how odd it would feel to have all these people he never, really, knew suddenly brought together in one big, happy family meal, Kakyou walked back to his home with a small smile.

* * *

The night following the one in which the New City's citizens arrived in their old-new homes and started unpacking, the citizens of the old City who never were lucky enough to see this day alive, were moved to the New City's cemetery in this great time of traveling's last act.

The March of the Dead, as the citizens called it, lasted a little over a night. Instead of the long, but safe, rout through the Great Forest that the citizens chose, the dead marched hurriedly, directly to the New City through Dragon Valley and the Tramfaldors' Craters, under the Blue Circle protection. Escorting the march, were all of the Deaths' men, save for David who was spending the night in his new house, vainly trying to sleep.

Mike was to ride ahead of the column, with Lestate as a guide, and was the main source to the power which moved the zombies' every limb. Riding up and down the column of rotting flesh and skeletons, the onmyoujis made sure no one fell into a hole in the path or stumbled on a rock, Victoria and Yuzuriha rode behind them, performing the same task with a respectful part of the long and winding column for each pair. Bringing up the rear and overlooking the whole thing were Kusanagi and Alex, who rode a little behind and above the whole thing so he can see and hear everything along the seemingly endless row.

Silently, the dead marched in the gloom of the almost moonless night, like a moving monument for all the helpless, luckless victims of the old City's cruel fortune and the Dark Side's vicious habits.

As the column left the old City's territory, Alex stopped his hovering horse and gained altitude, to look over the abandoned City one last time. His view started from the lonely hill where Subaru and Seishiro's old house once stood before he moved it to the new location, as a memory of the last place he ended up in during his long and strange phase in the City. The air was freezing yet so moist that droplets rose wherever warm flesh was exposed, then immediately froze into a mask of ice, but there was no snow, not yet.

As he looked down the abandoned streets, hardly lit by the harsh and scarce moonlight, he saw the gaping holes of the old cemetery, the strangely dark squares of earth exposed after the buildings which hid them so far were moved, and the multi-spiked star of blackened earth still clinging to the ground where the Rescue Team house was and the monster which ruined it.

Hovering over and away from the sight, it felt to Alex like a whole age had passed; that the moment he will turn his back and ride after the March, a new age will start and the Old City will be no more.

With the chilling wind blowing in his hair, Alex turned his back and rode his horse through the air, away.

The End.

* * *

**A.N: **Yes, ladies and gentlemen, three years of work is over and done with. Ah, we've come a long way, haven't we? I hope you all enjoyed this story, and that it gave you everything you looked for, both in the plot and in a story itself (accept for the Alex/Kamui cheerers, sorry!).

I'd like to thank all of you who followed this story patiently along the years because you're the reason why it's on the interweb in the first place, you're the ones who gave me the guts to publish it out loud and keep doing it. I love you all so very, very dearly. So thank you:

Kakyou-chan, Ladyoftheblackwings, Sesshy'sgirl0, Cocoke5, Lemonysh, Yersi Fanel, Iwannasleep, Tekoo, Feather-chan, Lonely tsukasa and Kizune. There are also a lot of people who left many wonderful reviews all the times I had to re-upload ANW to but whose reviews got erased because of basically, so thank you too!!

I'd also like to say a big, big thanks to my beloved beta and one of my best friends ever; Cait The Mighty Beta who so far worked her butt on reviewing the fic to look for mistakes (and to call Alex a pussy. Yes, ladies; Alex has been called a pussy. I'd stone her to death if I were you…) Thank you so much for all your hard work , Cait, I don't know where my writing would be without you in my world, but it'd be on a much lower level than it is now (look, I ever wrote 'than; instead of 'then' see? See? I listen to you!).

What have I to do next? Ah, but ANW is but the fourth (and last) chapter in a saga telling Alex' life story. Seven years ago I write the first chapter in the saga and now all that's left is to revise and beta it, then write down the second and third chapter. When the time comes I'll publish all those in the places I mentioned ANW will be published once fixed, so head up.

And again, thank you so very much and I love you all.

Meirav.


	49. Apilogue

Hello all A New World fans!!

First of all, as I said in the last chapter; thanks for all your support, I would have never made it this far without you!

As I said in the last chapter, me and my beloved, highly appreciated two betas Cait and Kakyou-chan have been working on iproving and re-writing A New World so that will be become incorporated in the five-chapter saga telling the story of Alex, the City and the other Deaths.

As I said, I will post A New World under its new name: Death (the whole saga's name): Legend. I hope you'll enjoy the re-written version as much as you will the original version and my writing will captivate you enough to follow the saga through its every (and many…) chapters.

You can catch the new releases in these following links:

My original fiction Livejournal account: (http-blah-blah-blah)dark-fics(dot)livejournal(dot)com

and my FictionPress account: (http-blah-blah-blah)www(dot)fictionpress(dot)com(slash)u(slash)598903

See you there!!

Meirav.


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